Weekly update

Hello hello,

A couple of weekends without regattas = a chance to steel ourselves for this Saturday's BMI Regatta. We've got a veritable flotilla entered - including this summer's first airing of a Cygnet 8+ - so fingers crossed that we all get races. Watch this space for timings etc. It's the last tideway regatta of the season, and a good chance to cheer the clubs on.

Depending on timings of any races, we may also have a boat-naming of our newest 1x (albeit now not so new) on Saturday whilst people are around preparing to race/ warming up/ rigging/ undertaking visualisation exercises etc.

Meanwhile, the Learn-to-row course continues apace, with our fledgling Cygnets now on the water. We still need able oarsmen to help sit boats and encourage - please try and spare one or two sessions, and mark them on the Doodle Poll here.

A couple of minor moans:

- There is no such thing as a free snack: the Boathouse Exec are happy to supply drinks and snacks and understand that you may not always have the money tucked into your lycra as you grab a drink before an outing but please remember to settle up as soon as possible. Over the last couple of months the jar has not balanced with the drinks and snacks sold.

- If you're the last to leave the shed, please make sure all the lights are off (and windows closed etc.). Twice recently others have had to get the keys and unlock, just to switch the lights off. And whilst we're on the shed - if anyone can account for the carving knife that's currently on the shed roof, I'd be curious/ reassured to know whether there's an innocent explanation!

This week

- Tues 7.00pm outings. Nick R coaching

- Thurs 7.00pm outings. Nick R coaching. Followed by the Post-Session-Session - apparently Lou is cooking this week, so please let her know if you're staying for food.

- Sat 8.00am outings, for those not racing at BMI. 10.00am and 11.30am - Learn-to-row sessions on the water.

- Sun 8.00am outings. 10.00am and 11.30am - Learn-to-row sessions on the water.

Further Ahead

You'll have spotted that it's now June, which means we're allowed to start talking about Henley.

After BMI is out of the way, the following Sat 21st is Marlow Regatta - we'll be sending at least a couple of pairs to what will be the only 2k regatta we're attending this season.

The following Fri 27th is Henley Qualifying Races, and then the Regatta proper runs from Wed 2nd July through to Sun 6th.

Of course the most important date of all is Friday 4th July, our Club Day at Henley, where we take grateful advantage of the hospitality of the Slys - more details to follow nearer the time. The main thing to do at this stage is remember to book the day off work.

And finally

If you're able to make it into Westminster on Thursday afternoon, there's an opportunity to cheer on BBLRC as they race past the Houses of Parliament! They've managed to secure a place in the All Party Parliamentary Rowing Group Race, racing from just downstream of Vauxhall Bridge to just upstream of Westminster Bridge. The theme of this year's race is the Olympic legacy, and all the BBLs in the race have learned to row at the club since the 2012 Games. The race will be at about 3.50pm, though there will be races prior to that (including a row past by Lightermen in a shallop(?)).