News

Posted May 4 2021

Members and friends of Clyde Amateur Rowing Club are saddened to learn that former member Annelise Grimason (nee Rennie) has sadly passed away. 

Annelise, who was 50, had been diagnosed with cancer 5 years ago and suffered a decline in the last year.  She was a pupil at Hutcheson’s Academy in Glasgow, and, with her pairs partner Catriona Maccallum, represented GB at the Junior World Championships in Cologne in 1987, making them the first female Scottish Rowing crew to achieve full GB selection.   They won the B final to come 7th. East Germany won the A final.

As well as being the first Scottish female crew to represent GB, they were only the second home-based Scottish crew to reach this level.  A Dumfries Academy coxed four had gained selected to represent Great Britain at the World Juniors in 1969, in Italy.

That year Annelise and Catriona also won bronze in Open Women’s Pairs at the GB National Championships, silver in the WJ18 eight (composite) and Gold in the WJ 2- .  This was the culmination of more than 3 years’ hard work and perseverance, supported by coach Ralph Gillies and also by Annelise’s father, who ferried them to several GB trials and GB training camps.  On the way to GB representation, the pair won medals at the Scottish Championships in various WJ16 and WJ18 events and competed for Scotland at the Home Countries Match

Clyde ARC bought a suitably-sized pair for Annelise and Catriona – the “Helen George”, and they inspired the next clutch of juniors at Clyde, including Kirsty Boyd, Fiona Richardson, Katherine Lee and Claire Macintosh, who all competed at top National and international level, including the inaugural Commonwealth Rowing Championships in London, Ontario, Canada, in 1994.

Clyde ARC, Scottish Rowing and GB rowing are poorer for Annelise’s passing. She will be sadly missed by her friends, family and her husband David.

Mike Haggerty