Home Events & Results Contacts & Links International Rowing
National Rowing Academy Forms Sales & Wants  

To get your news & photos noticed, simply e-mail me

News Archive

December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
2004
2003
2002

 

31 January

   
 
 

Head Race Information: Details are now available for the Clydesdale "Clyde Head of the Rive Race" for fours and eights (frontpage, event invitation and entry forms) and for the Aberdeen Eights Head run by the Committee of the Dee.

And some results from last weekend: Results for GUBC's Western Eights Head held on Saturday. Fastest mens crew of the day was the GUBC eight and fastest women of the day were the CARC/SABC composite (unless you count stern pair of the Watsons' octuple scull, which came an impressive 4th in their division).

Rowing Action: If anyone has any articles for submission to the next edition of Rowing Action, could they please email Ailie Ord as soon as possible to let her know what they are intending to send - deadline for sending articles is the end of this week.

Regatta Organising Committee: The ROC would like to welcome any volunteers who are interested in helping with the organisation of Strathclyde Park Regatta to their next meeting, this Thursday at 7pm (3rd February), 7pm at Strathclyde Park. If anyone from any Scottish club has any ideas they would like to put forward for discussion, please get in touch with Ailie Ord before Thursday.

Racing Licences: Sandy Walker has sent the following note:
While applications for new licences have been coming in reasonably well this year, all applicants are reminded that forms must be submitted via their Club licence contact, be fully completed with d.o.b. and status and be accompanied by the correct fee. It should also be noted that it is not acceptable to enter events and having done so then submit an application. A two week turn round time is required to process a licence and with the entry date for Tideway events on the near horizon with other events following on, this should be borne in mind. Fast tracking of applications will not be possible and failure to obtain documentation in time may mean entries will be rejected.

 
 

30 January

   
 
 

New SARA Webmaster: After many years of excellent service, Terry McNeill has passed on the gauntlet of running the SARA website. I hope that I can live up to his standards and keep the information flowing to Scottish rowers.

If anyone has any news items, information about races, items wanted or for sale, changes in details, or anything else you think is newsworthy, please email me, Jo Wherrett.

 
 

28 January

   
 
 

Western Head start order: hot off the press, the start order for tomorrow's Western Head on the Clyde is now here.

What's your excuse for not doing your ergo?! My thanks to Concept 2 for this photo of Carole McNally (left) of the Oarsome Indoor Rowing Club competing at last weekend's Scottish Grand Prix.

Carole was so determined to score points toward her Grand Prix campaign that she rowed with her leg in plaster. So the next time you're trying to think of a credible excuse to give your coach for why you can't do this week's ergo, remember Carole . . . !

That’s all folks! Sadly, this will be my last posting as webmaster for Scottish Rowing. A recent decision by the SARA Executive, in my view, breaks a point of principle about which I feel sufficiently uncomfortable that I have decided to resign.

I’ve enjoyed editing this website since I created it in 1996/’97, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading the pieces and found the information useful. I wish my successor well.

 
 

26 January

   
 
 

Strathclyde University Small Boats Head: the start orders for Division 1 and Division 2 (this Sunday) are now here. I gather GUBC are doing the start orders for Saturday's Western Eights Head tonight, so hopefully have them up tomorrow.

 
 

24 January

   
 
 
Junior action from the Scottish Indoor Rowing Championships (above) and (below) Guy Taylor (in light blue) en route to his win in M J18 Lwt over Jamie Watson (dark strip with white side-stripe). Photos, like so much else that makes indoor rowing events such a success, courtesy Concept 2.
Fitzgerald is fastest racer - and new mile record is set: fabulous atmosphere at Sunday's Scottish Indoor Rowing Championships and Grand Prix, largely generated by an entry level which was 100 competitors up on last year and a standard of close competitive racing which we haven't previously seen at the event. Full results here and the Concept 2 site has a brilliant facility where you can replay your race as the spectators saw it on the big screen.

