Rowing Events this Summer and Autumn (2013)

Here are some dates for your diary to watch out for this summer and our provisional School calendar events for next term.

Scott and Mason Durant continue to chase medals this summer. Both have been selected for GB for the next World Cup: 12th - 14th Rowing World Cup,Lucerne, Switzerland. We hope that they then get selection for the World Championships from 25th - 1st September Rowing World Championships, Chungju, South Korea.

Several LRGSBC boys are representing Lancaster in the International Youth Games. This year it is being hosted by Lancaster. Ciro Prisco, our Italian rowing coach, is organising the Lancaster Rowing Team which will be based at John O'Gaunt RC on Halton Road.

We are trying to sort out some rowing for boys over the Summer holiday at the moment. Mr.Yates will be in charge of any outings but first we have to review our Risk Assessments and make sure that we are safe to row.

LRGSBC have the following Head Races in the calendar:

• Chester Long Distance Sculls (Sunday 29th September)?
• Runcorn Autumn Head (Saturday 5th October)?
• Agecroft Autumn Head (Saturday 19th October) - ? JPJ away
• York Small Boats Head (Sunday 17th November) - post Half Term

? means unsure that we are going to these at the moment. These events and dates may change.

BBQ Row Results

BBQ Regatta Results

Thank you to Mr.Yates and Mr.Thompson for coordinating the racing. I will try and find some pictures to go with the results shortly.

Single Sculls (Jago Challenge Cup)

1. Oliver Tidswell             2.01
2. Matty Ashall                 2.08
3. Adam Fyfe                   2.19
4. Josh Mapp                   2.22
5. Joe Unwin                    2.27
6. Declan Hammond         2.30
7. Thomas Kane               2.36
8. Jonny Wong                 2.38
9. Jacob Watts                 2.40
10. Lewis Clare                  2.58
11. Dan Kingcox                3.03^*
12. Zach Barrow                3.40
13. Robbie McVickers       3.53
14. Harry McAdam            3.55^**

* Got stuck in tree

** Had to re-boat after capsize!

Double Sculls (Tankards)

1. Thomas Kane – Roman Bell                              2.07
2. Jonny Wong – Lewis Clare                               2.08
3. Oliver Tidswell – Dave Bennett                         2.09
4. Matty Ashall – Harry McAdam                         2.10
5. Joe Unwin – Zach Barrow                                2.13

5. Dan Kingcox – Jacob Watts                             2.13
6. Josh Mapp – Robbie McVickers                      2.15
7. Matthew Pettit – Vipin Kammath                      2.19
8. Declan Hammond – Robin Watkins-New         2.22
9. Adam Fyfe – Cameron Stuart-Burgess             2.26

OL Challenge Cup

Old Lancastrian's Challenge Cup. Note the School v OLs competition is an annual established match for the Stephen Helme Memorial Trophy which we hope to find and re-establish next year. Many thanks to the OLs for taking part. We had three OL crews afloat. A mention for Chris Liddiard and Ben Middleton (OL) 2x who enjoyed getting back in a boat. It would be great to get some more OL rowers back in boats next year. 1st Round OL crew1 (M.Thornton) beat OL crew 2 (T.Gray,W.Gray.L.Hodgson,V.Kammath. Final Won by OL Challenge Cup 4+ (M.Thornton (str), N.Radcliffe,R.Singh,B.Renshaw,A.Sweeney (cox) in time of 1.48 by 3 lengths over J152x and J154x+ (J152x beat J154x+ by 2 feet).

OLs win at Henley and Lancaster

Scott and Mason Durant (OLs) won successive Henley Royal Regatta finals at 3.10 - 20 pm and at the same time 274 miles away in Lancaster, Mike Thornton (FRCS), Nick Radcliffe, Ben Renshaw, Rob Singh, and Andy Sweeney (cox) represented the Old Lancastrians and won their match against the School on the river Lune.

