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Cygnet Weekly News Monday 27th July
Author: Jeremy Pugh |
4th August 2015

Greetings to all Cygnets from the new captaincy, At the OGM last Tuedsay, the new team of Nick Rae (Deputy), Dave French (Vice) and myself (Capn) were unanimously voted in as your new captaincy to much cheering and general euphoria of the assembled great and good of Cygnet. To reiterate what I said then which is that it is a great honour to be captain and have the chance to serve the club that has 125 years of illustrious history and a great future to look forward to. Huge thanks to Dave for all he has done as captain on and off the water and for staying on as Vice Captain to mentor me in what happens behind the scenes keeping the club working smoothly. In the next couple of weeks I will canvas the whole membership on what you want from the club and their rowing. My first priority is to grow our base of rowers, starting with getting as many people enrolled in the learn to row course starting on the 7th September jointly with Barnes Bridge Ladies. I look for your help to spread the word and help publicise the LTR and the club in general. Anyway, more of that in the coming days,

This weekend was our annual pilgrimage to St Neots. The event seems to get bigger each year and the tented village expanding along with it. For me there was the realisation that our gazebo and general camping gear is not quite state of the art as it could be next to the sound systems, disco lights, BBQs, fire pits, tents with sides on them that keep the wind and rain out. The other thing apparent is that some clubs are not following the unwritten rule that no mixed crew should have a training outings before the regatta.

So the racing: we entered 4 events over 1000m on Saturday. Mas EFG 1x (me) MasB 4+ (Ian M, Stu, Tom B, Sarah T), MasC 4+ (Anna, Sid, Big Jim, Jez, Cris) , MasB 8+ Cygnet/BBL (Stu, Ian, Tom, Cris)

The logistical challenge that was the MasC and MasB 4+ crews being in the same event, and sharing a boat and said bowman was resolved by the bowman getting bitten by an infectious horse and the MasB crew giving Leeds RC an unfeasibly long headstart. All good races, MasC 4+ enjoyed success in their semis and gave Leeds a hard race and narrow victory in the final.

Sunday was raced over 500m in the pouring rain that proved again that win or lose rowers a made of stern stuff. We raced MasB 2x (Sid and Stu), MasB 1x (Cris), IM3 4x (Dave, Raph, Tom, Laurent), Mx IM3 Mx (Dave, Stu), MasC 4+ (Sid, Jez, Jim, Alfonso, Cris). No wins but all fun and close races and excellent race experience. Well done to Cris on taking the plunge metaphorically but not literally in his first single scull race. I can see more competition for boats come scullers head, and Cris, the Tideway is a lot wider that the River Greater Ouse.
In the regatta marquee, top points go to the Broadhursts for the shapes they threw and sheer energy of their dancing. Honourable mention for Jim R for his high knees dancing, bodes well for the start of circuits.

So this week:
Outings:
Tuesday: Unloading the trailer, boats back on their racks please.
And please move the Rawkins from BBL side of the boathouse to the R Lambe slot (bottom rack right side of Cygnet side) so Neil P can get at it to fix the scratches on the hull.

7:15 OTW, Sue coaching
4+ Cox Claudia, Dave, Nick Rae, Matt B, John Stockdale,
1x Cristobal
Erg tbc
Thursday: Rigging of boats for HT&V
7:15 OTW
2- Bart, Gav,
2x Charlie Cris
4+/- Dave, Jim, John S, Nick R, (cox tbc)
1x Matt, Jez
Saturday: Henley Town And Visitors Regatta
IM1 2- Gav and Bart (9:38 SF , 12:10 final)
MasB 2x Raph and Laurent (12:02 Final)
Mas B 2x Charlie, Cris (12:02 Final)
Sen 4- Dave, Nick B, Bart, Gav (17:38 Final)
Outings at club to be confirmed
available Jez, Sid, Matt, Stu
Sunday
tbc available Dave, Matt, Cris, Rashid,
Upcoming events:
15/16th August: City of Oxford Regatta, usually our last regatta of the season, so please update availability saying if you are available to race. Priority is for Saturday racing over the full course.
22nd August: Club Day for blue on blue action and BBQ
7th September: Start of Learn to Row,
19/20th September: Sculling Camp, Learn to single scull/swim in in incomparable setting of the Cygnets Bungalow at Shepperton Lock
3rd October: Rhine Marathon
10th October: Pairs Head - start looking for your partner
So that's it, end of first weekly bulletin, I promise the next will be shorter. Good rowing and keep updating your availability up to date on the spreadsheet. And hope Robin's bite gets better. Jez
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Cygnet Weekly News Monday 3rd August
Author: Jeremy Pugh |
4th August 2015

Hi Cygnets,At the weekend the club was well represented at Henley Town and Visitors regatta with 4 combos on the water and a spot of blue on blue action in the Mas B 2x.Dave F was our rowing (should that be roving) reporter and reports that:

