News & Events
Cygnet Weekly Update: Monday 16th Feb 2015
16th February 2015
Good Evening,
A week that involved boozy social celebrations, rowing training and racing - which is appropriate for our 125th birthday.
A strong turnout on Thursday night in the Duke's Head (no availability issues there!) - including some nostalgic faces. Many, many toasts made to the club, and a fun time had by all.
On Saturday, we headed to Henley 4s & 8s Head. We had three crews racing over two divisions, in what was an enjoyable, well-organised, and muddy event. Results:
- in the mixed 4xs, our Love Boat #1 (Mountain Gibbons) came in 3rd out of 5.
- Love Boat #2 (Captains' Invitational) came in 4th, some 25 seconds later. (Thus proving that pre-race training outings are a waste of time...)
- In the afternoon, our IM2 8+ - drawn from across the Seniors and Novices - came 33rd, and got more valuable race experience.
All in all, a nice spot for a friendly head race. Thanks in particular to Sue for trailering and coxing, and Matt for supporting and photographing - both of whom also hung around for unloading the trailer back at the club. Unfortunately we didn't have enough bodies back at the boathouse to re-rig... see below.
This week
Tues - Squad Erg Night (for those not outing). 50min "staircases" (5x 4min r20, 3min r22, 2min r24, 1min r26)
For all those down to either erg or go out on the water, please lend a hand for 15mins at 7.00pm to help re-rig the 8+.
Wed am - a regular weekday morning outing for those who are keen is establishing itself. This is informal and self-organising, in singles and small boats, but if you are interested let me know.
Thurs - circuits: meet at 7.00 at the club or 7.15 at the school. There are now just half a dozen sessions between now and the HORR weekend, and if you get to all of them it will make all the difference.
Thurs - after circuits, Jo Broadhurst is cooking, please let her know if you're staying on.
Sat & Sun - morning outings, crew lists to follow.
Further Ahead
Learn to cox (please). The Ladies are holding a coxing course this Sunday, 22nd Feb, 9.30am, and it would be great to have as many Cygnets as possible able to take a turn in the coxes seat. As you know, we sometimes struggle to get outings due to lack of coxes - and as you probably also know, you are never too heavy to sit in the cox's seat at Cygnet! The course will be a useful introduction/ refresher on water safety, navigating the tideway, and how to steer boats.
Capsize drill - planned for Sat 28th Feb, 4pm, St Paul's School. I don't need to emphasise the importance of this for everyone. It's only a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon that may one day make all the difference. Plus we'll try and co-ordinate some sort of food afterwards. tbc.
Hammersmith Head - Sun 1st March. Our last stepping stone to the HORR weekend - if you want to be considered for a crew for HORR please do everything you can to be available for this one. And of course update your availability and see you at ergs and circuits...
Women's Head of the River Race - Sat 14th March - you'll have seen Nick B's call for boating volunteers, do please spare an hour or so if you can.
Vets Head of the River Race - Sat 28th March
Head of the River Race - Sun 29th March
Crews are by no means decided for these races. We will also consider wider options to get as many of us a race as possible, e.g. in a composite crew.so keep making yourself as available as you can.
That's all for now.
D
Cygnet Weekly Update: Monday 9th Feb 2015
9th February 2015
Good Evening,
First up, to mention tragic business of Mike Hill, the Thames & Latymer coach who has been missing since last week. Our thoughts remain with his family and those that row with him. I will forward on any update as and when I get it, and it's not particularly helpful to speculate until we know more - in the meantime we will continue to focus on the safety of everyone on the Tideway.
The rest of the update is reasonably short this week, you'll be happy to hear.
I'm pleased to say that we've got an Eight and two Quads racing this Saturday at Henley 4s & 8s Head. The Eight has even had some training (including counting Quintin Head), plus an outing on Tuesday night. The two Quads, on the other hand, are in the 'Valentine's Special' mixed event alongside Barnes Bridge Ladies, and the row down to the start may be their only practice. BBL also have two Eights racing, so it's a satisfyingly full trailer heading down.
If you happen to be in Henley (e.g. for a romantic weekend break), the Quads are in the lunchtime division at 12noon, crews #50 and #53. The Eight is in the afternoon division at 2.30pm, #116. BBLRC are #162 and #167. Will let you know how we all get on.
If you happen to be racing, please can to check out the race fees page on the availability spreadsheet, and make sure you're in the black.Top ups to Sort Code 07-01-16, Account 15401264.
