News & Events
Cygnet Weekly Update
14th March 2017
Chaps,
It was an excellent weekend on the river with lots of hard work and technical sessions which is really showing its benefit in the quality of the rowing and the balance in the boats. The two 20 min resistance rowing pieces on Sunday really showed a significant step up from a couple of weeks ago. And a word for Bjarne and especially Niall who were in the senior 8 for the long outings showing the progress they've made over the winter. Just shows what you can achieve when you put the time and effort in.
So we are less than two weeks to go to Head of the River weekend. We have two crews entered on Saturday, one at IM3 and one at Novice. We have a Masters B crew entered on Sunday.
The crew line-ups selected by Tim are for HoRR:
Cygnet I IM3
Marj (cox) Sam 8, Robin 7, Nick 6, Gav 5, Matt 4, Ian M 3, Jez 2, Cris 1
Cygnet II Nov
Charlie/Anna/Sue (cox) Ian S 8, Scott 7, Bjarne 6, Vasil 5, Tom 4, Niall 3, Eric 2, Deon 1
There may be some final tweaking on the lineup so subs need to available to step in if required.
We've put a place holder crew in for VHOR which is largely the first VIII from Saturday. We will be firming up this lineup over the next few days.
It is IMPERATIVE that both boats get out this weekend for us much time as possible. Head of the River Race is a big deal and a step up from Hammersmith Head and Quinitn Head, so can everyone do all they can to make themselves available for the weekend and be prepared to do double outings. This is what we've been training for all weekend so let's make this our priority this weekend.
So this week:
Tuesday 7:15pm Circuits with Maxi at Cavendish School
Wednesday 7pm 5k squad run
Thursday 7pm 4 x 10' Rate 24 (78% 2k wattage)Saturday
Everyone meet at 7:05 OTW at 7:30
Double outings for all, work to be confirmed.Sunday
Everyone meet at 7:05 OTW at 7:30
1st outing 16k Tech 2nd outing Water tech Speed strokes 12/7 x 20It's the final push to HoRR so let's give it our best shot.
See you all at CircuitsJez
Cygnet Weekly Update
7th March 2017
All,
The weather for Hammersmith Head before the start could not have been much worse, wind and rain whipping up big waves at the start crashing over riggers and into boats. Then the miracle happened. As we were spinning in turn for our start, the rain stopped, the clouds cleared and my friend the sun came out. It was still extremely rough rowing through to the start but by the time we had cleared Barnes Bridge the wind was now a tail wind, the river got calmer giving great conditions to the finish. Anyway the crew with Big Dave and Big Edward son of Tom subbing in to the original line-up providing a beefed-up engine room we had a good row being overtaken by two crews but rowing past Cantabrigian in the last third of the race. We were 78th out of 251 overall and 16 out of 21 in IM3. It felt a more powerful row and we held our rate and power to the finish so I think it was a significant improvement on Quintin Head. Many thanks to Dave, Edward and Marj who hopefully remember the sunshine at the end of the race rather than the rain when marshalling.
So less than three weeks to Head of the River, we have two crews entered in IM3 and Novice. We've had a couple of injuries so I'll be chasing everyone who can row to commit to the race this week, we need everyone we can get otherwise the second boat wont get onto the river. And we need as many people as possible on the water this weekend to prepare for the race.
This week:
Tuesday 7:15pm Circuits with Maxi -
Wednesday 7pm Club run 30' easy/ 30' hard. Non runners 7 x 5' squats/1' rest Rate 30
Thursday 7pm 5 x 1500m @5k pace splitSaturday Main squad meet at 7:05 for briefing, 7:30 OTW
1st outing Water UT2 20k 8x 3 ' Rate 26-34
2nd outing Water tech 4-8k
Novices meet at 9 for warm up ergo, 9:30 OTWSunday Main squad meet at 7:05 for briefing, 7:30 OTW
1st outing Water tech 16k
2nd outing Water 12k 2 x 20' Bungee work r 22'
Novices meet at 9 for warm up ergo, 9:30 OTWI've been asked to give a plug to the Cygnet Twitter account which can be found as CygnetRC and gives updates about what is happening at the club and which celebrities have been snapped walking by the club at the weekend, so become followers and spread the word.
More stuff coming up, next LTR course starts on the 1st April, please help publicise it and then get ready to help out with the sessions when it starts.
And put a date in your diary for Sculling Camp on the 22nd/ 23rd of April at Cygnets Bungalow at Shepperton Lock. For novices this is an unparalleled opportunity to get out in a single scull and learn new boat handling skills that will improve your rowing no end, as well as enjoying a lovely stretch of the river and food and drink with your Cygnet and Barnes Bridge buddies.
That's all for now, have a good week,
Jez
Cygnet Weekly Update
20th February 2017
Head of the River weekend is less than five weeks. We need to pick the crews and planning the training in the run up to the race and that starts with confirm who wants to race over the two days. The plans are not set in stone right now but the thinking is to enter a senior and novice crew into Head of the River on Saturday and a masters crew for Vets Head on Sunday, with the possibility of entering a composite crew with Tideway Scullers.
So can all those wanting to race confirm that with me as well as whether you can race on both days. Head of the River is over the full course from Mortlake to Putney on the ebb tide, Vets Head is on flood tide from Harrods to Chiswick Bridge. Over the past few weeks there has been a core of rowers turning up every week for the double outings and doing the land training. If you want to race in either of the Saturday boats over the full course you need to prove your fitness to Tim by completing the 5k ergo test. This takes place this coming Saturday if you can't make this then complete it at your convenience and send your result to Tim and me, Participation in the Vets event on Sunday will be a bit more relaxed but clearly the more training and water time you get the better you will do. We have an opportunity for a dress rehearsal at Kingston Head on the 18th March, so please indicate on the spreadsheet if you can make it.
So let me know you intentions, do the test and update the spreadsheet with your availability between now and the race so we get maximum water time in 8s.
Before that there is Hammersmith Head at 9:30 on Sunday 5th March. We have an IM3 crew entered, (there were too few rowers to get a second VIII out) consisting of Robin, Jez, Cris, Matt, Guy, Nick R, Gareth and Sam (cox to be confirmed). Before the race, can everyone clear any money owing to the club for subs and race fees (Matt has given me the list of debtors, I wont name and shame yet).
So, this week...
Tuesday 7:15pm Cicruits with Maxi at Cavendish School
Wednesday 7pm Club run (distance tbc)
Thursday 7pm Squad ergo (work to be confirmed)
Saturday 5k ergo test - this will be a key factor in crew selection for HORR and VHoR so make sure you complete it.
The test will start at 9:30 am in how ever many waves it takes to get though everyone.
Seniors will have a warm up outing OTW at 7:30, meeting for Tim's briefing at 7:05.
Novice squad will have their outings after their test.
Sunday - An early start to get outing complete before the AGM at 12 noon.
So meet at club at 6:40, OTW at 7am
12 noon Cygnet AGM
Thanks to Tim for his session on safe steering on Saturday. Let's a work on increasing our river knowledge and safe steering skills so we can enjoy our rowing without risk to rowers or damage to boats.
And lets do all we can to make ourselves available for the sessions leading up to the head races and get as much time in 8s as we can between now and the race.
Have a good week,
Jez
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