Funeral for
Lesley Stewart: Lesley's funeral will take place on Wednesday
at 11.00am in Warriston Crematorium, Edinburgh. All friends are
invited but family flowers only, please. There will be a collection
for Cancer Research UK at the funeral and a gathering of family
and friends thereafter at the Edinburgh Academicals RFC Clubhouse
30 July
Hawco Inverness
Sprint: this year's Hawco Sprint at Inverness RC on the Caledonian
Canal (delightful place to be this time of year!) takes place on Saturday
21st August. The poster, event details and snail-mail entry forms
are downloadable from the Inverness
RC web site - which also offers an on-line entry system which
should make your life (and theirs) easier if you can use it.
28 July
Death of
Lesley Stewart: it is with sadness that we must record
the death of Lesley Stewart of St Andrew Boat Club. Lesley had been
a keen participant in - and ardent supporter of - the sport for
some years. She was, for example, a regular competitor in crews
at the FISA World Masters Regatta in recent years.
It was in support roles, however, that Lesley will perhaps be best
remembered. She was one of the organising team at the World Rowing
Championships at Strathclyde Park in 1996, she was an SARA umpire
and, gaining her qualification last year, a FISA umpire - the highest
level of competence an umpire can attain.
Lesley had been receiving treatment for some time, but still managed
to honour her final commitment to rowing as recently as last weekend,
serving as an umpire at the Home International Regatta at Nottingham.
Her condition, however, declined sharply thereafter and she passed
away yesterday, Tuesday 27th July.
SARA understands that the funeral will be held next Wednesday;
detailed arrangements will be published once known.
26 July
Apologies for
the loss of the report on HIR: this was inadvertently deleted while
I was posting the sad news of Lesley Stewart's death above
21 July
Scotland team
announced: following the National Rowing Championships of
Great Britain last weekend, the Scotland
senior team for this weekend's Home International Regatta at Nottingham
has been announced.
18 July - Reporting from Nat Champs
1700; Medals still coming: a cracking gold for Alistair
Warnock in M1x (which, with Lindsay's earlier win in W 1x makes it
a singles clean-up for GRC - and indeed for the 'happy couple'). Also
a bronze for St Andrew in WL4-. Which makes the final Scottish
medal tally for this year:
Gold
- 3, Silver - 5, Bronze - 4
Amanda Hinds has just added a bronze for Clydesdale
in LW1x.
Rather busy running around here, but will try
to cover the highlights (certainly the medals). Silver for Nithsdale
in WJ16 1x, bronze for Castle Semple in WJ14 1x, silver for Daniel
Prescott of Glasgow RC in MJ15 1x, bronze for Watson's in M J14
2x, silver for Aberdeen Schools in WJ16 4+ and also for George Heriots
in WJ18 4+. Gold for Lindsay Dick (Glasgow) in W1x and Gold for
Gavin Shaw and Ben Tipney (Aberdeen Uni/Leander) in LM2x, with silver
in the same event for the Logan brothers of Glasgow Uni.
Hope you like the photos - the captions will be obvious from reading
the text above.
Finals day dawns clear and calm: perfect conditions
at 0900 for the start of racing. In the first race with Scottish
interest, rep of W 4+, the Aberdeen/Aberdeen Uni/Castle Semple composite
took the 2nd of 3 qualifying places for the final. Edinburgh University
were 4th and unfortunately go out at this stage.
Full results of the previous days' racing (and today's finals once
available) are on the NWSC
web site. During today's finals, The
Rowing Service will be providing live commentary on line from
the course.
17 July - Nat Champs day 2
Some
images from this afternoon's racing: apologies for the lack
of captions - but you know who you are!
1900, approaching the end of racing for the day:
it got distinctly blustery for a while in the middle of the day,
but has now dropped to almost flat calm.
In M 2- St Andrew were on the pace in their heat but still have
to go to the rep. In M Lwt 4-, the Clyde/Strathclyde Park crew seemed
to realise early that they weren't going to get the one direct qualifying
place, so saved energy for the rep. The Clydesdale W L2x came 4th
in their heat and go to the rep.
In a race with selection implications, the Aberdeen/Aberdeen Uni/Castle
Semple and Edinburgh Uni crews found themselves in the same heat
of W 4+. They finished ABC/AUBC/CSRC 2nd and EUBC 3rd, both to join
battle again in the rep (where they will find St Andrew from the
other heat waiting for them). Murray Wade rowed through the Worcester
sculler to take 1st in his heat of U23 1x.
Glasgow Uni Ladies, winners of the Henley lightweight fours, had
a desperately disappointing row in their heat: they have another
shot in the rep and hopefully will have 'got it out of their system'
by then.
Into the reps now. Alistair Warnock recorded a straightforward
win in his rep of M1x, but Chris Phillips was eliminated in another
Meanwhile Lindsay Dick of Glasgow RC led her rep of W 1x home by
a clear 12 secs.
