Santa Row - what a great event
- It's not every year we get bright sun shine, a flat calm
river ....and snow for our annual fun row.
The keen rowers were on the water bright and
early.....around 8am.... and had a fantastic outing in the
four. But by 10am the crowds started to gather at the
boathouse....minced pies, mulled wine and the alluring smell
of frying bacon brought them flocking in!
Stu proved he's not just a qualified coach but also a dab
hand on the gas burner....the butties came thick and fast.
Sally did a great job organising the coffee & tea....and the
secret Santa.
The highlight was of course the rowing. Superbly balanced
high speed rowing was the order of the day....and we weren't
disappointed. Add to this some energetic renditions of 'We
Wish You a Merry Christmas' and 'The 12 Day of Christmas'
and the obligatory Santa hats and you can start to imagine
the fun!
The eight in full flow... and voice
The Santa Rowers wishing everyone a great Christmas
Congratulations
Stuart - Our new captain of rowing has just
completed his UKCC level 2 coaching award....and passed with
flying colours!
An arduous couple of intensive weekends plus a practical
coaching session on our home water - this is an award
that is definitely something to be proud of!
We were all confident though .... Stu has proved to be an
excellent coach at the recent L2R course.
Santa Row - come and join the
festivities at the boathouse - Sunday 20th, 10am -1pm. Why
not bring the family too.... so they can see first hand what
you get up to every weekend!
Minced pies, mulled wine, bacon butties.....some carol sing
and a quick row - what better way to spend a morning?
Don't forget your Secret Santa present.
Committee finalised - Roger has
agreed to undertake the role of Captain of Boats....which
means there was one position free. The lucky person is
Lorraine Slade will join the committee in January.
Lots of exciting plans for the New Year - keep an eye on the
website for fully details.
Pilates - after four weeks of
strenuous stretching the GGBC members are certainly starting
to feel a difference! They don't call this 'hardcore' for
nothing..... firmly toned bodies, improved flexibility and
fantastic core stability! So good in fact that everyone on
the course is keen to get back to the weekly regime straight
after Christmas - what better recommendation! If there is
enough interest we might organise a second session, Weds 7-8
or 8-9pm....so if you're interested please
drop us a line ASAP.
Erging Thursdays - still going
strong after 6 weeks....every Thursday 6:30-7:30 at
the boathouse. It's much more fun than erging alone and far
cheaper than a gym! Interested...
drop us a line.
Row2Win - we ran this course
for the first time earlier this year..... it was a great
success! It's a step up from Learn2Row with more
coaching, more rowing, and faster speeds! We combine
work on technique and fitness to make this a great team
activity. As with the previous course we hope to have some
top coaches from local clubs to provide some extra tuition
and guidance. Our aim is to have a men's and women's eight
on the water each week.... places are limited so get your
name down now. For full details see the
Row2Win page.
2009 Row2Winners
Santa
Row Date announced - a definite date for the
diary.... this annual 'row in the snow' is planned for:
Santa
Row
Sunday 20th Dec
10am - 1pm
Mulled wine and minced pies are the order of
the day....
All crews MUST wear appropriate attire -
minimum a Christmas hat! Oh, and don't forget to brush up on
those Christmas carols..... we want to spread the seasons
greeting to all the fishermen and bank side walkers!
New Committee Elected - the AGM
had an excellent attendance... with lots of lively
discussion - and nothing too controversial!
The club has a record membership, healthy bank balance,
and lots of exciting plans for the future. The meeting
focused firmly on the future and how the club could continue
to develop and grow.
Should be great year ahead - lots of courses planned,
trips abroad, interclub competitions etc. That said we are
very aware that our core appeal is the inclusive nature of
the club and it's easy going nature.... we're determined to
maintain this ethos.
Keep logging on to the website for all the latest
news.... and of course if you have any ideas please drop one
of the committee a line.
Chairman
Richard Bowsher
Hon Secretary
Romilly Swann
Hon Treasurer
Heidi Clark
Membership Sec
Tim Greaves
Regatta Chairman
Brian Barnes
Social Secretary
Sally Albin
Captain of Rowing
Stuart Cowen
Captain of Boats
Vacant
Committee Member
Hedley West
Committee Member
Roger Moore
Committee Member
Sally Tipper
Committee Member
Ros Crowder
Committee Member
Geoff Arnold
AGM Documents online - if you
want to be fully up to date for the AGM then best read the
following documents....and prepare your questions in
advance.
GGBC
Annual General Meeting Tuesday 24th
Nov, 7:30pm Goring Social Club
Learn2Rowers graduate
- The final session saw our intrepid beginners
racing up and down the reach at break neck speed... But
first we treated them to the traditional 'Erg Challenge' - a
hotly contested relay race. Some very commendable splits
times... these guys are fit as well as technically
adapt!
Some impressive rowing - watch out of them at the next G&S
regatta. Next L2R course Spring 2010.
The L2Rers at firm pressure....
Happy L2Rers show off their L2R mugs (joined by the GGBC
volunteers - coach Stu, cox Tim and rower Geoff)
AGM - All current members should
have received their
formal invitation
to the AGM. There have been no formal proposals received
in the past week or so and therefore the draft agenda will
stand.
The
draft minutes of last years AGM are now available -
please find time to read through them and check they are a
true record.
If you'd like to play a bigger part in the club's success
and guide it to new exciting levels then why
not stand for election to the committee? Any questions
please
drop us a line.
GGBC
Annual General Meeting
Tuesday 24th
Nov, 7:30pm
Goring Social Club
Dinner Dance a Great Success -
a fantastic evening had by all....excellent food, superb
band and great company. Well done Vanessa for organising
such a memorable evening.
