News & Events
Captain' Log: Issue 18
16th May 2022
Good Evening Cygnets, This is your Captain speaking!
First of these for a while, for which the Captain sends his apologies, but I hope and trust all in the Cygnet family are keeping well and enjoying all that Spring is offering.
We’re several weeks into the Summer Regatta season now and we’ve been making the most of tideway racing, with plenty more to come on the local stretch and further afield. We’re still hunting our first Cygnet Pewter of 2022, but as we make the most of our evenings on the water and retain a strong commitment to land training too, we’re hoping that those illusive pots won’t remain out of reach for long.
REVIEW OF REGATTA SO FAR
Hammersmith Regatta (23 April) –
Open 2x: Mustafa Ozyurt / Rupert Bailey.
With conditions that would make Heads Seasons proud and North Sea trawlermen wince, challenging conditions they were and whilst others were overcome, we raced on. Alas our opposition went on to win the event but whilst the draw and conditions were set against us, we were pleased to be racing hard again and getting Regatta season off to a solid start. Result loss to University College London (Easily).
Chiswick Regatta (30 April) –
Open 4x: Mustafa Ozyurt / Whit Mason / Pete Goldsworthy / Dom Marshall
We were excited by a return of better conditions and three-way racing returning to the tideway, this time with our quad on strong form. Crew battled hard and strong working hard against another tough draw. We were pleased to cross the line 4 Lengths ahead of Fulham Reach, but pipped by 2.5 Lengths by Thames. Good solid racing and a sign of more promise to come this season.
Borne@Chiswick Bridge (07 May)
Novice 4x: Rupert Bailey, Octavian Puzderca, Mike Kearney, Charles Johnston
A fantastic novice event run by Borne Regatta which provided an excellent opportunity to introduce some of our newest recruits to the excitement of summer racing and a three-way race on the flood between ourselves, Furnivall and Tradesmen. The crew battled hard and held out in front for first two-thirds of the course. In the end we were beaten to the line by a strong finished Furnivall who had 3.5 lengths on us whilst we held on to a 4.5 length lead over Tradesmen. Hard fought and lots of promise from our newest rowers, who we hope will continue to shine in races this summer.
Next Weekend – Walton/Weybridge Regatta and Scamp Returns!!
Next weekend (21-22 May) we will be returning upstream to our Hamhaugh Island Residence for a mix of racing and sculling camp entertainment, with Saturday playing host to Walton and Weybridge Regatta, where there will be plenty of racing action to keep your eyes on and a chance for some fair water sculling too. The Trailer will be arriving Friday evening with a full day of racing Saturday and a more leisurely paced Sunday around the bungalow and on the fairer waters to enjoy!
Details for signing for attending the weekend have been emailed to the squads by Megan our Social Secretary but can also be found here. Expect sculling, racing and BBQs to while away the weekend!
Cygnet Racing Crews
Race 8 - 0845 1x – Charles Pretzlik
Race 48 – 10:26 1x – Ross Stewart
Race 103 – 13:03 4x – Rupert Bailey, Whit Mason, Martin Drage, Tom Broadhurst
Race 143 – 14:35 2x – Rupert Bailey, Henrik Jonstromer
Race 145 – 14:41 2x – Chris Jaguers, Mike KearneyForthcoming Races
It feels like the summer is racing by already, but we’ve got plenty of racing left to run with several away races in June and July plus a local classic with Barnes and Mortlake scheduled for June. Please sign up early if you wish to race and keep that training going.
- 4–5 June: Peterborough Spring
- 11 June: Barnes & Mortlake
- 25 June: Richmond (We expect will likely be cancelled, following the same for Twickenham)
- 23–24 July: St Neots
- 30 July: Henley Town & Visitors
Learn to Row Course 2022
Details are being finalised for Cygnet’s summer learn to row this year but will likely run from early July with a mix of land and water training, following a Get Fit to Row model. All offers of volunteers will be welcome – all enquiries to Deputy Captain Martin Drage who is organiser in chief. Spread the word if you know of keen rowers-to-be.
CENTENARY BALL 24th September – Tickets on Sale
Tickets are now on sale for the hottest date of the year for the Centenary Ball on 24 September- a black tie affair promising to be a great occasion. We are looking forward to rowers and friends past and present joining us at the Richmond Hill Hotel. More info and tickets on sale here.