This must have been the hottest day this summer, certainly in the British sporting calendar. OLs contributed to this famous sporting weekend in the country's history. The British Lions had just beaten Australia (first series win for 19 years), Andy Murray won the Mens' Single title at Wimbledon (first British player for 77 years?), and OL rowers won two titles at Henley RR and the Old Lancastrians Challenge Cup in the same weekend.

Scott won the Stewards' Challenge Cup beating the Olympic Lwt Champions, from Tuks RC, S.Africa by 1.25 lengths in a time of 6:27 and in the next race on the programme, Mason won the Ladies Plate in a new course record beating Northeastern University 'A', USA. The stats for this race are amazing!

Barrier 1.48 * loser in lead

Fawley 3.02 ‡ equals course record

Finish 6.19 † new course record

At the same time up in Lancaster, we thought of our friends down at Henley and launched our new double scull named "Scott & Mason Durant" in honour of them.

** Please can someone send me some photos of the the prize giving and boat launches **

Results of the BBQ Row on the centerary of the OLs Club will be forthcoming and I will publish them here as soon as I get them from DY. Please send me photos if you have any.

It has been an emotional day, I don't mind admitting it. Thank you very much to the boys, their parents, the Headmaster, OLs and their families for attending. The staff need rewarding and thanking for their duty which was 'above and beyond' (DY and RGT) and also Ducan Bell and his family for putting on such a fantastic BBQ. We have all come away with some great ideas for the future of LRGSBC.

I have been in touch with Diane Durant down in Henley. She has confirmed that Scott and Mason will come up to the School as part of their commitment to British Rowing at some point at the end of the season to meet the boys. Meanwhile, we all anjoy, reflect and celebrate a fantastic day on or beside the river.

The comarderie involved in this sport of rowing runs deep and is the essence that binds rowers together at every level. They are a special breed. The effort required to reach the top goes beyond just the athletic endeavour gone through in 7 long minutes of nerve biting effort where muscle and sinew are tested to the limit. It is the years of dedication en route and the sacrificies and understanding made by all involved that binds the rowing fraternity together. Rowing is a family sport in the biggest sense of the word. The efforts required and the rewards gained are great indeed.

Have a good summer!

JPJ

OL Rowers through to Henley Royal Regatta Finals

Scott and Mason Durant continue their preparations for the next round of the Rowing World Cup in Lucerne by reaching finals at Henley Royal Regatta this Sunday.

Scott had a thrilling race rowing as Oxford Brooks Univ. & UL against the seeded Waiariki Rowing Club 'B', New Zealand in The Stewards' Challenge Cup. The kiwis took the lead and the GB four were trailing at both the Barrier and Fawley but rowed through their oppostion to win by 3 feet.

Barrier 1.54*
Fawley 3.12*
Finish 6.36

Scott is pictured at 3 (numbered from bow) in the photo below. Note the change in order of this crew. 'Noddy' at two today. Photos courtesy of Henley Royal Regatta website.

His crew now faces Tuks RC, South Africa in the finals tomorrow. Three of this crew are the current Olympic Lwt Champions from London 2012. They got through their semi-final by beating the other seeded NZ crew, Waiariki Rowing Club 'A'. Both semi-finals produced similar times so the final will be a thriller.

Mason took on and beat the ARMY RC in the quarter finals yesterday and the University of Washington, USA (time 6:19) in the semi-finals today of the Ladies Plate competition.

Barrier 1.48*

Fawley 3.02*
Finish 6.19

This race also saw the GB crew losing at both the Barrier and Fawley and to then row through the Americans and win by 1.25 lengths. Mason's crew are the current GB 2nd eight that came fourth at Dorney and have been selected to represent GB again at Lucerne.

Mason is rowing at 7 for 'Leander and Molesey Boat Club' crew pictured above (his are the Oxford Brooks University blade and colours). They meet Northeastern Univeristy 'A', USA in the final tomorrow.

Results from Henley Royal Regatta can be followed from their website results stream.

Founders' Day 'BBQ Row'

This post is about the forthcoming Founders' Day BBQ Row and Boat Launching Ceremony. A letter will go out to boys this week.

