Author: Sarah

I’m sending this report a little early, just in  case I get blown off a Scottish hillside this weekend. Here’s hoping the BBLers off to sculling camp get better weather.

World masters rowing championships in Varese

What better way to start the season than with news of rowing success. Some fantastic results from BBLers competing at the world masters championships in Varese.

Jackie Darling Wins:  the G4+ / F8+ / F2x, 2nd places in G2- / G4-/ E8-

Lesley Baguely Win: D4+ / E4- / C4- / F8+ 2nd place in E8+

Chrissie Richardson Win: A8+ (and possibly in mixed racing on the Sunday)

Zoe Guiniven Win: C4-, 2nd place in E8+

According to roving reporter Zoe it was beautifully hot and sunny in the lovely Lago de Varese in northern Italy.  The regatta was efficiently run and many new friends were made, especially from other clubs on the tideway.  Next year the regatta is in Ballarat, Melbourne.  2015 is a lot more accessible, in Hazewinkel, Belgium

Congratulations all!

Squad meeting

Thanks to everyone who came to the squad meeting the other night.  Just to recap, the training schedule looks like this:

Monday: dedicated Happy Mondays water session; novice ergs

Tuesday: dedicated intermediate outings (until end Sept);  Circuits (from 24 September – details to follow) EVERYONE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND

Wednesday: novice outings;  intermediate / happy Mondays ergs

Thursday: general intermediate / HM outings until end of Sept; Dedicated intermediate squad outings from end of Sept.

As we explained at the meeting, we are dropping a mid-week outing over the winter, to make it easier for everyone to commit to the training plan, so would hope to see everyone down for ergs / circuits as well as the water outings.

Safety briefing

The PLA will be coming to give a safety briefing at 8.30pm on 1 October (after circuits). All active  members must attend  – we spend a lot of time in small boats or out in the dark, and need to make sure we all know what to do to be safe.

Pairs head catering

There’s been no response to my request for volunteers to help with the catering for the Pairs Head on 13 October.  This is a BBL-run event and a great opportunity to raise funds to pay for boats and coaching.

Please could you let me know if you can help – either in advance, by buying food and coordinating volunteers, or on the day by making sandwiches or helping on the stall. We will also be looking to people to bake cakes to sell on the day.

Lots of us have benefitted from other people giving up their time to volunteer at the club – helping with the catering at head races is a great way to put something back. Looking forward to hearing from you all!

And finally, congratulations to coach Jo and husband Ed on the arrival of Freya Louise last week. Hopefully there’ll be some baby photos before too long. Now, how to fit a child seat in a coaching launch …

Have a great – and hopefully not too wet – weekend.

Katy

I’m very excited to be typing my first BBL news.   As Sarah said, I’ve been at the club for a few years now, and I’m really pleased that I now get to put a bit back into the club I’ve got so much out of.   I’m not sure I’m going to be able to implement all the plans for improvement we’ve discussed over the years (I see now that a club goat isn’t strictly practical), but if I can build even a little on the fantastic work done by Jenny and then Sarah, I’ll be really happy.

New season
The new season meeting is on 12 September at 7pm.  It’s a chance for the captains and coaches to set out plans for the new season and for you to ask any questions you might have.   Ahead of the meeting, we’ll be sending out a feedback form, to get your thoughts on your goals for the year ahead.

Key dates for the diary:

• Pairs Head – 13 October.  This is the only self-selecting race of the year, so let me know if you and a partner want to race (or let me know if you want to race and haven’t found anyone, and we can try a little matchmaking)
• Scullers Head – 16 November – note much earlier date than in previous years
• Fours Head – 30 November
• Vets Fours Head – 1 December
• Women Eights Head – 15 March

We might also try and slip in a couple of small boat head races before the end of the year – more details at the new season meeting.

Volunteering

The pairs, hours and eights head are also key fundraising opportunities for us, when the BBLRC catering arm swings into operation.    This relies on club members stepping up to volunteer –  and we will be on the look-out for people not  to wield the BBQ tongs, but also to mastermind operations.   Let me know if you think you fancy being a catering supremo.

Sculling camp
Weekend of 14/15 September.  A great opportunity to scull on mostly flat water – or sit in the sun and drink tea.   Contact Matt Byne for more details or check out the Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/220881058066282/

Weights
Weights sessions are still continuing on a fortnightly basis – dates on the website.  We’re really lucky to have a dedicated weights coach, but it is really only worthwhile if we get the numbers, so use it or lose it.

