Site Clearance

Well, it's really happening - out with the old and in with the new! Here are some pictures from the site clearing session at the clubhouse today. Great to see everyone working together and thanks to Megan for sharing her birthday cake with all the hungry workers (yum).

More Rocking the Boat

Here are a few more pictures from our party, courtesy of the band (thanks guys) and there are some great shots of us all dancing the night away. If anyone is planning another party and needs live music (or indeed a photographer), Grace Brothers would be happy to oblige - contact: conrad.barnard@btinternet.com

Grace Brothers in action

"Do my sideburns look big in this?"

Cute couple (of hats)!

Nice to see that even our treasurer likes to boogie (on a Saturday night)

Great air guitar from our chairman

Rock the Boat Party, 14th November

We really hope everyone enjoyed rocking the boat last night. The barn looked stunning with the red and yellow bunting strung from corner to corner as well as lots of balloons, fairy lights and hay bales.

It was good to see everyone embracing the fancy dress, despite some worries about what to wear in the weeks beforehand:

Malcolm had tremendously impressive sideburns and was unrecognisable as Elvis; Terry and Sue made a dramatic entrance as a handsome pair dressed in oilskins and mermaid costume, complete with strategically placed clam-shells (Terry was the one in the oilskins); Megan’s family did themselves proud as an entire band of pirates; Philippe looked very suave in his green suede Robin Hood suit accompanied by his very own private pirate-ess; Tim was Lawrence of Arabia, but was missing his ship of the desert (a.k.a camel) and Jonathan appeared to be his partner in crime (any excuse to wear a dress!). We had authentic WWI naval uniforms, Raju in an officer’s uniform... pink boas and leg-warmers... and glowing Minnie Mouse ears supplied by Chris J.

There was also a whole troop of rockers of various eras and styles from Catherine and Chezzi to Kate and Mark. Anna M. was another one in her impressive punk wig, but then wondered if it was such a good idea afterall as she had to walk home, alone, through the streets of Woodbridge late at night feeling somewhat self-conscious!

And Bridget was the Queen of Sutton Hoo (of course).

Hannah definitely earned her halo as the Angel of the Night, staying until the wee hours to clear up after the 'not so responsible adults' teetered off home. Well done Hannah!!

And a very very big thank you to Jonathan and Kate for their hospitality, and to Ken for organising a super live band free of charge (just how much do those guys take off you at cards?)! Thanks also to Malcolm who came to the rescue on numerous occasions, and to the party team for their hours (many hours!!!) of hard teamwork!

If we’ve forgotten anyone – apologies. You are all special! It was a really super evening and just wonderful to have so many of the club together under one roof. Although the main purpose was to have fun, we also raised some all-important money for the new clubhouse appeal - fantastic.

John, Will and Nicola - great to have you all there supporting and boogie-ing a little too. We know the committee are all doing loads behind the scenes so hope you had a good time.

Thanks again from the team - Bridget, Hannah, Megan and Anna

Norfolk Sculls, 31st October, 2009

Well done to everyone who went along to Norwich on Saturday for the Norfolk Sculls - there was a good contingent of competitors and supporters from DRC despite the rather grey weather.

On the river were Catherine, Chezzi, Chris L., Clio, Hannah, John, Malcolm, Megan, Steve F. and Tim.

Full results can be found on the Norwich website: http://www.norwichrowingclub.co.uk/

Particular congratulations to the prize winners:

Clio - fastest W1x
Malcolm and Catherine - Nov Mix 2x pots
(Again! We look forward to your hatrick...)

Hopefully more words from someone who was actually there will follow soon, but for now I think the quote below from Steve pretty much sums up what we should all be feeling at this point in the season - time to knuckle down and get training, despite the cold and dark.

"[Competing in the Norfolk Sculls] proved to me what I knew anyway: that after a 7.5 year 'lay up' it takes more than a bit of paddling to get race fit again!!! I'm now resolved to dust off my ergo and put some real time in on it again."

I also think the look on our Chairman's face in this picture says it all!

Weybridge Silver Sculls, 24th October, 2009

Chris Jillings reports...

A couple of weekends agon, Clio and Chris were flying the club colours along the Thames from Walton to Weybridge, taking part in the popular Weybridge Silver Sculls. Well Clio was flying anyway, poor old CJ was trundling along behind,still suffering from a long term muscle tear and a recent cracked shin from a cycle crash. The less said about his time the better, but Clio steamed along in her first division as a WJ17 and was fastest by some 20 seconds over one of her previous National Junior Camp companions from Lea.

The Silver Sculls is one of two head races held on this stretch during the winter, the other being Walton Head, which is rowed in the opposite direction, downstream from Weybridge to Walton Rowing Club. The Silver Sculls, however is slightly more tricky, particularly if there is a strong head current, as the 3,500m course has a large sweeping double bend at the mid point, spanned by Walton bridge. The quickest way is to dive through the inside arch, squeezed up against the bank and on a curve, but with very little current this year the gathered throng were not treated to many shipwrecks at all. I didn't see any swimmers at all this year!

Having rowed on the stretch some six times before, Clio's line was top class and she entered the final 1000m cut right on track with a huge gap behind to the next junior! Sadly, during the lunchtime division for doubles the head wind grew stronger and stronger and now as a WJ18, it looked pretty impossible for Clio to better any of the morning times.

Therefore this year we went along to the evening prize giving feeling pretty confident that she would have at least taken the WJ17 pot in the morning, but when the final results were posted we discovered that Clio had also set the fastest time of any WJ, meaning she received the Champion Girl's trophy too. This was a well deserved prize and quite a notable feather in the cap. She was also only beaten by two other senior women in the whole day.

What a brilliant result!

National Junior Potentials Training Camp

The club can feel proud of another first in its history of home grown talent success following Clio's recent invitation to attend the National Junior Potentials training camp at Holme Pierrepoint, Nottingham.

This was the first camp in the winter programme and was an important chance for the National Junior Coach to take a look at the top 42 girls who could potentially be successful at selection trials later in the season. Many of their coaches also attended and the girls were split in to compatible groups of five. There then followed three intensive and painful days of training: outings in single sculls, ergos, runs, physio sessions, stretching exercises, not to mention the technical lectures in between.

Congratulations too, to Chris J who was intrusted with a group to coach for the whole three days, each sculler needing their own individual assessments and coaching points to work on during the technical outings as well as the final day head race and side by side races.

Both Chris and Clio returned on the Monday afternoon tired from a heavy weekend in different ways, but sharing some invaluable experiences from working at the national team level. I'm sure they would be really happy to tell you more...if you can catch either of them when they aren't either training or racing, that is!

Well done and we look forward to hearing more about junior trials as the season progresses...