News & Events
Tim Senior
27th February 2023
Timothy James Senior
1971 – 2023
It is with great sadness that we record the untimely death of Tim Senior at the age of 51. Tim collapsed and died while competing in the Henley Fours and Eights Head on 11 February 2023. A highly accomplished individual both on and off the water, for many of us our most recent memory of Tim will have been at the University Boat Race in 2022, when he was much in evidence as the new Chairman of the Boat Race Company.
Tim enjoyed an illustrious career as an oarsman on the Cam, the Isis and the Tideway and was rarely far from a boat throughout his lifetime. Here at Cygnet, we like to think we played a small but decisive part in his rowing achievements. Tim rowed in some of the most successful crews at Cygnet during the 1990s, not least an entry for the Henley Wyfold lVs in 1996 which won several heats, greatly raising the club’s profile at that time. For me, there was the added satisfaction of watching the crew power its way down the Henley course in a boat bearing my name.
Memories of that era are best told by some of the crew mates he rowed with at that time, notably Mark Davies, who was club captain, and Guy du Parc Braham. Guy was the first to break the news, which reached us on the eve of the club’s 133rd birthday, thus enabling us to take a moment to remember Tim.
Guy wrote: “I have just heard that Tim Senior, Chairman of the Boat Race Company and ex-Cygnet member, died tragically today while racing at Henley 4s and 8s. Some of you will remember Tim rowed with us in the mid-90s. I was in crews with him that raced at HRR as well as in various Heads. I think Paul (Club Historian) has previously described this period as our most successful for the club. My strongest memory of rowing with Tim was not Henley Royal but the best Cygnet race I ever had, which was the Business Houses Head of 1996. It was a perfect piece of rowing from start to finish. We won the whole event by more than 40 seconds”.
Mark Davies has since penned a more fulsome account of his memories of Tim which is reproduced in full here:
“My memories of Tim are of a highly confident and motivated individual who joined Cygnet in the mid-1990s as a civil servant fresh from Uni and with no rowing points but with plenty of ambition and rowing experience gained at Cambridge University.
His rowing status meant he was eligible to row any level including Novice and Senior 3 crews which my predecessor as Captain, Chris Shea, selected him in (as would any canny captain juggling points to construct competitive crews) but then left it to others, like me, to break the news to him knowing that the reaction would be less than ecstatic. The best way to avoid selection in those crews was to win many races, which Tim subsequently did at such Cygnet regatta favourites as St Neots.
He was always destined for better things and a few years later in 1996 with the maximum twelve rowing points accumulated Tim was in the VIII that won the Business Houses Head Race by nearly a minute, one of the finest VIIIs rows I’ve had.
He was also in the Elite 4– crew that had many successes that year and beat two crews at Henley Royal Regatta to reach the Friday, traditionally club day for Cygnet.
Shortly after that Tim moved on to London RC and latterly UTRC.
In the Cygnet elite 4- crew he was easily the most dedicated to training, achieving phenomenal ergo scores. In the run up to Henley following a relatively disappointing Metropolitan Regatta, Tim proposed an ‘alcohol ban’ as part of a ramping up of our efforts; this was initially met with incomprehension and the proposal was negotiated down to (I believe) something close to one alcohol unit/day. However, he was less than pleased when at a subsequent training outing one of the crew announced he’d already had his monthly quota the night before.
Another thing that was anathema to Tim was quiet reflection: after warming up for the HRR qualifiers we had an hour or so before going afloat so the crew decision was to leave the busy boating area, sit quietly in the car and focus, gathering thoughts conserving energy etc. Not Tim: after less than a couple of minutes he exploded with nervous energy, burst out of the car and had to pace up and down for the remaining time.
I like to think that differences of approach within a crew are part of what makes a successful crew - a bit of antagonism but pulling together when it counts. Tim helped to provide that focus for us.”
Tim’s father, Eddie, recalls with great pride “the privilege of following the Umpire’s launch several times at Henley”. The Senior family would be very pleased to hear from anybody at Cygnet who rowed with Tim. Please share your thoughts and memories in he comments below. If you would like to email Tim's father, Edward, please contact the webmaster who will forward on details
Tim is survived by his wife, Sarah, a daughter and two sons, both of whom have turned into very able oarsmen (courtesy of Radley College), as has a niece, Alice, who has taken to coxing like a duck to water. – the legacy lives on! Tim's family have also donated a trophy to Cygnet to be presented to the most promising novice.
A private funeral for close family will be held in Kent; a service and celebration of Tim’s life will be held in Henley at a later date (to be advised by the family).
Paul Rawkins, February 2023
Captain's Log 01/02/23
2nd February 2023
Hello Cygnets, this is your Captain speaking… Well that’s January done!
It’s been cold, dark and neither weather nor water particularly conducive to rowing at times. But still we rowed, with a couple of bonus land sessions thrown in - my thanks to all who have put in the hard meters on the ergs and on the water and made the best of January’s Tideway conditions! Of course, it’s not too late to start those New Year’s resolutions to get back into the swing of training and get the work done…
Thanks to all who helped out with hosting duties this weekend with boating and traffic and generally lending a hand on Sunday for our visiting Quintin Head crews, nice to see the boathouse and hard busy again.
We enjoyed a fabulous post-race Burn's Night, courtesy of Martin (huge thanks for organising and cooking) there was haggis and whisky aplenty and a jovial night all round.
