News & Events
Fred Blasberg
12th December 2014
Dear Cygnet Friends,
Some of you will have known and some will remember
Fred Blasberg, who died a little over two weeks ago. He was involved at the very beginning of our partnership with the Cygnets and would very much have enjoyed celebrating our half century with you next year. Unfortunately that was not be. He died aged 81 after a long illness.Fred was one of our few honorary members. He was an active rower for over 60 years and held various positions on our management board. These began with responsibility for our youngsters and culminated in three decades as club secretary and editor of our club magazine.
He held many rowing honours, and in 2004 was awarded the equator prize for having rowed 40,000 Km.
Because of his deep and constant involvement with our club and its members, both young and old, he held a very special place in our hearts. He had a prodigious and encyclopaedic memory, an open ear for our troubles and the twinkling eyes of a committed and enthusiastic rower. We called him, with great respect, Mr. RGB.
All the best
Nick (Kennedy)
Cygnet Weekly Update: Monday 8th Dec 2014
8th December 2014
Evenin' All,
Lots of activity around the boathouse over the weekend, and it's on course to increase over the next couple of weeks as Christmas careers upon us.
Saturday saw two Cygnet/ BBLRC mixed 8s train alongside each other for a change. The side-by-side power strokes on the way back more than made up for the M25-like conditions on the way up. Particular thanks due to Robin and Ania for coxing safely through crazy traffic. We will look to do some more of the same, which gives us a bit more flexibility in terms of boats, but paradoxically also means that you'll need to keep availability up-to-date as early in the week as possible (by 6pm Wed please).
This weekend also saw some of our newer novices going out in Cygnet crews for the first (of hopefully many) times. And thanks to all of those from across the squads who helped out with jobs around the boathouse on Saturday after outings.
This week
Tues - Squad Erg - 20mins followed by 16mins. (4x 5mins r16,18,20,18, then 4x 4mins r18,20,22,20). Perfect prep for a session on the dancefloor on Saturday night.
Thurs - 7.15pm - Circuits at the school. Following last week's brutality, Greg asked me to pass on this message "thank everyone for their mega effort tonight. Boom!", which certainly makes it all seem worth it. Do come along for more of the same.
I'm not sure if we've got anyone catering after circuits - failing that we may have to resort to pizza/ fish and chips, we'll let you know.
Sat morning outings - 7.45 for 8.00 on the water. Note that timings may change if we do mixed outings. Crew lists to follow.
Sun morning outings - uncoached outings tbc, as we focus on recovery from the BBLRC Christmas Party the night before.
Sun 12noon - Cygnet Special General Meeting - bar, see below. Do come along if you can, it's important, as it involves how much you pay in subs. It will also involve a 300 Club draw, which means it's odds on that someone present will win an early Christmas present and may well immediately invest some if it behind the bar...
Other Stuff
This Saturday evening is the pre-BBLRC Party Waddle. Starting at the club, finishing at the Party venue, it's an essential part of the social calendar (and doesn't even require you to be attending the Party at the end). Details to follow from our Social Sec.
Also on Saturday evening, is the post-Waddle BBLRC Party. Looking forward to seeing many of you there.
On Sunday 12noon, the Cygnet Special General (oxymoron, surely?) Meeting, the perfect way to recover from the above excesses is to ensconse yourself in our warm bar at 12noon for a brief but important meeting. It's important, as it involves how much you pay in subs. It will also involve a 300 Club draw, which means it's odds on that someone present will win an early Christmas present, and may well immediately invest some if it behind the bar...
Agenda:
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Proposal from the Cygnet Management Committee
Introduced by the Treasurer: subscriptions 2015. It is proposed that the subscription fees for 2015 be changed to £260.00 for members with a CSSC membership, and £320 for non-CSSC members.
3. Any Other Business - (Although not strictly AOB, we will also hold the Christmas draws of the 300 Club immediately after the meeting).
Looking further ahead, the first Head race for 8s will be Quintin Head on Saturday 31st Jan - so put that in your diaries, and update your availability from now until then.
That's all for now.
D
Cygnet Weekly Update: Tuesday 2nd Dec 2014
2nd December 2014
Evening All,
A little later than usual this week, apologies for the inevitable angst and uncertainty this no doubt has caused you all. As you were.
But lots to report on. First up, hearty congratulations to all our successful scullers on Saturday. And remember that merely getting to the start and the finish of the Scullers Head is a success in itself - particularly with the high flow at the weekend, and the organisers giving any doubtful entrants valid excuses (i.e. their money back) to withdraw.
22:17 79th Sid (TSS)
23:26 192nd Bart
24:14 302nd Neil P
24:33 343rd Guy
24:55 370th Katy B (BBLRC)
25:04 379th JezParticular congratulations to Bart, fresh from his strong performance in the Pairs Head, who has taken the crown of Fastest Cygnet Sculler. Thanks also to those that came down to help with boating etc. All in all a good showing for Cygnet.
Speaking of which, yesterday saw us hosting the awards ceremony for the PLA Safest Rowing Club On Tideway Gong. Cash, a nice plaque, and free beer, which is nice. It doesn't happen by accident though, so please do keen focusing on sensible safety steps to avoid damage and injury (and incidentally maybe some more cash, another plaque, and more free beer).
This Week
I'm too late to remind you of Squad Ergs tonight (but if you missed it, you're allowed to do it another day and update the spreadsheet. Encouraged to in fact. Required to). It's 10x 1min on, 1min off, r24, power strokes. Twice.
Thurs - Circuits. Meet at 7.00pm at the club, or 7.15pm at the school.
Thurs - post training food - I think there's a willing volunteer chef on the rota - watch this space.
Sat - morning outings - crew lists to follow.
Sat after outings - the Boathouse Exec (thems that keep the roof over our heads) are looking for anyone to hang around for an hour or so after outings to help with oddjobs round the boathouse. There's bacon butties in it.
Sun morning outings - crew lists to follow.
Two pleas(e) for the active squad
1) Availability availability availability - we can't get boats out if people are either a) unavailable or - much more frustratingly - b) available but haven't told us via the oh-so-convenient google spreadsheet.
2) Race fees. There's no such thing as a free race, and the club pays all race fees up-front to make life easier for you all. All the saints and sinners are also conveniently set out on the spreadsheet, so do take a look to confirm whether you owe Cygnet some £ (hint: there's a 50/50 chance that you do).
Other stuff
It's less than two weeks until the Barnes Bridge Christmas Bash. And minus one day to the deadline for paying for tickets. I daresay they'll still accept your payment if you haven't yet confirmed - you'd be a fool not to.
I think that's all for now.
D
