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Captain's Log: 05 October 22
Author: Neil Pickford |
6th October 2022
Hello Cygnets, this is your Captain speaking!

We survived the Rhine!

In what were some of the worst conditions in living memory our three crews fought hard against the water, weather and each other to complete the 42km challenge. Coxed by our Benrath friends Mucha, Tichel and Kett, we counted the boats out and counted them back in again.

It was a hard fought competition and a close margin across the three crews when the final times came in, but experience was triumphant on this occasion and the plaudits go to the Chairman’s Veteran Quad (2:48:39), followed closely by our Senior Mens Four (2:49:06), ahead of the CYG / BBL composite who completed the course in 2:52:28. Congratulations to Wylie, Martin, Tom, Neil and Mucha in victorious form as top of the boats!

Huge credit to all our crews and racers, it takes real stamina, determination and character to get those boats over the line and an extra dose of grit was required in the last 10km this year! Particular shout out to our novice racers Matt G, Mustafa, Anna and Samantha for taking on the challenge this time out, the jury is still out on whether it’s an adventure to be repeated- but we wish glutes and blisters a swift recovery!

Huge thanks of course to our good friends and hosts at RG Benrath who blessed us with warmest hospitality and looked after us splendidly all weekend, keeping the Alt Bier topped up and an enjoyable Erdedankefest to boot. We look forward to welcoming them back to the Tideway for Head of the River in March.

Pairs Head
The Tideway was also in racing strip this weekend and congratulations to Iain and Brad for completing Pairs Head and racing well in Cygnet colours completing the course in 17:35.90.

Thanks to those who helped out on the day and were able to lend a hand. Please mark 19–20 Nov in your calendars for Fours / Vets Fours where we really will need all hands on deck for hosting our visiting crews: not just a nice to have so the races can run but an essential source of funding for the clubs which we cannot do without help.

Training & Race Availability
We’re well into Heads Season training now so for the Squad now is the time to make the gains on land as well as on the water. Please keep the shed well populated and training up Mon - Weds - Thurs as per the updated training plan on fitclub. We have no self-rowing ergs and the weights don’t lift themselves!

Please look ahead to the next races:
Upper Thames Head 30th Oct and (V) Fours Head of the River. Entries are already opening and filling fast so get your race and training availability up to date through to the end of November please.

A reminder too that your BR Race license must be valid for the race day in order to be eligible for racing - this is the rowers responsibility to check and update on British Rowing.

Committee Vacancies

We are still looking to fill two crucial vacancies on the Cygnet Committee - Secretary and Social Secretary, please get in touch if you think you might be interested and able to help with the running of the club and our social scene. Two pivotal roles that help keep the club running in some form or other: Volunteers urgently needed. Please get in touch.

Racing Calendar

2022
- 30th October: Upper Thames Autumn Head – Henley
- 19th November: Fours Head – Tideway
- 20th November: Vets Fours Head – Tideway
2023
- 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
Off-Season: Monday 20th March – Monday 10th April

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Captain' Log: Issue 22
Author: Neil Pickford |
3rd October 2022
Good afternoon (Guten Abend from Benrath) Cygnet, this is your Captain speaking

It was a delight to see so many of you at last week’s ball in what was a fantastic evening of celebration and excellent company - all in all a memorable knees up. Huge thanks to the team behind the scenes who put in an immense effort to make it such an auspicious occasion - thank you all.

Thanks too, to all of you who came from near and far, it was great to see so many old friends and some very long overdue reunions. We celebrated BBLRC’s centenary, toasted a lifetime of achievement and contribution from BBLRC President Rubina Curtis and bid farewell to our dear Marj, celebrating her immense successes and efforts for Cygnet - thank you Marj!

You will have seen a select few pictures from the evening via the website and the full set of pictures is available here, should you wish to view or upload your own.

RETURN TO THE RHINE

This weekend sees a healthy contingent return to our very good friends at RG Benrath – we are excited to be back and ready to race in the 2022 Rhine Marathon with three crews of Cygnet and BBLs taking to the German waters. Best of luck to all crews - good odds now being offered in the three way sweepstake.

Mixed Quad BBL/CYG Composite – 62
Cox: Tichel, Anna Barkemeyer, Anna Constantini, Samantha Bailey, Rupert Bailey
Mens coxed Four – 78
Cox:Kett, Cris cabrera, Mustafa Özyurt, Matt Byrne, Matt Gutteridge
Veteran Quad –119
Cox: Mucha, Neil Pickford, Martin Drage, Tom Broadhurst, Nick Wylie,
PAIRS HEAD

Pairs Head also returns this weekend with plenty of visiting crews we are expecting a thriving Hard and busy boathouse.