QUINTIN HEAD
Congratulations to our veterans crew, a Guildford-Cygnet composite, for representing Cygnet out on the course, a solid effort from the racing crew. Whilst injuries meant it was just the one VIII out this time, we are looking ahead to Hammersmith Head (26th Feb) and beyond to Head of the River Race (18th March) to round off our head race fixtures. Now is the time to update availability and get the training in.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - Sunday 19th February 12.00
Our AGM is now just around the corner and a number of key positions are available and a great chance to get involved with the club and its future direction. All applications to join the committee are encouraged, there’s plenty to go round and lots to be involved in, so please do get in touch if you’d like to find out more. Formal notices will follow.
THE SOCIAL CLUB
The next few weeks are looking positive on the social front, fresh off the back of last weekend’s burns night, we have our birthday to celebrate and yet more opportunities for food and beer. (P.S. we are on the hunt for a budding social secretary, so get in touch if you’d like to be the socialiser-in-chief to take forward the clubs social calendar in the coming year..)
Club Birthday 12th February 12.00 onwards
The White Hart in Barnes for some post outing beer and food available (with the six nations to follow). The more the merrier, please drop myself or Paul Rawkins a line if you’d like to join.
Hammersmith Head Supper Club 26th February
Some post race food and beer once racing and hosting is done. Please drop me a line if you’d like to stick around for some food and an extended post race debrief from racing crews no doubt…
WeHoRR - Saturday 4th March (Afternoon Race)
The ladies will take to the river for Women’s Head and it will be all hands on deck on land for hosting duties for visiting crews. Please save the date to lend a hand and give Barnes Bridge a cheer, to be followed by a pizza party in the boathouse bar. Great to see as many of you there as possible to help run the day and make the most of the atmosphere.Squad Training Timetable Reminder
MONDAY: Shed Session - 19.30 (or own time) Erg or Weights
TUESDAY: No scheduled Training
WEDNESDAY: Shed Session - Strength and Conditioning with Charlie: 18.30 or 19.30 (Sign-up on FitClub Essential)
THURSDAY: Shed Session - Squad Erg 19.15, for 19.30 Start incl. fortnightly benchmark erg This week: 30 minute Benchmark Ergs are due, squad members don’t forget to log your scores on FitClub.
FRIDAY: No Scheduled Training
SATURDAY: Outing 1: 0700 for 0710 briefing, 0715 on the Water. Outing 2: 0935 On the Water
SUNDAY: Outing 1: 0715 for 0730 on the water UT2: Row / Erg / Cycle / Run- 29th January: Quintin Head – Tideway
- 26th February: Hammersmith Head – Tideway
- 18th March: Eights Head of the River (HORR) – Tideway
- 19th March: Vets Eights Head of the River – Tideway
Captains Yule Log
24th December 2022
Dear Cygnets, far and wide
With Christmas Eve upon us, I write to wish each and every one of you a happy and peaceful Christmas, wherever you are celebrating.
In many respects it has been a momentous and turbulent year - Cygnet has seen a few of those since 1890 - but just as Father Thames continues to rise and ebb, so Cygnet continues to row. Returning from a disrupted couple of pandemic years, to continue to have been afloat, modest training, regular racing and occasional silverware are all achievements in their own right!
My fondest memory of the Cygnet year, has to have been seeing so many of you, the Cygnet family, back together again, reunited for the Centenary Ball, sharing so many happy memories and cups of good cheer to the Cygnet name.
I’m hugely grateful to all who have helped us this year and for the tremendous support from the many of you who keep the club going and our efforts afloat. Thank you too to the hardy squad, continuing to train and keeping the Cygnet name on race cards near and far. And to our hard working coaches on land and on water for keeping us honest with encouragement and challenge. Thank you for all your efforts and achievements.
This Christmas, we again joined Barnes Bridge for the Christmas Ball and our veterans put forward their best efforts in the Quintin Plum Puds.
And recently I have also pleased to welcome a select few new members who have joined in recent weeks, with whom I’m looking forward to getting afloat more in the new year.
Twixtmas Training
For those wishing to keep up some training amongst the festive cheer, our land coach Charlie has set a Christmas special programme to do from home/garage/garden – alongside runs/rides/ergs of choice to keep active between helpings and board games.
Looking ahead
2023 is full of promise with Quintin Head just around the corner (29th Jan) and Hammersmith and HoRR hot on its tail before the days lengthen and we’re back to summer training. The year ahead has much to offer as we aim to build our base and boost our numbers to take Cygnet forward.
Full Squad training resumes Sat 7th January on the water & Weds 11th for coached weights with Charlie in the shed. New Years Eve show and row for those local will be available.
Calling all (ex)Masters Rowers
In need of a New Year’s resolution? Tempted by a reunion? Fancy the occasion paddle? I’m looking to see if I can tempt any of you and our alumni for the occasional row, a chance to drop by the boathouse. reconnect and get a float again once in while.
Interested? Drop the Captain a line and let’s see what we can manage for an occasional Masters row on the tideway in 2023.
Recruitment
We are particularly looking for experienced rowers, those looking for a change of scene, rowing somewhere new or rekindling the rowing flame: more details here. Please pass on the good word!
That’s all for now, and I shall end how I started with warmest festive wishes to you and yours this Christmas time and throughout the year ahead.
Merry Christmas Cygnet, and Happy Rowing.
Rupert