- Friday 1st July: Henley Friday
- Sunday 31st July: OGM (Captaincy Elections) & end of season party
- 9th – 11th September: Sculling Camp
- 24th September: Centenary Ball
- 18th September: Scullers Head
- 1st October: Rhine Marathon
- 2nd October: Pairs Head
Frank Caughlin
3rd May 2022
Francis Lawrence Caughlin
1926 – 2022
Anna Caughlin, Frank’s wife, contacted us recently with the sad news that Frank had passed away on 22 April after a short illness; he was 96
Frank Caughlin joined Cygnet in 1949 and counted Vic Reeves, Ronnie Lambe, Eric Wale and Brian Lovis among his contemporaries. The club archives are nothing if not exhaustive and his application form records him as a Clerical Officer in the Civil Service (the department is indistinct) living at West Hampstead.
He was one of the new intake of young members who would form the core of some of the most successful Vllls of the 1950s, commencing with a win at Chiswick Regatta in 1953, the crew of which are shown in the picture below taken on the lawn at the Civil Service Boathouse. Frank is the first on the left in the back row.
The win at Chiswick was Cygnet’s first notable victory in open competition since the end of WW2 and rekindled hopes that it would not before long before the club reclaimed the ‘Glory Years’ of the 1930s. Although this was not to be, Cygnet did nevertheless enjoy a spate of wins in Vllls throughout the remainder of the decade.
A very capable scribe who often wrote pieces for the Civil Service Sports Journal, Frank would later recall of this win ‘The Ronald Studd cup shone like a jewel on the top table at the Cygnet annual dinner….at the Bull at Sheen’. Warming to his task, he continued ‘this cup symbolises the re-emergence of Cygnet as an opponent worthy of respect after a long period of post-war obscurity’. The title of his article: ‘Cygnet R.C. for Henley?’.
Later articles would describe the success of Cygnet ‘Invitation (Scratch) Eights’ in August 1953 that attracted sufficient contestants to fill twelve Vllls - the changing room was packed to the gills - and Cygnet’s expanding fleet. Small boats were in short supply and Frank recounted the aura that surrounded the club’s latest acquisition, a coxless lV built for the 1948 Olympic Games, named after the club’s then president ‘Lewis Balfour’.
A future captain in the making, Frank opined ‘A cox’nless four is not a boat to be knocked about. She must be regarded with a deference due to her light build and fast speed. Heavy handed oarsmen should be kept well away…’. There were high hopes, sadly unrealised, that the crew rowing the ‘Lewis Balfour’ might reach the Wyfolds at Henley in 1954.
Frank would remain an active oarsman throughout the 1950s before ascending to the position of captain in 1960 when, for the first time in its history, Cygnet entered five eights in the Head of the River, a record that is thought to remain unbeaten to this day.
Although we rarely saw him in later years, he continued to take an interest in the club, while articles such as ‘Chiswick Rowing Gossip’ which he penned in October 1953 give us a sense of the great hopes and aspirations of that early post-war generation of Cygnets.
Frank’s funeral will take place at 4pm on Thursday, 12th May, at Worthing Crematorium, Horsham Road, Finton, Worthing BN14 ORG, when the family will pleased to welcome any Cygnets who may care to attend.
Paul Rawkins, 2nd May 2022
Captain's Log: Issue 17
9th April 2022
Good afternoon Cygnets,
As I write this, the trailer is loaded, blades stacked and kit packed for our spring training camp. It's wheels up this afternoon and off to Reading RC for some focused time with the Coach on calmer quieter waters ahead of regatta season. Thanks to everyone who lent a hand with loading yesterday and who has helped get us ready for camp.Last night we held our Squad meeting, where, with Coach Beth, I set out our plan and vision for the summer season, talking through the training and regatta plan for the season ahead - thank you to everyone who joined in person or online to find out more - happy to report Captain's cooking continues to go down well!
For those who couldn't make it and for reference, please find attached the summer plan, which sets out our plans for the training and racing schedule, including the regatta we plan to attend on the tideway and further afield, culminating in Henley T & V on July 30th. Any questions or feedback on the plan, please do drop me a line or grab me for chat over the coming weeks.
With training camp and Easter weekend, the full training schedule will get underway after the bank holiday weekend, but check FitClub for water and shed sessions.
For those not attending camp, please be advised that the following boats are out of commission until next week: Neil Jackson, 300 Club, Hamhaugh Island, Port to Port, Golden Oldies, Cygnet Friends and S'camp. Sculling blades are also in short supply I'm afraid. Normal service resumes next week.
Right, time to pack the kit and hit the road - best wishes to you all.
Rupert
