News & Events
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
Cygnet Weekly Update: Monday 26th Jan 2015
26th January 2015
Evenin' All,
Great to have 8s training side by side on the water over the weekend. And not a moment too soon, as the first race is upon us, with Quintin Head on Saturday.
We've got two crews racing, and the draw's up: our Masters B crew are off at number 60, and our Novice crew are off at number 175. BBLRC are off at 186. Race starts at 1.45pm, from Chiswick Bridge to Harrods.
It's great to have two 8s racing on Saturday, as that's our aim for the Head of the River Race weekend at the end of March - and we'll enter more crews if we've got the numbers. We've got more opportunities to race and try different combinations in the timetable, including Henley 4s & 8s Head (14th Feb), and Hammersmith Head (1st Mar), and we will get as many Cygnets racing as possible. But that does mean having 16+ oarsmen available for regular on-the-water training as much as possible for the next couple of months. And turnout at ergs and circuits has been well short of that recently. So please update the spreadsheet for all of February and March, and do as much training as you can, alongside crewmates if at all possible.
This week
- Tues evening, Squad Erg Night. 40mins feet out, rating 20.
- Thurs evening, Circuits. 7.00pm at the club, or 7.15pm at the school. Hopefully Greg will be back to chivvy us, as some of us have barely recovered from Neil's regime last time, but I'm not going to be too rude about that session, because...
- Thurs evening, food after training - Neil P is cooking, let him know if you're staying. Essentially, on a Thursday night you can get an intense training session, a beer, and a hearty dinner, for about £5. You'd be crazy not to.
- Sat & Sun mornings - crew-lists and outing times to be confirmed later in the week. The early morning outings (7.15am) have been effective in securing some quieter water. Outings on Saturday will be changed on account of Quintin Head.
Further Ahead
- Don't forget Thursday 12th Feb, drinks in the Duke's Head, Putney, for our 125th anniversary drinks.
- Sculling Camp is now pencilled in for Fri 10th to Sun 12th April. Not to be missed. We'll also try and incorporate Sculling Camp into the next Learn-To-Row course. More details to follow from Nick Bates.
And finally:
- another gentle reminder that subs are due. £260 for CSSC, £320 for the rest. Next week's reminder may be slightly less gentle given that it's payday later this week...
- no-one put in a bid for the bargain Godfrey sample kit I've got, so it's now reduced to £45 for the all-in-one, and £60 for the Gilet, both Large - let me know. (This may process may continue until the price drops far enough for me to buy it or for Bates to pounce on it as 'unclaimed kit').
That is all.
D
Cygnet Weekly Update: Monday 19th Jan 2015
19th January 2015
Evenin' All,
A cold but busy weekend. Albeit with much heat emanating from the shed on Saturday morning as a good number of us completed our 5k tests. It was a beautiful thing, and it did everyone good to see crewmates giving it their all. Thanks all who clocked a time (and as ever, any time is infinitely better than no time at all), and thanks to Sue for sticking around to encourage each of us in our ordeal.
This week
- Tues evening, Squad Erg Night. 50mins feet out, rating 20-22. Blimey.
- Thurs evening, Circuits. Usual time (7.15pm), usual place (Cavendish School). Numbers had dropped off a bit from an encouraging start, so do please try and make it - the more the merrier.
- Thurs evening, food after training - Matt B will be cooking up a feast, let him know if you're staying.
- Sat & Sun mornings - crew-lists and outing times to be confirmed later in the week.
Other stuff
- We're entering at least one crew, and hopefully two, for the Quintin Head on 31st Jan - so please make sure you're available if called. Various combinations have been going afloat over the past couple of weeks, but a key aim is to get as many of us our first Head race experience for a long while (or ever, in some cases).
- Sincerely hope that Thursday 12th Feb is firmly in your diaries, for our 125th anniversary drinks. 7pm, Duke's Head, Putney. With perhaps some associated revelry.
- We will be running our next Learn-To-Row course in April, which means planning and marketing now. In particular, if you know of any friends/ colleagues/ acquaintances who might fancy having a go, do let them know and encourage them. A very high proportion of Cygnets learned to row at this club, which is great.
Kit reminders:
- the ordering window closes on 9th Feb. http://godfrey.co.uk/club/cygnetrc
- if you order that time the most you'll pay for an item is the '2-11 items' price (even if you're the only one), e.g. £54 for an all-in-one, £70 for a 'Mazu' gilet.
- if you're minded to get something to mark Cygnet's 125th year, a number of us will be investing in the Cygnet 'Zephyr' - which is fetchingly retro, and indeed is probably the only bit of kit that any of the original 1890 members would recognise...
- finally I have a couple of bits of brand new kit that Godfrey gave us as samples, yours for a reduced price (to go to into the Cygnet coffers): Cygnet 'Custom Finesse All-in-one' (L) £50 ono, and a Cygnet 'Custom Mazu Gilet' (L) £65 ono. Let me know.
Other reminders:
As we approach the first competitive race of the year, now is a particularly important time to make sure that you're up to date with your British Rowing membership - as we literally can't enter you into a race without it. Also, if you're a CSSC member, worth ensuring that that's still valid.
And finally:
There will shortly be a number of 'opportunities' coming up on the Cygnet Committee, and indeed on the Boathouse Exec. None too onerous, all good for the soul, and all playing a crucial role in the well-being of the rowing club and boathouse that we know so well. Nomination forms will be issuing shortly, but do have a think now whether you could lend a hand on one of the committees - the club and boathouse really do depend entirely on volunteers to keep things working so that we can all enjoy ourselves.
That's all for now.
D
Rowing and Racing Calendar