This week
- Tues evening, Squad Erg Night. 2x 20mins, rating 24/26, changing every 5mins. (Racing 8 will be having an outing instead)
- grateful if people could stick around for 20mins afterwards to help with derigging and trailer-loading.
- Thurs evening, Circuits. 6.15pm in the Shed. NOTE THE CHANGE OF TIME AND LOCATION. This is a special arrangement to allow for...
- Thurs evening, Cygnet's 125th Birthday drinks, Duke's Head, Putney. You'll have seen Stu's reminder about this - there will be Cygnets at the bar from 7pm until late.
- Sat morning - no coached outings, owing to Henley Head race.
- Sun morning - crew lists to follow.
Further ahead
Launch drivers for Head races - any volunteers to drive the launch at the Women's Head (14th March)?Finally, our Spring Learn-to-Row course will kick off with an introductory session on Sunday 29th March. Tell everyone you know. You may have spotted that this is also Head of the River Race day, but there is method in this. There will be lots of activity around the boathouse, and lots of Cygnet Seniors, full of their exploits from the Vets Head the day before, to share their wisdom. We will show the newbies the facilities, perhaps a first session on the ergs, then retire to the hard to watch the racing and partake of the BBLRC catering facilities. So if you know of anyone who might be interested in giving rowing at Cygnet a try, do let them know - you can't forget the date.
Thanks.
D
Cygnet Weekly Update: Monday 2nd Feb 2015
2nd February 2015
Evenin',
First up, well done to those that raced or otherwise contributed to a successful Quintin Head on Saturday. It was a brutal day to be sat marshaling, but the sun just about came out for the race, and our two crews flew the flag proudly.
The Masters B crew had a solid row and clocked 13:35, coming in in 94th overall. Crucially this meant that du Parc Braham Senior beat du Parc Braham Junior(16) - but only just. However, we did do the chivalrous thing and let the Oxford University Women's crew go past us.
The Novice crew had various marshaling 'experiences', and - in what was for some their first ever race - came in in 15:13, 175th overall.
The BB Ladies, unfortunately DNS due to their own marshaling 'experiences'.
A good effort from all involved, particularly those who spent all of that time sitting still in the freezing cold: cox Marj; cox Sue (who'd also coxed an outing beforehand!); and not forgetting Josh, who was driving a marshal in the Cygnet launch - the sort of job without which these Heads couldn't run. Thank you.
Subs
A reminder that these are now well and truly overdue. As Quintin was the first race of the year, we didn't stick to our usual rule of 'no subs: no race' - which is just as well, as that would have left us with one boat racing somewhere around Masters H. So please make the Treasurer a happy man and transfer your subs to Sort Code 09-01-55, Account 71834000. £260 for CSSC, £320 for non-CSSC.
This week
- Tues evening, Squad Erg Night. It's another 40mins feet out, rating 20. (You should all now have a pb at this event to aim for).
- Thurs evening, Circuits. 7.15pm at the school, bring a towel and some water.
- Thurs evening, food after training - Mark and Chris (aka The Twins) are cooking, so let at least one of them know if you're staying.
- Sat & Sun mornings - crew-lists and outing times to be confirmed later in the week.
More reminders
Kit - our Godfrey ordering window closes on Mon 9th Feb, so this is your last reminder. Following Saturday's baltic conditions, your captain has just added a Cygnet beanie to his order...
(And I've still got a sample new Gilet going cheap - reduced to £50, let me know).
Scumbags have been around the boathouse recently. Greg had his car window smashed in during the week, and there's been a bit of fly-tipping near the trailer. Please take care, and please report anything dodgy to the police (101 number, or online), as the sooner they see a hotspot in their figures, the sooner they'll do something about it.
Launch drivers for Head races - if you're able and willing to drive the launch at the Women's Head (14th March) let me know. It helps us do our bit for Tideway races, and also brings in a bit of cash.
Further ahead
Thur 12th Feb - 125th anniversary - Duke's Head, Putney, from 7pm onwards.
Sat 14th Feb - Henley 4s & 8s Head - if you haven't seen Sue's email on this, let us know. If you have, do respond. We should be able to take enough oarsmen to double-up across categories (including the Valentine's Special Mixed "Love Quads" event!)
Sun 1st Mar - Hammersmith Head
Looking ahead to these races, we want to be seeing all contenders for seats completing the weekly erg and ideally circuits too. Both are invaluable, and both are tailored to get the best out of us by HORR weekend. We also need to pay for entries for these events, so please check on the spreadsheet that you're in the black for race fees, and if not, top ups to Sort Code 07-01-16, Account 15401264.
That's all for now.
D
