Captain's Log
Latest news, requests, moans and cajoling from the skipper
Captain's update, August 2026
3rd August 2026
It was certainly a good afternoon after Cygnet won their first pot of the 2026 regatta season yesterday, the 8+ at Henley T&V - congratulations to all those involved! As we draw the regatta season to a close, i wanted to share a quick update with the squad across various matters.
Update to the captaincy
There has been a small update to the captaincy (significantly less ruthless than Burnham). I will be continuing as the club captain for the next year, with Tom C continuing as vice and Charles J swapping roles from the social sec to the deputy captain. With this, I would like to thank Matt G for his support throughout the year as deputy, it has been massively appreciated and certainly doesn't go unnoticed! As Charles is stepping into the captaincy, this means Mickey will be the new social sec.Return to training proper
As most of you know, August is a quiet period for rowing and the club, and so we will commence the 26/27 season proper from the 6th of September - enjoy your well-earned rest and feel ready for a good Head season come Autumn. That being said, I encourage everyone to stay active during August - the shed is still available to be used and we will still have water sessions – it will just be a more "show and row" approach to sessions.
On the 6th of September, at noon, we will have a whole squad meeting to kick off the year - please mark your diary and make every effort to attend!LTR
We will be running a learn to row programme from the 7th of September. When circulated, please can everyone ensure to sign up to help run the sessions! It's a great way to grow the club, and meet the new members. Additionally, if you happen to know of anyone who could be interested, please feel free to send them the details on our website.Push to grow the club
We are currently going through a bit of a push to grow the club, where we need some support from you. Please can you:- Share any good photos with, that show the club in a good light! Be it social or rowing
- Let me know if you have any advertising ideas
- Once we generate some posters, let me know if you are part of any forums that these can be posted in
- If you are part of a university alumni network/contacts at unis or colleges, please let me know.
Reminder to lock doors/other points
On a slight less interesting, but important - please remember:- Lock up after yourself if you are the last person
- Close all windows when you leave
- We have a hosepipe ban currently.
Dates for the diary:- End of Season social - tbc
- Season kick off meeting 6th September, noon
- LTR start 7th September
- Rhein Marathon 3rd October
Thank you if you have made it to the bottom of this email!
It is my absolute intention to send around an update, however big or small, once a month for the next year – please hold me accountable!
Thank youJordanCygnet Captaincy Update – April 2026
23rd April 2026
Evening all,
Now the Head season has come to a close, and we move into the regattas (the first being Hammersmith this weekend) I thought i would give a brief update from the captaincy.
Head season round up
Cygnet has fielded competitive 8+s in both Hammersmith Head and HORR, and a 4x in Vets Head. Hammersmith Head - 293rd and 11th in the division.HORR - 312th overall and 14th in the small club. Importantly though, as the crew passed the club they were overtaking the crew in front.Vets head - 6th in the OP D 4X-
Overall it was a fitting end to the head season, showing that the hard work in the shed has paid off, and set us up well for the summer (arguably more enjoyable) regatta season.Training update
Well done to all those who did a 2k last week, and for those that havent we will have another in a few weeks so no escape! Now the weather is improving, it has been great to see more of the squad down at the club ( "fair weather rowers" ) and look forward to this continuing throughout the summer season. Tuesday night sessions have returned, starting the 28th April. 7pm OTW, so please arrive before this (6.45). Note additionally, these sessions will only be ran with a minimum of a 4 man boat, so please sign up on fitclub.Scamp
Scamp will be held over the weekend of 5th – 7th June, to coincide with Walton and Weybridge regatta. More details on specifics to follow, but please mark the diary.Dates for the diary
- Boat naming ceremony 23rd May
- Scamp 5th-7th June
- Cygnet OGM 19th July
Please continue to update on fitclub your availability for the various regattas, outlined in the below email chain.Learn to Row
The club is looking to run a learn to row course during the summer/early autumn, but require volunteers to help run this! It is a great way to get to meet the new members, and encourage the next crop of Cygnets. Of course you will be supported by the wider Cygnet captaincy and coaching, but please let me know if you want to help out with running this process/want to know more information of what's involved.Club admin
I have been informed there are some outstanding subs and races fees - please can you settle up with our treasurer (or via our website), before naming and shaming begins...Thank you if you have managed to get to the bottom of this email, hugely appreciated!
As ever, please don't hesitate to speak/message me on any thoughts at allJordan
Cygnet Captaincy Update – February 2026
20th February 2026
Afternoon All
It's been a while since I've sent any emails around, so – thought it was about time – lots of dates so calendars at the ready please!