Boys, OLs, friends of LRGSBC and their families are all invited to the Founders' Day (weekend) celebrations. The Boat Club are reviving the much loved 'BBQ Row' which is taking place on Sunday 7th July at Halton Training Camp. Founders' Day celebrations are taking place over the whole weekend and more information about organised events can be obtained from the School Development Office.

• Free LRGSBC T-shirt for boys competing
• BBQ run by a parent.

Venue

Halton Training Camp, Halton Road, Lancaster, LA2 6LW

 **** New instructions ****
Enter through Gate Number 2. This is a padlocked farm gate about 50 yards towards Halton from the Main Gate and Guard House. We will try and have somone stationed at the gate to let you in. Failing this, I will leave my mobile number on it. Give me a call and I will come up or send someone to let you in. Park in either of the two large car parks on the left as you drive down the hill. Please avoid driving down to the main training area beside the river as there will be other users undertaking training at the same time.

Timings - these timings are approximate.

09:30 Boys wanting to row arrive and prepare sculling boats and prepare for the first event.
All races will take place from the Motorway Bridge to the tower at the Army Camp (downstream, approx. 550m).

10:00 "The Jago Challenge Cup" - format: single sculling time trial. We have six sculling boats. Competitors will be allocated a boat which will have to be shared. Boats need to be put away at the end of the event.

11:00 "Double Sculls Tankards" - format: names and boats will be drawn out of a hat. One good sculler to compete with a novice sculler. We have four double sculls including the new boat (please be careful!).

12:00 Boat Launching Ceremony for the following boats: "Scott & Mason Durant" 2x/-, "Tim Lucas" 4x+, "Jack Storey" 4x/-. To include new oars.

12:30 "The Old Lancastrians Challenge Cup" - A new trophy has been bought. It is hoped that the OLs can put out more than one coxed four/quad. OLs should contact the Master i/c (pjago@lrgs.org.uk) to sign up. There will be two LRGS coxed quads in the draw.

13:00 Prize Giving: including the awarding of  the "Lucas Cup" to the most improved rower over the year.

The J18 Sculling Blade (Speech Day prize) goes to Jack Hatchman who is also appointed Captain of Boats for next year.

13:30 OLs are welcome to go for a row.

New Sculling Blades Arrive

Six new pairs of ultralight Concept 2 sculling blades have arrived. They have had their LRGSBC blue stripe sprayed on and have been marked up with coloured tape to identify them. The handles have the latest luminous green grips which have a soft finish which are very comfortable to hold. They have telescopic extensions to the loom of the blade so the overall length of the oar can be adjusted for smaller or larger crews. It is envisaged that these new blades will be used by our best J16 and J18 scullers next September. Our current best set will be used by next year's J15 competitive crews.

We were also able to buy a replacement sculling blade for our current best set which broke soon after they were purchased when the stroke man of a coxless quad caught a huge crab and the scull went under the boat (blue handle on the right in the photo above). The looms are made of carbon fibre and are designed to be stressed and bend in certain directions only! The spoon (end of the sculling blade) is made of composite materials is called a 'big-blade' or 'hatchet' due to it's shape. This is the most common shape of blade used today and is designed to stay fixed in the water throughout the stroke without slipping, making it easier for the sculler to control it and put the power on.

All rowing equipment is expensive and our budget does not extend to purchase much in the way of new rowing equipment such as these blades. It has only been possible to buy these sculling blades from the following sources: the insurance payment for "George" (the old wooden quad scull that was damaged beyond repair), as well as the generous, Gift Aided, donations of several OLs and a parent. Raising funds for new rowing equipment is an on-going and never ending effort. The equipment gets a lot of use and wears out. We try and protect the equipment as best we can but it is for the use by the boys. The popularity of rowing in the UK, post the London Olympics, and at LRGS is increasing. We have certainly seen an increase in the numbers of boys wanting to take up the sport recently. Success breeds success and we are on the upward curve of developing rowing at LRGS again. If OLs or parents would like to make contributions for new equipment, we would all be very grateful. Donations can be Gift Aided to maximise it.