News & Events

Posts per page: 3 | 6 | 9 | All

Cygnet Weekly News Monday 24th August
Author: Jeremy Pugh |
24th August 2015

Hi All,
Hope you all had a great weekend on and off the water. Thanks for Michelle and team for organising a really fun sociable Club Day and arranging such great weather. When it is as good as it was on Saturday it really makes you appreciate the asset we have in our garden when the sun is shining. We had some semi serious blue on blue double scull racing in lively conditions where everyone was a winner. Modestly prevents me from saying who the ultimate winners were other than it was a good day for Captains...

Although we are in the middle of holiday season, 10 scullers made it to Sid's Sculling Session on Saturday morning. We paddled serenely up to Syon Crossing and then a Head style row back line astern. All agreed that that made us work much harder for longer than we would have done if we'd been on our own. It looks a good formula to get us all braver and stronger and better scullers for Scullers Head and other races.

This Week

As per Sue's note, note a lot of us around on Tuesday and Thursday but if you are going out you need lights at any boating time after 6:30pm.And it's time for the long ergs to start so this week its a 10k piece, record you time as a benchmark for the start of the winter training.

Weekend

No races, regattas or summer parties, get your availability on the sheet to let Sue put crews together, but the Tideway is quiet so it's a good opportunity to hone sculling skills.

Only 2 weeks to the start of the Learn to Row on the 7th Sept so another plug for us all look to promote it through our contacts, work, etc.
We will need volunteers to support the sessions, especially when we get boats first out on the water. Sian has put together a plan of the sessions which is attached. If can all do a couple of sessions that will go along way to covering the course. Look at the dates and get back to Sian with how you can help.
Coming up:

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 Head5th December - Scullers Head
That's all for nowJez
Permanent link | Comments (0)
Cygnet Weekly News Monday 10th August
Author: Jeremy Pugh |
11th August 2015

Evening Everybody,
Hope you all had a great weekend on and off the water in the fab weather. It was relatively quiet on the Tideway although Sid got 7 scullers on the water by 7am to put them through their paces between Chiswick Eyot and UL. But 7 am isn't early enough to beat the gin palaces and 4 mins into our piece 6 of them steamed passed swamping our frail craft and rendering the river unrowable to all but Sid. Still what doesn't kill you makes you stronger if wetter. And we did get a written apology.

Sue was coaching the Nov 4+ in preparation for Oxford City regatta next weekend, the crew definitely coming together and getting off the start faster, but we might find the flat water at Oxford rather disconcerting.

This week:Outings on Tuesday and Thursday as per Sue's note. Sue has also offered a choice of ergs but if you're not sure which to do then why not do both.

Thursday Food is already prepared and just getting better by the day as per Cris note.

Next Weekend:Oxford City RegattaNov 4+ (Anna, Jez, Nick, Cris, Robin) racing at 16:30 in a semi finalSid and Sharon (MxEli 2x ) at 15:03 in round 1 of 3Trailer loading post outing on Thursday please.

Special Note - can we all look to promote the Learn to Row starting on the 7th Sept through our contacts, work, etc. The more people we get into it the better chance we have of building the squads for the winter season. There are posters in the club house ready to be posted around the area as well.

Coming up:

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 Head5th December - Scullers Head
Finally, here's the apology from the Gin Palace skipper:

Sir
I am not sure if it was your club members who suffered from my excessive wash this morning, if so, my I extend my apologies for what was a lack of judgment. By way of explanation I was on my second only tideway trip, punching the tide and on checking my log achieving only 5.3 mph, but at the expense of creating a far bigger wash than I realised until, correctly, chastised by your rowing members.
I hope I have now learnt by my mistake, again my regret at any inconvenience caused.
Yours a now slower Tin Lizzie

Ps if it was not your members involved, do you have any idea who might have been out on the Corney Reach at 0700 this morning?

See we can have peace and love between different river users.
That's all for now
Jez
Permanent link | Comments (0)
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
Permanent link | Comments (0)