First of all its been great seeing the shed so full over the last few weeks – we have a great structured plan in place at the moment, so absolutely encourage everyone to continue to commit to the shed sessions, and I'm confident we will see the rewards in the summer when we spend more time on the water.Key dates for the diary
As promised, this is a provisional regatta plan for the summer - please hold in your diaries to avoid any unfortunate clashes!- HORR 28th March
- Hammersmith Regatta 25th April
- Chiswick Regatta 2nd May
- Borne at Chiswick Regatta 9th May
- Peterborough Regatta 30th May
- Walton and Weybridge Regatta 6th June
- Barnes and Mortlake Regatta 13th June
- Marlow Regatta 20th June
- Kingston Regatta 11th July
- St Neots Regatta 26th July
- Henley T&V 1st August
7th March
A group of 4 civil servants ("Team Ordinary") will be joining us for some rowing training, as part of their preparation of rowing the Atlantic! More details to follow, but please make every effort to make yourself available to row with them.Weekend of the 28th March
As per tradition our German friends, from Benrath, will be racing in Vets HORR and so please come down and show your support/grab a beer afterwards.Reminder
With the upcoming tideway head races, please help with volunteering for the boating - this generates vital funds for the joint clubs and so all volunteering is hugely appreciated! See link to sign up - Tideway Head Races - Boating & Catering Volunteers 2025/26 - Google Sheets
Thames Rowing Tour
A message from our President has asked if anyone is interested in the Thames Rowing Tour 13–15th July. This involves rowing from Windsor to Weybridge in boats similar to the Rheine Marathon. Currently there is a contingent of five Benrath members and various Cygnets. Please can you let Nick know if you are interested in this!.That's all from me. As ever drop me a message/email if you have any thoughts or ideas that you'd like to share.
Thanks
JordanCaptain's update – November 2025
22nd November 2025
Just a small update and key points from the captaincy:
Fours Head weekend
Well done to those who raced, it was tricky conditions at times so a very solid effort for everyone involved. This forms a very solid base to shift our focus to Head of the River in March. I’m excited and cautiously optimistic we may be able to get two 8s into it – selection will be based off training, scores achieved and technical progress over the next few months.5k Test
Monday 8th December evening – we'll use this as a base and then go again in February (date tbc) to assess progress over winter, and inform our crew selections for HORR.Help with LTR Grads
Huge thanks to everyone who has helped so far, but for the upcoming sessions please can everyone help with signing up to support in the boat or in the shed. This is especially the case for recent LTR grads themselves. Our aim for our new cohort will be to race in Plum Puddings in late December, so they need all the support we can provide, see link emailed by the captain.Breakfast club
Friday morning ergs – 7am start. Noticed we are lacking fitness and an extra session on the erg, before work each week will really help with this. Someone will provide some sort of breakfast after for those who want it, on a rota basis. Please sign up on FitClub.BBL/Cygnet Xmas Party
As per Charles’ email, it is a very fun night which BBL kindly organise. The more Cygnets there the better! Please see the (emailed) link to sign up and pay.As always please reach out on any thoughts/feelings.
Thanks all,
JordanCaptaincy update – August 2025 (from your new captain)
27th August 2025
Hello All,
I hope we are all enjoying an extremely well-earned rest!
As my first email to the wider group, I just wanted to share some initial thoughts and plans for the upcoming months. First of all I would like to thank Dom and the outgoing captaincy for all of the hard work they have put in over the last year, and time spent helping me in the last few weeks – it's been thoroughly appreciated. We are certainly in a great place as a club and I really hope we can build on this and achieve even more success this upcoming year.
On this topic, I would like to congratulate all of the squad that raced at Henley T&V regatta, where there was some very competitive across the board. A particular congratulation to Tom and Dom in the 2- who beat the RAF, and won their category.
Looking forward to the upcoming months, we please look at the following key dates for your diary and sign up on fitclub accordingly. Note, the sooner you're able to sign up we will be able to set up some crews - and as shown across the summer, apparently training together makes you go faster!
- Scullers Head 28th September
- Pairs Head 4th October
- Upper Thames Head 26th October
- Fours Head 15th November
- Vets Fours Head 16th November
- Walton Small Boats Head 6th December
- Plum Puddings 13th December
- Quintin Head 25th January
- Head of the Nene 7th February
- Henley Fours and Eights Head 14th February
- Hammersmith Head 28th February
- Head of the River 28th March
These are head races that we have identified as possible targets to make the Head racing season slightly more exciting, and less "Shed based" - and as some are off Tideway we will have to plan accordingly. Please sign up on FitClub, and we can get planning.On the topic of the shed, training will return a proper from the first week of September. We will move our midweek sessions back into the shed - with weights on Mondays and an "exciting" erg on Wednesday. As long as the weather complies, we will keep our weekend sessions on the water where possible. Its worth mentioning, a key reason why there was success at Cygnet during the regatta season, and one of our best HORR results for years, was due to the hard work put in in the Shed, so i encourage everyone to build on this platform and put in the effort this Autumn and Winter.