Other news
You’ll have hopefully  seen the picture of Coach Jenny at her wedding just over a week ago – she really did look that lovely, and the cake really did have rowing boat on it!   Congratulations to Jenny and Garry!

Good luck to all the BBLRCers racing at the World Rowing Masters Regatta in Varese at the end of the week.  Looking forward to  the race reports.

Katy

So its time for my final email newsletter with a regatta report from Oxford. It was a weekend of sunshine, a couple of showers and a few dramas. All of which make the occasion a rich rowing experience.

Oxford City Royal Regatta + Oxford City Sprints

Saturday
Nov 1x Ellie got to the final, by beating Putney Town Easily , then Twickenham in 3/4 length.  IM3 4+ A Novice squad Four put in a good performance against Furnivall. IM2 8+ – An Eight with a mix of ladies from Novice, Happy Monday and Intermediate squads. They lost out to Oxford City in the heat, by a mere length. A great performance for a scratch crew in a higher category. Captain in waiting Katy B (Mas.AB.1x) missed out in a very close race against Llandaff by 1/2 length.

Special mention to Nov 2x Kate and Sharon  who completed four rounds winning convincingly in each round, getting to the final. An exhausting seven races on the day!

The Eight raced in an exciting two rounds of the 350m sprints, losing out to eventual winners, Green Templeton in the semi.

Sunday
It was time for the sun to come out and 500m racing. Nov 1x Ellie just missing out against Hertford College. We organised a substitute cox and rower from HSBC so the IM3.4+ could row as Suzannah was stranded in Guernsey and Katy B was stuck on the train. Unfortunately we didn’t identify an issue with the steering until after the race, however despite the steering issue and potentially a missing fin, once the crews had untangled they made a great recovery!

Special mention to Ellie who negotiated with Race Control and the W.MasBC 2x opposition to get the race moved whilst we waited for Katy’s delayed train. Katy and I were thrilled to win the semi against (much taller) oppo from Wallingford by 1 and 3/4 lengths. The final was lost against locals Falcon who were given a rather generous 3 sec head start…

In a reciprocal arrangement with HSBC, Katy B coxed and Lucia subbed in the HSBC 350m sprint eights. All very close races which were expertly coxed and won by the composite crew. So BBL kept its tradition and brought back some 2 pint pots! What a great end to a weekend of racing.

And finally…

Its time to pass on my Captain’s email address to Katy B. However, I will still be very much involved in the club as Deputy Captain (shared with Jenny) and Chair of the Boathouse Exec which will keep me busy I’m sure.

Thank you to all of you for your great feedback my leadership of the club over the last two years. It has been challenging, but nevertheless, hugely rewarding.

Sarah

Last week we held our Captains meeting where our captaincy roles were voted.

I’m pleased to announce the new positions.

President – Rubina Curtis
Vice President – Jacky Darling & Pat Sly
Captain – Katy Baldwin
Vice Captain – Katy Owen
Deputy Captain – Sarah Powell & Jennifer Hawtin
Novice Captain – Clare Stuart Adams
HM Captain – Jo Broadhurst

Thanks go to those outgoing and those staying or or taking new roles. I’m extremely pleased to have Captain’s from the spectrum of ‘old’ and ‘new’. Katy Baldwin is one the longstanding squad members, Novice Captain, Clare, joined the club following ‘Get fit and row’ last year. The club simply would not survive without volunteers, both formal and informal.

As outgoing Captain I thought it would be a timely to to summarise of achievements and activities over the last two years and have written a Captain’s Report, attached here. Please take a moment to look through and be proud to be part of such a great club.

Katy will be officially be Captain from 1 September,  we will use the remainder of August for hand over.

Henley T&V regatta report
Provided by Sharon Leow – It was a gorgeous Saturday. Both BBL and Cygnets were represented at the regatta, racing in nearly all boat sizes – singles, coxless fours, coxed fours and coxed eights.

Everyone had cracking races.  No one came home with pots but who needs a bit of shiny pewter when one can leave Henley Town and Visitors with a new Filippi double?!

 

Final regatta of the season
We will be an Oxford on the weekend hoping the weather will be good to us (particularly those camping). The draw is not out yet, but good lucy to the crews racing in IM3 4+, Nov 4+, IM2 8, Nov 1x, IM3 1x, Nov 2x on Saturday, and IM3 4+, Nov 1x and Mas B 2x (of incoming and outing captains).

Perhaps this will be my penultimate news email as I will have report back from Oxford!

Sarah