Gerrard Fitzgerald justified his trip from Limerick with not only a win in his Men 40+ Hwt class but also by recording the fastest 2K time of the day - 6:09.7. Edward Harden (St Andrews University, 6:10.6) spoiled Colin Williamson's chances of a hat-trick of victories over 3 years in U23.

Becky Thorpe (David Lloyd Centre, West Bridgeford) won both Women's Lwt (7:35.0) and Women's Hwt (7.39.7), with Lindsay Dick (Glasgow RC, Women 30+ Hwt) setting the fastest women's time overall in 7:08.7.

In junior racing, Guy Taylor (Peterborough City) won Men's J 18 lightweight in 6:43.3 in a very hard-fought contest with Jamie Watson (Windsor Boys School, 6:44.4). This was not the closest finish of the day, however. In Men's U23 Lwt Jonny Logan (Glasgow University, 6:35.8) scored an incredibly close win over Thomas Carter (Northwich RC) by one tenth of a second.

We also witnessed the first events for participants in SARA's 'TotallyRowing' programme, with pupils from the host Dalziel High School and visitors Holyrood Secondary School competing in 2 min, 3 min and 4 min races.

There were countless 'PBs' set on the day, but a special highlight was the successful attempt by Guy Taylor (Peterborough City) to set a new world record of 5:25.5 for the men's junior 18 lightweight mile: the sight (and sheer racket) of a couple of hundred Scots cheering an Englishman to sporting success on Scottish soil is not what you normally read about in the press but, I assure you, it happened yesterday.

 
 

20 January

   
 
 

Finalised race schedule for Scottish Indoor Grand Prix: the detailed draw is now here. Please check the time of your race - there have been a couple of minor changes. A reminder that we have a local map to help you find your way (if coming by train to Motherwell, the station is marked top right of the map and is only a few hundred yards walk from the school).

For anyone coming to their first indoor rowing championships, the event is a good one for family spectators, and they are very welcome. Your progress is displayed on a giant screen so your friends can see whether you're winning or how much encouragement/screaming it might take to spur you on to a win. We look forward to seeing you all on Sunday - don't forget to check in at least an hour before your race!

 
 

19 January

   
 
 

Is there a doctor in the house? Ian 'Chalky' White (right) of St Andrew BC is boldly going where he hasn't gone in at least 15 years - 2000m on an ergo - this Sunday in a fund-raising effort for his club's project in memory of Lesley Stewart. Lesley, a St Andrew member, ubiquitous veteran oarswoman and FISA umpire, died last year (in her 40s). Proceeds from the club's fund-raising project, of which Chalky's bold effort in the Men 50+ heavyweight event at Sunday's Scottish Indoor Rowing Grand Prix is just one part, are to be divided between Cancer Research and the purchase of a new boat named after Lesley.

Chalky's challenge has approval from the race committee who would encourage you to support both worthy causes in memory of a valued colleague in the sport. His club-mates will be accepting 'sponsored guesses' as to Chalky's likely finishing time (anybody got a calendar?!)

And is there a doctor in the house ? Of course there is - though as it happens Doc Ron Wallace will be a bit pre-occupied during Chalky's Challenge, competing in the same race (albeit in the lightweight class) which he will just squeeze into following his 50th birthday tomorrow.

New SARA boat booking policy: as everyone knows, SARA owns a fleet of modern Janousek boats, from pairs to 8s, based at the National Rowing Academy. These are always available for hire by clubs or crews visiting to train at Strathclyde Park and are also available (so is the trailer) by prior arrangement for booking for use in races at other venues. The policy and arrangements for booking these boots have recently been updated and clubs contemplating hires should acquaint themselves with the new system.

 
 

17 January

   
 
 

Scottish Indoor Rowing Grand Prix draw: the provisional draw is now here. Please check that you have been correctly entered: if you find any mistakes - even spelling - please email me using a subject heading 'Draw Correction' and stating your name AS SPELLED IN THE DRAW, the event you are shown in IN THE DRAW and then detailing the correction required. Allocation of individual machines will only be done once the draw is finalised.

