Training and racing.
Cygnet entered two VIIIs (an S2 and an S4) in a full Head Season this year with both boats competing at the Hammersmith Head, a very windy Kingston Head and of course The HoRR. We also entered one Vet B boat in the Vets Head. None of the placings were exceptional but we were certainly competitive with respect to similar sized clubs. These boats represented almost the entire active squad and despite the usual scares, dramas and mini-crises everyone made it to the start line and seemed to have enjoyed the racing, which I feel, is the point.
After a couple of weeks hiatus whilst holidays were taken and the clocks went forward we kicked off Regatta season with the traditional Spring Sculling Camp at the bungalow. There was a large turnout over the weekend with many sculling virgins taking to the water for the first time. There were only a few swimmers!
Easter was very late this year and the first regatta of the season, Hammersmith Amateur has come round a bit too soon. However we have managed to enter two S2 boats, a 2- and a 4- in this event. The broad plan is to break the novices into mini-squads of 5 or 6. The more experienced of which will being racing a 4+ starting at Chiswick whilst the other, much less experienced boat will be a longer term project that will hopefully begin racing later in the year. The senior Squad will row mostly in 2- coming together and/or doubling up into 4s depending on the event. I also hope to be entering sculling boats as much as possible, both 1x and crew boats. A full regatta season is planned, mostly at our regular haunts on the Thames and in East Anglia.
I consider the racing crews to be able to organise outings according to their own convenience but squad outings will continue to be Saturday 9.00, Sunday 9.30, Tuesday 7.00 and Thursday 7.00 with a show-up and row policy for non-racers. I am encouraging oarsmen to continue with weight training over the summer and there will be periodic erg tests. Cross training is very much encouraged and we have several squad members entered into the Richmond half-marathon in May and the London to Brighton Bike ride in June.
Esme Wingrove has once again offered to cox a boat for us. The offer has been gratefully accepted and she will work mostly with the racing novice squad which helps take the pressure of Marj a bit.
The whole fleet is currently in the boat shop, rigged and ready to row. Currently the Du Parcq is rigged as a quad and the 12 Feb as a double with the rest set-up to sweep. We are still having trouble getting hold of the replacement quad rigger for the Du Parcq, but it is in hand and we’re using a Rawkins sculling rigger as a temporary replacement.
The is always something in the fleet which needs attention and although I believe that there are no major outstanding repairs a few boats could do with a bit of TLC - the prow of the Cox and the hull of YWH spring to mind. I will contact Andre Monday or Paul Cobbett to see if they are able to do a day of on-site minor repairs. With the help of Peter Humphries both eights have been re-rigged and we intend to look at the rest of the fleet as we go, picking up on any repairs/replacements as well as rigging.
I will review the situation with regards to getting a new boat and will include in my thinking the possibility of using some boat buying funds to repair/overhaul existing equipment rather than buying new.
We almost sold the sweep blades over Head weekend but the interest never went any further and no sale occurred. This is therefore, still outstanding.
In conjunction with the Boathouse Captain, we’re currently reviewing the racking situation. It is the Execs next major project to re-rack the boat shop but in the meantime BBLRC are disposing of the Coombs, an VIII, freeing up some space. Private single racks are also under review and it is considered that boats that are rarely or never used should not continue to fill inside racks that could be better employed by regular scullers.
I am currently designing an additional (covered) rack for single sculls to be positioned on the concrete in front of the shed.
The new single “Cygnet Friends Reunited’ was officially named on the 12th Feb.
Coaching.
Kathryn Pengelly and Mike Collier intend to coach on a regular basis this season. We will also continue to use the services of professional coach Nick Rowett where appropriate.
Particular thanks to Alan Cox who makes himself available at least once a week for whatever role I require of him, mostly with the steady trickle of incoming novices.
Estimates.
Neil 21/04/06