Traffic hassle
at Strathclyde Park: a reminder that the road works at
the Motherwell entrance (traffic lights) to the Park start tonight,
with the junction closed from 2000hrs each Friday to 0600hrs Monday
for about the next 6 weeks. The only vehicle access at weekends
will be via the Raith Interchange (at the north end of the Park)
and then the long way round past M&D's funfair.
27 February
Appeal for
Clydesdale 8s and 4s Head results: apparently lots of people
rushed off with hard copies from the event - shortly before somebody
pushed the wrong button and deleted the results file for Race A
(Oops!). As a result, nobody has any record of times - and Alan
Easson can't work out who won the University Winter League. Do you
have a hard copy? If so please scan it and forward to Christine
Kerr at Clydesdale in the first instance (or drop her a line
if you don;t have access to a scanner).
Start
Order for the Aberdeen Eights Head (this Saturday)
is now up.
Crews Weigh In for City of Aberdeen Universities Boat Race:
a press release and photo
from sponsors Aberdeen Asset Management in the run-up to this Sunday's
race at 1.00pm on the Dee. The Boat Race proper is preceded by the
Alumni Race, in which RGU are the current holders.
26 February
Glasgow Small
Boats Head: the poster
with events offered is now up, together with the entry
form. The Head is on 22 March, closing date for entries is 16
March.
Women's Tideway: the start
order for 15th March is now up
24 February
Clydesdale
Eights and Fours Head: I have an unusual groveling e-mail
from the organisers apologising for the loss of the results file
for the first race (!), but here are the results
from Race B.
A number of Scottish crews then went on to the Head of
the Trent on Sunday, results of which are here.
Free access to water at Strathclyde Park: free
access continues, but there is a need for both SARA and North Lanarkshire
to monitor use. From 1st March a new
scheme will require water users to complete a registration
form which will get them a swipe card to use on their future
visits.
Good-as-new Stampfli 1x for sale: an unusual advert
on the 'for sale' page
21 February
Amended Start
Order for tomorrow's Clydesdale 8s and 4s Head
Tideway Scullers' Head and Veteran Scullers' Head:
readers will remember the traditional spring 'Scullers Head' which
moved to November in 2002. It appears there are now to be two 'scullers
heads'; check the
link for details of the spring one.
20 February
Coaching
from the Bank during Racing: I have been asked to publish
the following note. "Following the Inverness VIIIs head on
15 February the Senior Umpire for the event issued a formal caution
to one of the Clubs taking part. In the opinion of the Umpires,
more than one crew from that Club had been receiving "extraneous
assistance" (rule F21) in the form of coaching from people
who were following the crews for the entire length of the course.
The Umpires have indicated that had it not been for the age and
inexperience of the crews involved, disqualifications would have
been considered."
Clubs racing in Saturday's Clydesdale Head - and at future events
- would be well advised to take heed of this 'final warning': no
umpire likes disqualifying any competitor, but there can be no doubt
that a crew receiving coaching from the bank (contrary to F21) can
gain unfair advantage over one which, through adherence to the rules,
does not. Umpires owe it to crews who adhere to the rules to penalise
those who do not - and the only penalty mentioned in rule F21 is
disqualification.
Scottish Sports Aid Foundation Grants: SSAF offer
funding at 4 levels. Criteria and application dates are as follows.
Encouragement grants (£250), for youngsters
who are just beginning to show their potential to go on and compete
at national level. Phase II grants (£275
- £400), for young competitors who have reached the top three
in their age group in Scotland and are competing at British age
group competitions. Phase III grants (£425
- £700), to age group champions in Scotland who are competing
with distinction at british age group level. Bursaries
(£750 - £1000), to young competitors who are age group
champions in Scotland and are competing with distinction at British
age group level, Senior championship level in Scotland, or at European/
World age group level.
The funding award committee meets 3 times annually, with closing
dates for applications to each meeting of 24/03/03, 21/07/03 and
17/11/03. Anyone interested in applying for SSAF funding should
contact Scotland Team Manager, Tom
Baker.
19 February
Aberdeen
260
Glasgow
227
Strathclyde
164
Dundee
69
St Andrews
50
Edinburgh
28
Heriot Watt
4
Robert Gordon
2
Clydesdale Eights and Fours Head: the start
order is now up. The results of the fours events at Clydesdale
will also decide the final rankings in the University Winter League.
The table on the left is a reminder of how the points stand going
into Saturday's event.
18 February
Licences:
you have been warned! This from SARA Race Control Convenor,
Sandy Walker: "With the various Heads now in full swing and
the main regatta season imminent, all competitors are reminded that
a 2 week turn round is required to obtain a new licence. I do not
intend to provide numbers either by phone or electronic means for
applicants who for their own reasons have left it until the last
minute before deciding they require registration. There will be
no exceptions to this position." (Licencing
policy, Application
form)
Aberdeen
Eights Head: it has long been rumoured that Aberdeen
is in a different time zone to the rest of the world but, even in
Aberdeen, 1st March (the correct date of the Aberdeen Eights Head)
remains a Saturday and not, as published on the Committee of the
Dee's original information, a Sunday. As Ron's note put it, "
Doh!" Entries close next Monday, 24th February.
Dundee University seek rowing coach:
if you read the job spec you might think it's a permanent rather
than volunteer post. But as the club put it 'we'll aim high and
see what we can get . . .'