Other dates for the diary
- End of season dinner
You should have already signed up for this, where on Fri 29th August will be our end of season dinner to come together as a club and celebrate our success this year. - Scamp 5th - 7th September
Its looking likely, due to sign ups, that we wont go to the Bungalow but instead go for a long row to Richmond and back, please look out for further comms on this. - Learn to Row
LTR is back for 6 weeks, from the 8th of September, where we will need volunteers to help support our new intake of LTR participants - please look out for further comms on this. - Team Ordinary Session
A crew of civil servants rowing the Atlantic, are coming down to our boat house so we can help them with rowing technique/take them for an outing. Please sign up on fitclub to help out. Date: Wednesday 10th September, AM. Please see the link to their website - The Oardinary Crew - Sun 14th September - Cygnet and BBL joint club day
This will involve some mixed races and a BBQ. Further details to follow.
Thank you to anyone who has got this far down the email - I will endeavur to be more succinct going forward.
I hope these restful few weeks has made everyone as excited about the year ahead as I am.
Thanks
JordanCaptain's update, 13th July
15th July 2025
Mea culpa, I haven't done a squad update in a while but as the below shows, it has been a busy summer! 3 months of intensive regatta racing, brilliant training, and the odd social beer(s) means that time has flown.
Regatta summary
I won't go through every regatta in detail, but a big shout-out to everyone who has committed to the squad during the summer season. We have progressed leaps and bounds, building on the engines we built during the winter in the gym to excellent improvement on the water in the summer.
The regatta season started with Hammersmith in late April, where we had a 4+ and a 4x- race very competitively, but ultimately both lost to the eventual winners. It was the first regatta for many, and good dusting off the cobwebs for everyone else. We then had a few race at Chiswick in early May, before a great day's racing at Peterborough later in the month - with the Tom/Dom pair reaching the final in a competitive pairs field, ultimately just being outdone at the last hurdle.June saw us compete at Walton & Weybridge in a 4x-, before a bumper entry at Barnes and Mortlake where again we were within just feet of winning both the 4+ and the 4x-. Annoying but it showed the progress we had made over the summer. A quick lessons-learnt and on we marched to Kingston....
And Kingston saw us get our first win of the season, in a high-calibre coxless four category - with wins against Maidenhead and UCL/Bentham in the final. A particular well done to Benjy, Jordan and Tom for their first win in Cygent lycra!We have one regatta left, Henley Town and Visitors on 2 August. We have a bumper entry across pairs, fours and an eight, and so it represents a great chance to go out with a bang!
S'camp
A key part of the squad's improvement has been a very successful "S'camp" weekend at the bungalow. Particular thanks to Tom and others who led on organising it - a massive success. I love the bungalow - a great chance to just row (oh, and drink the odd beer...) - but particularly this year where it was a lot of people's first time visiting. We are planning our next trip for early September so please do sign up on Fitclub so we can start organising accordingly!
Social
It has also been a great period for squad socials - none better than our weekend celebrating 60 years of the relationship with our German partner club, Benrath. The highlight was the Friday at Henley Royal Regatta - our annual social on steroids! Particular thanks to Neil and all others who organised the event - I think it is fair to say everyone enjoyed it!
OGM
Finally, there is the club OGM on Wednesday 23 July at 8pm after the squad training session. Please do come if you can - we will be taking a vote on buying a new boat (a coxed four) and also be voting in a new captaincy. It has been a pleasure being the Captain of Cygnet for the past 12 months - do let me know if you are interested and want to discuss it in more detail.
Onwards!
Regatta Crews
Hammersmith Regatta
4+ Clara, Jim A, Tom C, Dom M, Jordan H
4x- Benjy H, Theo T, Ollie R, Mustafa OChiswick
2x-: Ollie R, Mustafa OPeterborough
2- Dom M, Tom CWalton and Weybridge
4x- Charles J, Peter R, Jordan H, Benjy HBarnes and Mortlake
4+ Clara, Dom M, Tom C, Mickey W, Jordan H
4x- Charles J, Ollie R, Peter R, Will P
4x- Mustafa O, Octavian P, Alex H, Martin DKingston
4x- Charles J, Ollie R, Peter R, Will P
4- Dom M, Tom C, Benjy H, Jordan H (Win)Captain's update, 28th April
28th April 2025
Morning team!
