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September 2002
August 2002
July 2002
June 2002

31 October

30 October

Lightweight racing in Inverness Fours Head: by special request, Inverness RC have added an event for Women's R2 Lightweight 4+ in the second division of the Inverness Fours Head on 9th November (full event details here). The definition of lightweight is contained in rule E10 of the SARA Rules of Racing.

29 October

Steward of the Regatta Mr Angus Robertson of Durness, Sutherland brought the trophy (centre of photo) on its first ever trip to Scotland - and surprised the crew by announcing during his speech that they had all been elected members of Leander Club. He duly presented their distinctive 'pink socks' - and there ensued an undignified race to don socks with kilts. Despite help from Angus Robertson (kneeling, left), Angus Argyle was beaten in the sock race by sassenach crew-mate Tom Morgan.

100+ members of the club joined in the party and ceilidh which 'polished off' 74 bottles of champagne and enough strawberries to supply a jam factory for a week. Yummy!
(Photo courtesy Dave Hunter)

28 October

Fullers Fours Head (of the Thames): the start order and a press release including 'who's who' on some of the crews to watch are on the Fours Head web site.

WLTM? newly up on the Sales & Wants page today, an 85 kg 2-/2x for sale and an 85 kg 2- wanted. Could this be a perfect match?

26 October

Clydesdale Scullers Head cancelled: sadly, due to 'too much water' in the Clyde, today's head is cancelled for safety reasons. Next chances to race in Scotland are the Inverness Fours Head on 9/11 (remember, for scullers suffering withdrawal symptoms after cancellation of Clydesdale, you can do your 4 in one division and a small boat in the other at Inverness) and the Aberdeen Fours and Small Boats Heads on 16 and 17/11.

21 October

Start Order for Clydesdale Scullers Head: 64 singles have entered this Saturday's race. Do check back for confirmation that the event can go ahead - I hear the river is too high just now, but dropping.

18 October

McArthur invites coaches: Scotland's National Coach, John McArthur is issuing an open invitation to SARA club coaches who would like to accompany him on coaching outings with the National Rowing Academy athletes. There's no doubt that watching professionals at work is a good way to improve your own skill. Outings take place at Strathclyde Park on Wednesday afternoons and all day each Saturday and Sunday. Contact John direct if you would like to take up his invitation.

Boat transport from London: Aberdeen University have a trailer with spaces coming back from London this weekend if any club would like to share costs to get other boats brought north. Note they are collecting a new trailer, so no trailer on the way south. Contact Gary Bain (Aberdeen University BC) Tel 01224 638277

21 October

British International Rowing Senior Assessment results from Saturday at Boston are on the ARA site here. Members of Team GB at the World Rowing Championships were not required to attend. Also worth noting that this was a trial in single sculls - so don't be surprised if you see sculling specialists finishing higher than people you think of principally as sweepers.

Notable Scottish men's open performances included Alastair Warnock (Glasgow RC) 3rd overall and Kevin Watson (Stirling RC and National Rowing Academy Athlete) 10th overall, with Pete thompson (Glasgow RC) 60th and Murray Wade (Clydesdale) 64th,

In lightweight, Martin Harris (London RC) finished 14th. The U23 lightweight National Rowing Academy men finished (in their U23 class) Gavin Shaw (Aberdeen Uni) 3rd (12th overall in lightweight), Jonny Logan (Glasgow Uni) 5th, Douglas Murray (St Andrew) 12th and Henry Westwood (Glasgow RC) 17th. Tom Hanna (Aberdeen Uni) came 19th, Dougie Taylor (Loch Lomond) 24th, Neil Macrae (Aberdeen Uni) 47th and Chris Phillips (Clydesdale) 53rd

In the women's trial Lindsay Dick (Glasgow RC) finished 38th: in lightweight, Kat Ramsay (Marlow RC) finished 11th, Lorna Ferguson (Marlow) 18th, Sarah Fettes (Clydesdale and National Rowing Academy) 8th in U23 Lwt, Jo Ganley (Thames) 38th and Pam Dixon (Thames) 46th.

If anybody spots any Scottish club members (I sometimes have to guess whether GRC is Glasgow or Grosvenor!) or 2002 Scottish team members I have missed, I'd be grateful for an e-mailed update.

And in the other Boston: In the Head of the Charles (USA, results) St Andrew BC entered an eight which finished 38th - despite a 60 second time penalty (without which they would have finished 21st!).

18 October

At Inverness RC's AGM last night, Allan Garraway (left) was presented with a Quaich to mark his outstanding contributions to the Club and to rowing in the North over 12 years. The Southwell Stevenson Sculling Trophy was presented to Alan Sinclair (right). (Photo R Sinclair.)

Good luck to those setting off for tomorrow's first GB senior team time trial assessment at Boston (Lincolnshire). The results usually come up here after the trial.