Remember you must check in at least an hour before your race, with lightweights required to weigh in between one and two hours before their race. Event registration opens at 0900, first race is at 1000am. This direction map from Junction 6 on the M74 should make it easy to find the venue.

We're looking forward to welcoming you to a brisk day's competition: I notice quite a few competitors from Ireland, Wales and far-flung bits of England, so we wish you a safe journey up/across.

Tideway Men's Head of the River: will all Scottish Clubs intending to enter the Head of the River Race on the Tideway in 2005 please note that SARA Clubs should use paper entry forms and NOT attempt to enter 'on line' using the OARA system. This request has come from the HORR Secretary, Andrew Ruddle, who can be contacted by email if there are any queries. Forms have gone out to all Scottish clubs who entered in the last 5-6 years. Please note that this applies to the Men's Head only - not to the Women's Head or the Vets Head which are run separately.

Whopping entry for the Scottish Indoor Rowing Grand Prix: 330 racers to be precise - almost exactly 100 up on last year. We hope to have a provisional 'draw' on this web site later today and would ask competitors at that time to check their entry has been correctly recorded and email any corrections to an address which will be published at the same time as the draw. This is important not just in terms of making sure you are in the right race, but also the spelling of your name: your timing certificate comes from the same database and will be spelled the same way as on the draw, so now's your chance to ensure your British Record time (!) has your name spelled correctly on it.

New on the market: lightweight women's 1x - check the Sales page for details

 
 

13 January

   
 
 

Scottish Team Selection policy: the Scotland Senior Team selection policy for the Home International has been formalised and is now here. The junior selection policy will come separately but there is an appeal to any eligible juniors aspiring to represent Scotland but who row for clubs elsewhere (eg Englandshire!) to make themselves known as soon as possible to Jim Ferguson.

 
 

12 January

   
 
 

Closing date reminder: one reminder I forgot to add in my note about the Scottish Indoor Rowing Grand Prix was that entries close this Friday. Full details as before in the links from the yellow panel on the right.

 
 

10 January

   
 
 

Scottish Indoor Rowing Grand Prix: a reminder of this annual festival of post-Christmas torture at Dalziel High School on 23rd January. This year the SARA indoor event is upgraded an recognised as a formal round in Concept 2's bRitish Indoor Rowing Grand Prix; we're looking forward to welcoming a larger entry from south of the border to spice up the competition. Around 230 'pullers' last year made for a great atmosphere and a busy day's racing. Links to the relevant entry information are in the yellow panel on the right.

Western Eights Head and Strathclyde Small Boats Head (29-30 Jan 2005): remember all those seats and stretchers that got cannibalised from your eights to get all your fours on the water during the autumn? Well, it's time to put them back in the eights! First eights head is the Western on Saturday 29th, with a 'roll-over' to the Strathclyde Uni Small Boats Head on the Sunday 30th January. The official Western Eights poster has all the events offered, rules etc, with a covering letter of invitation. The GUBC site has an easy-to-follow online entry system. Meanwhile the Strathclyde Uni Small Boats Head has a separate poster and entry pack. I rather liked the unofficial poster which proves conclusively that GUBC are indeed a bunch of cowboys . . .

But you'll need a licence . . . : a reminder from Sandy Walker (race control convenor) that all Licence renewals for 2005 should now be progressed. As in previous years he will only deal with one point of contact in each club and will not accept individual applications from competitors.

A 2 week turn round time should be allowed for processing a licence and this should be borne in mind when making regatta entries particularly for events such as Tideway where a Scottish Licence is required if competing for a Scottish club. Under no circumstances will numbers be made available over the phone. There will, Sandy insists, be no exceptions.

Fees for 2005 are as follows: Senior £25; Student £19; Junior £12; Cadet £6

Counting on you: the counters on the SARA site have been reset for the new year. The 2004 total of 221,132 visits was almost identical to 2003.

 
 

 

   
 
 

 

 
 

Viewing problems?

This site is designed for MS Explorer 5/ Netscape 5 or later. If you have older versions, try using the links to download their latest (free) v6 updates