And the summer racing season begins!
It’s been a very good month for us, building on the back of HORR. We’ve followed it up with some very strong 2k tests with PBs for the vast majority of the squad. We’ve established strong racing crews and done our first regatta.
We had two entries into Hammersmith this Saturday. The 4+ of Clara, Jim, Jordan, Dom and Tom C lost to the eventual winners of the event (UCL), and the 4x- of Benjy, Ollie, Theo and Mustafa gave a very respectable performance in the final, losing narrowly to London RC . We will build on this and be back stronger!
Thanks also to everyone who helped at the club day on Saturday. The boathouse and surrounding area are looking much better!
Looking ahead, we have a couple of crews entered into Chiswick regatta this Saturday- good luck! There is then a bit of a gap because a couple of events were cancelled. Please could you all detail your availability on the squad WhatsApp group poll with the regattas you can do so that I can plan crews again in advance.
I’m also really looking forward to s’camp in a few weeks time at the start of June. This is a great weekend and more detail is on Tom’s email or on the website here. The downside is organisation is required so please do help us by signing up asap, and do just ask if you have any questions!
Onwards,
DomCaptain's Update, 31st March
31st March 2025
Morning team
What a month! Apologies firstly - I hadn’t realised it had been so long since I last sent an update but it’s been a very busy March!
Head of the River – well done to the racing crew. There was great commitment from the whole crew which saw us overtake several crews and come 4/10 in our category. I’m pretty confident in saying this is the best Cygnet result for over ten years. I told you all that pesky work in the shed would pay off!
I’d also like to say thank you to all who volunteered over the weekend. These things don’t just happen, from launch drivers to directing 60+crews – it was a phenomenal effort. Particular thanks to those who were on hand to help during the awful events on the Sunday where one racer unfortunately passed away.
Racing season
We now get to the ‘proper’ racing- side by side regattas. We are very lucky to have several right on our doorstep, starting in late April. The provisional list that I want to send crews to is below - please sign up where you can before, ideally by cop Monday. I want to plan ahead with the captaincy and coaching team this week.In terms of crews, we are aiming for an intermediate 4, a development 4 and then a masters crew. I can only go so far in organising these - so I ask that once we set provisional crews, that you work together on organising outings etc. I don’t want to repeat the precedent from previous years of scratch crews at regattas!
Finally, please note scamp 6–8 June. We will be in touch with more details – although there is quite a bit of background on the website. Needless to say it’s a great opportunity for all to get some great water time, particularly in small boats for our newer members (the Thames is a nice swimming pool up there…)
Cheers,
Dom- 26 April, Hammersmith
- 3 May, Chiswick Amateur
- 10 May, Borne at Chiswick
- 31 May, Peterborough
- 7 June, Walton and Weybridge (as part of scamp)
- 14 June, Barnes and Mortlake
- 28 June, Richmond Regatta
- 12/13 July, Kingston Amateur
- 2 August,Henley Town & Visitors
Captain's update, 27th February
27th February 2025
Morning all,
A few key notices now that our racing season for 2025 has begun!Hammersmith Head
Well done to all those in our VIII on Sunday. The conditions were challenging but we put in a really strong performance - and given it was the first race for half the crew, it gives us a really strong base to build upon. I hope those of you new to racing enjoyed it - if not the 2 hour wait beforehand!!HORR
Which leads us now on to the big one next month (22 March) with the Head of the River Race. This is a chance to race against c 400 of the best eights in the country and we have the potential to get the best Cygnet performance for many years. Most importantly it also symbolises the end of the winter season - so can I ask all who are available for the race to sign up today on Fitclub, as well as to commit (as much as possible) to the remaining 3 weeks of training - both on the water and in the gym. We have worked too hard this winter to fall at this stage!Training times
As part of our drive to make sure we maintain strong numbers, we are making a few changes to training times:- We will do 2 water session on Saturday. The first - at 8am is going to be a long paddle (c.12–14K, eg to Pink Lodge and back); the second at 10am will see us do some racing pieces.
- We are going to do just one session on Sunday 9–11. This follows feedback and relative success of trialling this over the past few weeks.
- Shed times will remain weights on Monday, and ergs on Wednesday. Numbers have dropped considerably for these session – I cannot stress enough how important they are!
- We are looking at putting in possible sessions before work on at least one day per week. Simon will provide comms on this. But certainly after HORR, and with the slightly longer days, we will also look to do evening water sessions.
Finally, we are keen to up the social aspects of the club, so please do sign up on the form Charles sent around the Whatsapp group re dinners!
Any questions on any of the above, do just let me know!
Dom