Meanwhile in Scotland - as the happy campers set off for the Faskally Coaching Weekend, don't forget that entries close at noon this Monday 21st October for the Clydesdale Scullers Head (26/10) and that we also have info on the forthcoming Inverness Fours Head (9/11) and Aberdeen Fours and Small Boats Heads (16 and 17/11)

Surplus office furniture: the National Rowing Academy has some surplus office furniture it would be happy to give (free) to any club with a use for it.

16 October

Free advertising: did you know that it is free for Scottish clubs and their members (excluding businesses) to advertise rowing-related Sales & Wants on the SARA web site? Recent sales successes have included a couple of single sculling boats, an ergo and a stroke coach sold (and the 'free to a good home' eight is still there!). To put your sales or wants on the page, just e-mail me the details.

15 October

Aberdeen Fours and Small Boats Heads: full details of the Aberdeen Fours Head on Saturday 16th November and Aberdeen Small Boats Head on Sunday 17th November are now on the Committee of the Dee web site.

14 October

Clydesdale Closed Club Sculling Championship: no connection with their open Scullers Head on the 26th, Clydesdale had their closed event for their own club members at the weekend. Winners were Andrew McConnell (senior men), Daniel Morris (junior men), Caitie Gorton (senior women) and Christine Kerr (junior women). Full results are on the Clydesdale site here.

Aberdeen BC Ball and Awards: not surprisingly, there was a special award for the crew of the year, ABC's Wyfold Challenge winners at Henley. There was also a somewhat overdue award of club colours (the 'purple blazer') to club president Bob Newton recognising his many years' outstanding service to the club. The full list of award winners is on the Aberdeen BC web site here

13 October

Clydesdale Scullers Head: the first small boat head of the winter in Scotland is on the Clyde on 26th October. Full details, entry forms, etc are on the Clydesdale ARC web site.

11 October

New items on Sales and Wants: a 90 kg single wanted and - wait for this - an eight 'free to a good home'!

10 October

Heads up! Yes, it's the head season, starting with the Inverness Fours Head on 9th November (though as always they will accept other boat classes also, e.g. if you want to do your pair or scull in the other division). Full event details and entry forms are here.

Message for GB triallists from Scotland: could all members of SARA clubs who are planning to compete in the first GB senior trial at Boston please e-mail national coach, John McArthur, to let him know their intentions. There may also be a possibility of sharing trailer space.

National Rowing Academy training plan: John McArthur would be happy to e-mail a copy of the training schedule he has written for the Academy Athletes to any SARA club coach or competitor whoe-mails a request to him.

8 October

Resignation of Hamish Burrell as Irish Chief Coach: many in Scotland will be interested to read this announcement on the Irish Amateur Rowing Union's official web site about the decision by former Scotland and St Andrew Boat Club coach Hamish Burrell to resign from the post he took up in April.

7 October

GB Senior Squad Assessments: the SARA web site always tries to follow the fortunes of Scots (including Anglo Scots, who are sometimes harder to spot under English club names) in GB trials. If you're setting out on the trialling trail this year, starting with the first senior assessment at Boston on 19 October, and have a moment to drop me a line, I'll know whose names to look out for.

Heading for the Fours Head? St Andrew BC have a couple of crews planning a 'foray' to the Fours Head on the Thames (November) Their captain, Jo Wherret, would be interested to discuss possible shared trailer-towing arrangements with any other club planning to compete.

New President at Aberdeen University: Harri Norton is the new president at AUBC, with Gemma Ware continuing as Secretary. The Contacts page has been updated.

4 October

International/Academy Athlete Update: the IRC met recently to review 2001/2002 trial/selection process, the applications for Academy Athlete selection, and the forward plan for team selection and assessment policies for 2002/2003. National Coach John McArthur is developing the new team selection and assessment policies (to be announced by mid December) and would welcome constructive input from any of those with experience of the 2001-2002 system which might assist.

The selected Academy Athletes for the coming year (subject to continuous performance review) are (in alphabetical order) Laura Fettes, Sarah Fettes, Jonny Logan, Douglas Murray, Gavin Shaw, Kevin Watson and Henry Westwood. The group trains together full time under John Mcarthur at Strathclyde Park every weekend, with the Glasgow-based athletes training together each Wednesday afternoon in addition.

New St Andrew Committee: St Andrew Boat Club have elected Jo Wherret as captain this year - but no need to update your club secretary contact; Iain Wilson soldiers on. Club contacts page has been updated.

3 October

Plea for a single: an unusual 'wanted' ad from a Scottish based GB triallist.

2 October

Kit for Sale: worth a look at the Sales and Wants page today. New up are a men's 2-/2x, a lightweight women's 2-/2x and an NK Stroke Coach.

Stirling RC have a new secretary, Hugh McGoldrick and Strathclyde University have a whole new list of contacts, both entries updated on the contacts page

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