Glasgow Uni's men's four, seeking selection, were unfortunately
eliminated in the repechage of men's coxed fours. Castle Semple
are through safe (2nd) in M 4x. St Andrew made it through their
rep of M 2- in 3rd, as did Clyde/Strathclyde Park in the rep of
M Lwt 4-.
The Castle Semple M2x and Clydesdale W Lwt 2x both went out in
their reps, as did the Nithsdale W J2x in theirs. Jacob and Dorman
of Clydesdale, however, romped home 1st in their rep of W2-
Happily, Glasgow Uni W Lwt 4- found their form again in the rep:
in what the commentator described as probably the best race of the
day, they went through in 2nd place, 2 secs behind Thames and 1
sec ahead of Mortlake Anglian & Alpha.
Watson's junior 2x did the business, 1st in their rep, as did Glasgow
University, 1st in the rep of W 2x. Aberdeen Schools made amends
for their poor showing in the heat of JM 4+, winning through in
a real battle for the 2nd qualifying place in their rep.
Mid-day roundup: A brighter day than yesterday,
but the stiff headwind still prevails. Alistair Sarahs got the Scots'
day off to a good start, winning his semi in J14 1x by 10 secs.
In J15 1x, Daniel Prescott of Glasgow RC won his semi by 18 secs,
though Porter of Watson;s was less fortunate (5th, and out of the
event.). Alistair Warnock of Glasgow RC cruised in 2nd in his 1st
round of M 1x (to rep).
Wilkojc and Dixon of Watson's took confident 2nd in the faster
of the two semis of M J14 2x (to final) while Porter and Fullarton
(also GWC) made heavier weather of it, slowest qualifiers from the
semis for the J15 2x final.
Chris Phillips
(Clydesdale, above) in a heat of lightweight men's single
sculls and Jonny and Chris Logan (below, Glasgow Uni) in their
heat of lightweight double sculls.
Amanda Hinds looks good in W L1x (won her heat and goes to final).
Caitie Gorton was eliminated in her heat of the same event. Chris
Phillips (Clydesdale) came 2nd (to rep) in M L 1x. Looking at the
times, however, his was the slowest heat by far, so he will have a
different standard to race in the rep.
In W 1x, Lindsay Dick of Glasgow and Duncan of Clydesdale both
go to the rep (Jacob and Dorman of Clydesdale eliminated 4th &
5th, though in respectable times.
The selected GB Lightweight U23 double of Gavin Shaw (Aberdeen
Uni) and Ben Tipney (Leander) were pressed hard by Upper Thames,
but won their heat of M L 2x and go to the final. The Logan brothers
of Glasgow University do likewise, having won their heat convincingly,
with Watson's/Strathclyde Park going to the rep from that same heat.
In M 4+, Glasgow University (seeking Scotland selection) face most
of the latter-rounds competitors from the college 4+ and Britannia
competitions at Henley. In the weaker of the 2 heats, they came
third and row again in the rep.
Castle Semple go to the rep in M 4x, and event in which Notts County
had a 'man overboard' crab incident 50 metres short of the line
when contesting the lead. The 2 man was so entangled in his blades
that he was forced to 'remount' in some disorder, then being paddled
home by disgruntled crew mates. They race again in the rep however.
16 July - Reporting from Nat Champs
Nat Champs update: wall to wall junior heats today.
A head breeze has developed, but nothing too horrendous. Steady
rain for a couple of hours this morning, but dried up at lunchtime.
In Wj14 1x, Halliday of Nithsdale went to the rep, but 40 secs
behind the next slowest sculler. In M J15 1x, Alistair Sarahs of
Nithsdale goes direct to the semi, with Wilkojc and Dixon of Watson's
having to row again in the rep. Only Porter of Watson's qualified
direct for the semi in M J15 1x, although Prescott of Glasgow RC
recorded a time 30 seconds faster than Porter to come second in
the fastest heat: looks a good bet to get through the rep. Scottish
scullers toiled in M J16 1x: Dobie (Nithsdale) and McDevitt (Clydesdale
were eliminated in round 1, with Carden (Clydesdale) going to the
rep in 5th, some 22 secs behind the 4th placed sculler.
The experimental W J14 2x of Holmes and Steel (Castles Semple/ASRA)
stayed in touch over 1500m before fading, but has another chance
in the repechage.
In a race I did not see, McKellar and Purslow of Watson's came
home a minute after the rest of the field in W J16 2x: perhaps some
problem. Wilkojc and Dixon of Watson's recorded a good time finishing
2nd in M J14 2x, going on to the semi - with club-mates Porter and
Fullarton emulating this 2nd place in M J15 2x.