Very best of luck to Iain Golder & Brad Bryant representing Cygnet in Pairs Head, going off Crew Number 57 as a Masters E 2-. From the boathouse and from Germany we will be cheering you on.

Please do sign up to help for a slot with boating or traffic for an hour or so - every little helps and is greatly appreciated. A few extra Cygnet hands will be a very great help.

Learn To Row. Spread the Word – 9 October

Our Learn to Row Sunday 9 October is launching next weekend, please spread the word far and wide, we are very keen for a healthy intake this autumn so please to share across your local and professional networks as we look to grow the club and build Cygnet momentum. Please contact Henrik / see the attached for more details.

Committee Vacancies

We are still looking to fill two crucial vacancies on the Cygnet Committee: Secretary and Social Secretary, please get in touch if you think you might be interested and able to help with the running of the club and our social scene.

Two pivotal roles that help keep the club running in some form or other: Volunteers urgently needed.

Racing Calendar

2022
- 1st October: Rhine Marathon – Düsseldorf, Germany
- 2nd October: Pairs Head
- 30th October: Upper Thames Autumn Head – Henley
- 19th November: Fours Head – Tideway
- 20th November: Vets Fours Head – Tideway
2023
- 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
Off-Season: Monday 20th March – Monday 10th April

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Captain' Log: Issue 21
Author: Neil Pickford |
22nd September 2022
Hello Cygnets, this is your Captain speaking,

The Season is now well underway with our squad meeting quickly followed by Scullers Head and weekend outings to get us afloat in earnest.Pleased to be building momentum as the long evenings (and longer ergs) of Heads Session set in...

I look forward to seeing a very many of you this weekend for the Centenary Ball at Richmond Hill Hotel - huge efforts going in by the organising committee (to which we owe huge thanks), it promises to be a splendid dinner and dance and I look forward to seeing you all in your Black Tie finery and an opportunity to catch up with reunited Cygnet friends.

Scullers Head
Huge congratulations to our four racing Cygnets this weekend Pete, Cris, Charlie and Chairman Nick who represented Cygnet in beautiful weather (if not-so-beautiful-water) and did Cygnet proud. Pleased to see the Heads racing season get off to such a strong start.

Scullers Head, Cygnet Results

207 • Club • P Goldsworthy • 25:13.78 • 251st

209 • Club • C Piguet • 25:41.35 • 295th

396 • Masters Novice • C Pretzlik • 26:52.17 • 365th

365 • Masters H • N Wylie • 27:36.17 • 403rd

A big thank you too, to all the helpers who assisted with hosting and boating this weekend - as you know these races couldn't happen without you. Next up is Pairs Head Sunday 2nd October – please sign up to lend a hand, with a number of Cygnets back racing on the Rhine, any folks staying local who can help and lend a hand with boating and traffic will be very much appreciated.

The Season Ahead: Squad Training Plan.
A big thank you to all members of the Squad who joined last Thursday's Squad kick-off meeting to meet with the Captaincy and Coaching team to discuss our plans for training and racing during Heads season. You'll find a summary of this here (pdf) and in the clubhouse changing rooms, we really want to make the most of the platform we built last season and step up our training and performance over the coming season. Please take some time to digest the plan and how we plan to approach the coming year. It also sets out the racing schedule and training sessions - also all available on Fitclub. Land training will be a premium with the shed sessions in high demand from Cygnet and BBL - please do make the most of these sessions and the training on offer.

Learn To Row: Spread the Word – 9th October
We will be launching our Learn to Row Sunday 9 October, please spread the word far and wide, we are very keen for a healthy intake this autumn so please to share across your local and professional networks as we look to grow the club and build Cygnet momentum. Please contact Henrik / see the attached for more details

Committee Vacancies
We are looking to fill two crucial vacancies on the Cygnet Committee - Secretary and Social Secretary, please get in touch if you think you might be interested and able to help with the running of the club and our social scene. Two pivotal roles that help keep the club running in some form or other: Volunteers urgently needed.

Racing Calendar

2022
- 17th September: Scullers Head – Tideway
- 1st October: Rhine Marathon – Düsseldorf, Germany
- 2nd October: Pairs Head
- 30th October: Upper Thames Autumn Head – Henley
- 19th November: Fours Head – Tideway
- 20th November: Vets Fours Head – Tideway
2023
- 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
Off-Season: Monday 20th March – Monday 10th April
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