News & Events
Cygnet Update 21st September
21st September 2015
All,
Firstly, we had a successful Sculling Camp in the sunshine at Cygnets Bungalow. We got a bunch of first time scullers out onto the river. I am still awaiting the final score but it sounds like a record low swimming count which is great result for those showing them the ropes (or holding them by a rope). Thanks to all those involved in the organisation - Nick, Nick, Cris, Tom , Stu, Anna, Jo, Helena that I know about and others that I don't. We were short of some o of our old Scamp hands, it's good to see others step into vacancies they left. The GFAR moves into its 3rd week, again thanks to those who've helped out on the sessions to date. The numbers and their enthusiasm is very promising for a new Cygnet intake, and we've had others come along after the course started wanting to get involved. It does put a strain on our resources but the club will be in a better position if we get a good proportion to stay on so please help out when you can, please say hi to the new people to make them feel at home. Sian will let me know week by week the help she needs, but we'll need more helpers once the course moves onto the river.
This week...
Tuesday - Start of a new era with Circuit Training with Maxi running the session at Cavendish School, Edensor Road W4 2RG. Please come along to make sure it's fully supported for her debut. Meet at the club by 7 or at the school for a 7:15 start.
Thursday - new squad erg night - time to get in your 5k test as Sue has kindly given us 2 extra days to post our scores. Let's all get a time in so we have baseline to improve on. Or if you've already done that then 4 x 2k with 1 min easy
Weekend: Hmmm, availability on the sheet is pretty lamentable... Please please please update the spreadsheet. If you are planning a Pairs Head training outing put that on the sheet so we can line up coaching and crews to compete against each other.
3rd/4th October Rhine Marathon - a good few of us will be in Dusseldorf, if you are back at base please make your availability clear so we can plan outings
10th October 15:30 Pairs Head - if you are not it and can help with boating/parking etc contact Nick Bates and come and cheer those who are in it. Our boathouse is HQ for Pairs Head and it's run by BBL so come and support it if you can.
Beyond, winter training starts here. I'll be sending a separate email to ask you all what you want from your rowing and how much you can commit so we can work out what resources we need not least on coaching and get an informed and realistic view of what crews will be out regularly. We've high hopes that the level of interest shown in the GFAR will translate into new recruits and as a club it's our interest to support their integration into the club and their rowing development, so be prepared for calls for volunteers to for experienced guys to jump into novice crews and helping out with coxing duties,
That's all for now,
Cygnet Update 14th September
14th September 2015
G'day all,
Tales from the riverbank...
The Get Fit and Row course is well underway, great turn out of likely looking future Cygnets have now had their first four sessions, great to see so many new keen guys and gals at the club on Saturday morning. Thanks for those who are helping Sian with the sessions, I'll pass on requests from her when people are needed for specific sessions. But be prepared to jump in when we need to get experienced rowers in boats when they go on the water for their first outings.
Pairs Head crews were out training at the weekend despite the odd sore head after the end of season dinner on Friday night. Well done to Charlie and Cris on their well earned awards.
This week:
No planned mid week outings but if you do, you must take lights!!!
Weekend is Sculling Camp at our lovely bungalow. If you can make it, please sign up to the poll or let Nick Rae know directly, we could do with a few more seniors to help with the 3 GFAR guys who've signed up. Weather is looking very promising for sculling and socialising. Nick will let you know when boat loading will be taking place.
So not many around to row on the Tideway, if you do plan to row at HQ on Saturday please put that on the availability spreadsheet so we can put crews together.
Next Week:
Tuesday 22nd 7:15 - Start of Circuit Training at Cavendish School with a new coach, Maxi (ex of BBL) new exercises, same opportunity to improve fitness and core strength for the head races. Please put it in your diary and come along and support this important component of Cygnet life and training.
So squad erg night will move to Thursdays from next week.
Beyond:
3rd October - Rhine Marathon
10th October Pairs Head - time to finalise combos and get entries in
24th October - Henley Lunch, stripy blazer time again
Finally
We are getting the outboard of our launch repaired and serviced on Saturday, I need someone to ensure Joe can get access to the launch and that the boat shop is open. If you plan to be down at the club on Saturday and keep a look out for him can you let me know please.
And that's all for this week
Have a good one
Jez
Cygnet Weekly News 7th September
11th September 2015
Hi All,Back on the air again after a week swanning around the Alps...One main topic for this week and that is the start of the Get Fit and Row course that is being run jointly with BBL. It was the first session last night and 27 would be rowers turned up, 11 guys and 16 gals. This is a great result and by far the best uptake we've had for a while. We've have to collectively make sure they get the best experience from the course and that a large proportion sign up as next generation Cygnets. Sian has been doing a fantastic job in advertising a recruiting and scheduling the sessions. With such big numbers it means she will need lots of helpers to run the sessions. We will be splitting them into 3 groups and running 3 sub sessions in parallel with a combination or fitness/circuit, erg, tank and tech talks. We need at a minimum of 4 helpers per session, but more would be better especially helping coaching on the ergs. Once we get them on the water in October we'll need coxes, and boat sitters aplenty. Right now Sian needs at least one more person for this Saturday morning (11- 12:30) and on for the Monday (14th) evening session. Can you get in touch with Sian if you can do either of these (Sian Kunertsian_kunert@hotmail.co.uk ). This will be a recurrent theme in the newsletter, but this is something we all need to get involved with as it is starting to build the base of the club which we all know we have to do. And I think we'll all need to buy Sian a drink or two every time we see her.At the weekend there were a few of us out in singles and doubles enjoying late summer sun and rough water. It is good to see a new group of scullers getting together, improving their skills, getting to know the river better and developing their river craft. The more people we have who can steer, the more flexibility we have in putting crews together when we are short of coxes. So it would be good to have everyone who's been rowing for over a year to be signed off to steer our boats. We had an open day on Sunday which got a good response, most of those we saw have signed up for the GFAR.This weekend the emphasis is getting the crews who are racing in Pairs Head on the water. Ideally they should go out as a pod and do pieces against each other either side by side or one boat chasing another. It really focuses the mind and gets you used to race conditions, it certainly helped the Nov 4+ before Oxford to do side by side pieces with another crew. I'll put the crews out on Thursday. Laurent, Raph are you around to join the group? Whilst at the club at the weekend can we re-rig the boats that for various reasons and not rigged? 3 of our 4s are not currently rigged after various road trips, we need to get them rigged again to make sure we don't lose bits of boats or riggers get damaged. So bring a rigger gigger on Saturday morning.
Further ahead, it's sculling camp on the 18/19/20. Nick has sent out the details so please sign up via the Doodle Poll. In the current squad there aren't that many who haven't sculled before, so it would be good to treat this as a mini training camp and organise some pieces, maybe a mini head race if the river conditions allow. And some of the GFAR guys are keen to come along so it's a good opportunity to meet them and make them feel part of the club. We'll need a number of volunteers to go down on Friday to rig the boats, get them across to the bungalow and generally set up camp before heading to the pub. Nick will be chasing for volunteers!
Finally it's the end of season dinner at the Coach and Horses on Friday. Hope to see you all there, thanks to Cris for organising everything.That's (eventually) all,Jez
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