Carden and McDevitt of Clydesdale made the 'cut' to go to the rep
in M J16, while Watson's an ASRA had a rare old ding-dong in W J16
4+; Watson's came 2nd and go to the final, ASRA (3rd) to the rep.
Susanne
Standish-Hunter and Mandy Towrie (both Inverness RC), winners
of Vet C double sculls at Henley Veterans Regatta last weekend.
(Photo T Baker)
Heriots and ASRA won their respective heats of W J18 4+ convincingly,
while Watson's took the 2nd qualifying place for the final in WJ
4x.
That's all for now!
Double delight for Inverness ladies 'of a certain age':
Mandy Towrie and Susanne Standish-Hunter of Inverness RC successfully
defended their title won last year at Henley Veterans Regatta, reasserting
themselves as winners of Vet C double sculls. Other Scottish performances
of note were two beaten finalists: Ailie Ord and Alison Hulme (Clydesdale/St
Andrew) in Vet B 2x and Sally McAdie and Liz Davidson (Strathclyde
Park) in Vet A 2x.
Follow Nat Champs from your laptop: The SARA web
site is ensconced in the press office of the Nat Champs at Nottingham
throughout the next three days racing. Expect regular updates (and
the occasional photograph) on progress of the Scottish crews. Racing
has just started (0830 Friday): weather is very still, overcast.
Also, on Sunday, The Rowing Service plans to carry live on-line
race-by-race commentary during the finals.
14 July
Scotland team
members - you'll need time off work: team manager Gary Bain
points out that the Scotland team for the Home International Regatta
will travel to Nottingham on Thursday 22nd July, so team members will
need to book time off from work covering both Thursday 22nd and Friday
23rd July.
13 July
Good news
for Gavin: Gavin Shaw has been selected to represent GB
in his single scull at the FISU World University Rowing Championships
at Brive on 3rd-5th September
Home Countries on the web: would that all regatta
draws were so simple! With some (most?) home countries still waiting
to finalise their selections until this weekend's National Rowing
Championships, the draw (which presumes entries from all nations
in all events) is now on the Home
Countries Regatta web site.
8 July
Nat
Champs draw now up: the provisional
draw for the National Rowing Championships of Great Britain
(Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, 16-18 July) is now up. 837 crews
entered for three very full days' racing. Plenty for the Scots to
look forward to, with a healthy junior contingent present and 'first
over the line at Nat Champs' being the main plank of senior team
selection policy for HIR this year. Enjoy!
McDowell
hits 'bulls-eye' at GB final trials: Stephanie McDowell
has excelled herself at GB Junior final trials - winning a seat
in the GB junior women's coxless four to race in the Junior World
Rowing Championships at Banyoles (Spain, 27/7 - 1/8/04).
Stephanie, of George Heriots School, is a
member of the National Rowing Academy Junior Elite Squad supported
by national coach John McArthur and funding from sportscotland Team
Sport. This will be Stephanie's second selection for Great Britain
- she raced with George Heriots crew mates as the GB women's four
in the Franco-British Under 16 international in 2003.
The picture is of Stephanie in her 'finery'
rather than a one piece - taken when she was collecting an award
as a member of Scotland's 'Crew of the Year' at the Scottish Rowing
Awards dinner in April.
5 July
No Scottish
club winners, but two good 'runs' at Henley:
Scotland's two entries at this year's Henley Royal Regatta both
acquitted themselves well.
In the Temple (academic eights) Glasgow University were knocked
out in Friday's quarter-final by DSR Proteus-Eretes of Holland by
2 1/4 lengths: the Dutch crew were destined ultimately to be the
beaten finalists.
Alistair Warnock (Glasgow Rowing Club) went one better. In Saturday's
semi-final of the Diamonds (single sculls), he was knocked out by
Marcel Hacker of Germany - eventual winner of Sunday's final.
1 July
Warnock
off to safe start in Diamonds:
In the first day of competition in the Diamond Sculls at Henley,
Alistair Warnock of Glasgow RC beat A. Hajek of Germany 'easily'
in what was still one of the fastest times of the day. Glasgow University's
eight continued their run in the Temple, beating University of Bristol
- though they had to work for it: Bristol led at both the Barrier
and Fawley, but Glasgow rowed through to win by 2 1/4 lengths.
Henley has a very fast results service on
line, so if you want to follow the crews' fortunes on Friday, the
results come up here
The
Tartan Olympians: link to a piece about Katherine Grainger's
bid for the Olympic women's pairs title in Athens (Glasgow Evening
Ties, 29 June)
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
Some
images from this afternoon's racing: apologies for the lack
of captions - but you know who you are!
McDowell
hits 'bulls-eye' at GB final trials: Stephanie McDowell
has excelled herself at GB Junior final trials - winning a seat
in the GB junior women's coxless four to race in the Junior World
Rowing Championships at Banyoles (Spain, 27/7 - 1/8/04).