17 February
At the GB
junior trials in Boston at the weekend, Kirsty Myles (Watson's)
finished 18th in Saturday's WJ 1x, Anna Anderson and Alex Gemie
(Nithsdale) finished 4th in the WJ2-, Chris Logan (Watson's ) 3rd
in the J1x and Garry Middleton (Nithsdale) finished 29 th in the
J2- rowing in a composite pair with Abingdon.
On Sunday Chris Logan was 1st in the J1x, Kirsty Myles 2nd in the
WJ1x, Anna Anderson and Alex Gemie were 7th in WJ 2-. (thanks to
Jim Ferguson for these results)
Caberfeidh
Motors Inverness Eights Head: the results
are now up. Great day's racing in quite fantastic conditions. Aberdeen
University were fastest crew overall (M Open 8) in 15:05 (does anyone
know the course record? Conditions were certainly favourable). Fastest
women's crew were Aberdeen BC/Castle Semple (W Open 8) in 17:18.
The row which impressed this commentator most on the day, however,
was Vallance/Cruickshank of Aberdeen Schools with 18:08 in J18 M2-:
they beat the entire senior 2- field.
14 February
Important
info re Inverness Head: Inverness have asked me to publish
these local rules and
essential information
for competitors, both being intended to assist in the smooth
(= enjoyable!) running of tomorrow's event.
12 February
Start order
for Caberfeidh Motors Inverness 8s and Small Boats Head:
the midnight oil having been duly burned in Inverness, we now have
it; Division 1 and Division
2.
11 February
Rowing Instructor
course: apparently places on this
course are filling up quickly. Additional candidates looking
for places might do well to register
ASAP without waiting until the closing date of 19 February.
Short macons wanted! SARA development officerCallum
MacDonald would like to borrow a set (4 or 8) of short macon
sweep blades - perhaps from a women's section or junior club - to
try out in the rowing tank at the National Rowing Academy.
Strathclyde Park traffic chaos warning: the junction
at the Motherwell end of the Park will be closed for road works
each weekend from 1 March to 13 April. Closures will be from 2000
hrs Friday to 0600 hrs Monday each weekend. Access to the Park will
be via the Raith Interchange at the north end only in these periods,
with traffic having to take the 'long way' round past M&D's
funfair. Oh well, at least it'll all be finished before Strathclyde
Park Regatta/Scottish Universities Championships on 26 April!
10 February
Pinsent and
Cracknell in shock trials defeat: the results (provisional
until issued formally from Hammersmith?) of Saturday's trials are
now up on the Boston RC site, Div
1 and Div
2. Pinsent and Cracknell finished 2nd in M2- behind Williams
and Garbett. Scots took the top 2 places in U23 LM 1x through Gavin
Shaw and Jonny Logan respectively (Tom Hanna shown 2nd isn't actually
U23, but still a very good result for him). Henry Westwood found
himself doing an unexpected 1x after Douglas Murray had to withdraw
from their 2- with a bug. Martin Harris and Peter Haining (didn't
he retire?) finished 3rd in LM2- with other Anglo-Scots Stewart
Bates 6th and Danny Harte 9th. Katherine Grainger was 5th in W 1x,
Clare Haley 23rd. Sarah Fettes had to limp home with cramp in U23
LW1x.
9 February
GB Trials:
first news of Scottish results from yesterday's trial at
Boston is that Gavin Shaw and Jonny Logan were 1st and 2nd respectively
in M U23 Lwt. That's all we have so far.
Aberdeen Eights Head: full
details of the event (1st March) are now on the Committee of
the Dee web site. And on the Sunday (2nd March), the City
of Aberdeen Universities' Boat Race - a press
release from the organisers.
Eights for Sale: Dundee University have TWO eights
on offer on the Sales and Wants page -
one free to a good home, the other something of a classic.
Western Head: results of last weekend's Western
Head in Glasgow, Div 1
and Div 2
6 February
Scottish
Rowing Awards: last few days for nominations (snail
mail or on-line). Everyone
(not just committees, individual rowing people) with an interest
in Scottish Rowing is invited to make nominations in as many categories
as you like (this is one occasion when the SARA Executive will be
delighted to be showered with correspondence). It's a chance for
you to recognise people who inspire you, support you or who in whatever
way are a credit to our sport.
Details of how to buy tickets for the Awards Dinner & Dance
will be on the site in the next day or two.
4 February
Inverness
Head and Scotland Team Trial:
a reminder that entries close this Saturday (8th) for next weekend's
event (15th). Scotland trialists (who should have registered with
Team Manager, Tom Baker, by
31 January) are reminded that the small boats section of the Inverness
Head is a compulsory trial under the selection
policy: women should race 1x or 2- in Division 1, men should
race 1x or 2- in Division 2. This leaves them free to race in their
club eights in the other division.
As for the non-triallists, well, I can think
of no reason to believe that Inverness Eights and Small Boats Head
won't live up to it's reputation as one of the biggest and best
events on the Scottish rowing calendar.
3 February
Results of
Saturday's Western Head of the River Race for Eights (I
only have information on 'winners' so far; full results when I get
them): MEN. Open: Glasgow University 17 mins 27
secs. Restricted 1: Glasgow University: 17.42. Restricted 2: Strathclyde
University 18.13. Veteran: Glasgow RC 18.49. Novice: Glasgow University
21.00. WOMEN. Open: Clydesdale 19.26. Restricted
1: St Andrew 20.47. Restricted 2: St Andrew 20.47. Novice: Glasgow
University Ladies 22.14.
Reception,
Dinner, Awards Ceremony & Live Ceilidh Band,
all in the splendour of the Elphinstone Hall, Aberdeen University
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