2- were v competitive ay IM1 by all accounts. V close 2nd (less than 1/2 a length) in a 3 boat race. Pulling back on them, and would have clinched it if they'd had another 200m to race.
2xs reported that they enjoyed themselves at Mas.B. Both well beaten by the RAF, bit Laurent & Raph easily won the inter-Cygnet tussle for 2nd. Charlie & Cris did well for their first race.
4- had a good start, side-by-side with both other crews, until we got too side-by-side, clashed, stopped, race halted, Upper Thames disqualified (right outside their boathouse). Rerow, another good start, but Stratford-upon-Avon were too good for us and won by 2.5 lengths.
So great experience for Charlie and Cris and as a bonus Charlie passed his Cygnet trailer towing practical, so he now has a job for life. Special mention for Bart who after racing at HT&V was up at 4am to compete Ride London and complete the 100 miles in 4 hours 48mins. So it was quiet on the Tideway apart from some light social sculling for Matt, Robin, Guy, Sid and myself.Oxford City regatta on the 15th is the last one of the summer season we are planning to get to. Nov 4+ has been entered in morning and afternoon races so a getting as many outings as poss beforehand will pay dividends in the races. So outings this week...Tuesday - Cris, Nick, Charlie and John S look like a 4+ with Claudia coxing to me (tbc be Sue) (Note if taking the Pickford which is our only available 4+, it needs to be taped over the hull damage by the fin box). If there are any boats left on the trailer can you get down early and unload them and re rig them please. Thursday - Jez, Robin, Cris, Nick, (Oxford 4+) and Dave, Matt (2x, 2- 2 x 1x ???) Sian is cooking, sign up with her if you are staying. (sian_kunert@hotmail.co.uk)
No regattas this weekend so we should have a good turn out on the Tideway.
Coming up:

15/16th August: Mas Nov 4+ and Nov 4+ entered, any other takers???
22nd August: Club Day for blue on blue action and BBQ
7th September: Start of Learn to Row,
19/20th September: Sculling Camp, Learn to single scull/swim in in incomparable setting of the Cygnets Bungalow at Shepperton Lock
3rd October: Rhine Marathon10th October: Pairs Head - start looking for your partner!
7th November - Fours Head
8th November - Vet Fours Head
5th December - Scullers Head
We are 5 weeks away from the Learn to Row which is being run jointly with Barnes Bridge so an added bonus to would be Cygnets. We want to make a big push to recruit likely lads to swell the squad for the winter season and for the head races after Christmas. If you have any good ideas about how to spread the word, at work, online, in the local community, please let Nick R and me know. We will be updating the web site with a more hard sell approach to Cygnet and the LTR and using Twitter and Facebook to get the word out, we will keep you up to date with what's what.
One final thing, bit of a nag but... there have been a couple of adverse comments about the state of the club house and the kitchen area in particular, so can we all do our bit and make sure we leave it tidier than we found it. If we want potential recruits to hang around we want to make a good first impression. Why dont those staying for supper on Thursday have a quick blitz clearing out bins, and generally tidying the place up,
See ya'll soonSkip,
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Cygnet Weekly Update: Monday 13th July 2015
Author: David French |
13th July 2015
All,
A relatively short and sweet one from me, as it's getting late.
There were Cygnets racing on the Friday and Saturday just gone, at Henley Masters Regatta. Unfortunately both our Mas.B 2- and Mas.B 4+ came up against some tough opposition and were knocked out (turns out that "US Veterans RC" are veterans of US rowing, rather than the Vietnam Vets we'd hoped for). However, both races were hard-fought, with overlap for most of the course, and next year, with a few more training outings... This was Cygnet's first time at Henley Masters for many years, and it's right next to Old Blades, on a lovely stretch of river, with a really friendly atmosphere, so hopefully we can make it a fixture.
Looking ahead, we have St Neots coming up on 25th and 26th of this month. We're in the process of finalising entries, with the focus on getting as many of us as many races as possible - including mixed boats with BBL. I'll send round our final entries when they're confirmed later this week. You've just about got time to make yourself available if you haven't already.
Speaking of which, if you want to come to the House of Lords for our 125th reception on Friday evening - and who on earth wouldn't - and you haven't yet booked, you might just about be in with a shout if you email Paul Rawkins (copied in) absolutely asap.
This week
Tues evening - outings (no set outings)
Squad Erg - 10k (2k @24, 2k @22, 2k @24, 2k @26, 2k @24).
Thurs evening - outings, as per Sue's email.
Thurs evening - there may be food after outings if anyone volunteers this week.
Fri evening - Reception in the House of Lords.
Sat & Sun morning outings - Sue's away on holiday, so a doubly strong plea from me to update your availability, as I'll be setting crews for the weekend and next week.
Next week
Please make a note of next Tuesday (21st) the Cygnet Ordinary General Meeting, 8.15pm, in the bar. Please try and come along if you can, as your incoming captaincy will welcome your support, and I can pretty much guarantee that the bar bell will be rung.
Thanks
D
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