Perfect conditions - on
Saturday it was gale force winds and driving rain - the PCBC
and fours heads were both cancelled - yet Sunday morning
everything was calm, the sun shone and the rowing was
superb.
For those who ventured out it was well worth the early
start.
Wet & Windy.......the winter
weather has arrived and for the first time in many months
there are river warnings being posted by the environment
agency. If you want the check the river before leaving home
then take a look at the
EA website.
Remember to always check the outing board for any boating
restrictions.
Snuffy saves the day - driving
wind and horizontal rain greeted our intrepid Learn2Rowers
at their latest session. Stu had everything under
control....an impromptu lecture (the power was off!)
followed by some expert tuition on the ergs. He then
cleverly delegated the coxing/coaching for some swift
outings in Snuffy.... great fun for all....except the
drenched cox!!
ARA changes name to
BRITISH ROWING - after well over 100 years as the
Amateur Rowing Association it's been decided to up date and
revitalise the image of the sport's governing body. New
logo, and a range of
fetching sportsware ....... and a change of all the
links on their website!
GGBC are fully affiliated members of BR and are proud to be
a fully accredited Learn2Row and recreational club.
SportsEngland survey results -
Ever wondered how rowing holds up against the other major
sports? What are the strengths and weaknesses within our
sport?....well now you can find out in a comprehensive
survey carried out by Mori for SportsEngland.
Interesting reading...see the detailed
rowing report.
Work party this Sunday....lots of
old scaffold, wood and abandoned boats to shift plus a quick
tidy up of both boathouses. Bring gardening gloves,
secateurs, and lots of energy. You'll be rewarded with
piping hot tea and coffee plus some biscuits....if you're
good!
Dinner Dance last chance for tickets
- don't feel left out....you can still come along if you're
quick. The highlight of the social calendar....Sat 14th @
The Swan at Streatley.
Contact
Vanessa NOW!
It's not always easy to motivate yourself to do what's good
for you.....fortunately GGBC is on hand! Even during the
winter we have formidable line up of gentle and not so
gentle aerobic workouts:
What better way to get in to tip top condition....and
make lots of new friends?
Pilates....lets work on some Core
Stability - One of the keys to good rowing is a
super stable core. Pilates is a gentle way to tone and control
your muscles and improve your flexibility.
All you keen
single scullers having problems with balance....this is the
best way to solve them (other than using the pontoons!).
We need at least 8 people to make the classes viable -
provisionally Wednesday evenings 7-8pm at a local village
hall. The course will be run by a qualified instructor, and
all the necessary equipment will be provided. Interested? -
then please
drop us a line.
Winter training at GGBC offers you a wide variety of
activities - Pilates, Erging, Rowing Tank & Squad rowing....
fantastic value when compared to the cost of gym membership!
Learn2Rowers going strong - our
group of happy rowers took to the water in the fine
eight.....and really enjoyed the experience. Next step
Henley Royal?
The awesome eight in action...
Erging Thursdays a great success
- so good in fact that the planned 1 hour session extended
to a gruelling 90mins. Never in the history of GGBC has so
much erging been done in one go! If you fancy coming along
next week
drop us a line.....
Working Party date set - The
trees have gone....so now is a great time to have a general
tidy up before the boats are replaced on the racks. Tea,
coffee...and may be bacon butties, will be the reward.....
Sunday 8th Nov
Membership reaches 130 - not
quite at record levels (135 in 2000)....but very close.
It is however up by 25% on last year and there's an ongoing
steady rise year on year. Average membership stands at 115
over the past four years - some 45% higher than the previous
period. It's great to have so many people enjoying the
river...
AGM date set - Tuesday 24th
Nov, 7:30pm at Goring Social Club. All members should
receive a
formal invitation
in the next week or so (strikes
permitting). If you'd like to play a bigger part in the
club's success and guide it to new exciting levels then why
not stand for election to the committee? Any questions
please
drop us a line.
Thursday night is Eging night -
With the clocks going back we've run out of daylight on a
Thursday evening......for rowing that is! However we do have
half a dozen ergs in the boathouse. Why not come down for a
quick workout and technique update? We might even row to
music.....much more fun that erging alone. Thursdays
6-7pm......followed by essential rehydration at the
Ferryman! Don't worry this isn't a hardcore indoor rowing
session just a fun evening to help keep fit and trim.
Squad Rowing is
growing in popularity even though it means an early start
(8am) on Sunday morning. We're getting between 10-15 members
regularly attending this high intensity 90mins in eights and
fours. Lots of technical exercises, and fully pressure
pieces. It's definitely paying dividends, there's been a
marked improvement already! There's room for more...so if
you fancy taking your rowing to the next level (you need to
be keen rather than super fit or technically brilliant) then
please come along. You MUST put your availability on Squadlist.....send us an
email to have your name added to the squads and receive
your logon details.
Dinner
Dance tickets going fast!
Order before 1st Nov to
take advantage
of the early-bird discount
Annual Dinner Dance
Saturday
14th November The Swan at Streatley Contact
Vanessa NOW!
Dinner Dance 2008.....
Is it time brush up on your technique?
- the rowing tank has been one of the highlights of all our
recent courses - it's a great way to work on all the basics
without worrying about balance. It's much easier for the
coach too....
We're hoping to run a session in the tank for club
members - date TBC but probably Nov/Dec mid-week 7-9pm at the OUBC tank Oxford. If you're interested
please drop us a line....first 8 get a place. Cost ~£10
each for two hours.
Learn2Row -
the crews are shaping up well - despite a little
drizzle the latest batch of L2Rers are showing great
promise. There was a gruelling 2 hours midweek session in
the tank ...to get to grips with the basics. Thankfully most
had fully recovered for the Saturday session!
Shouldn't be long before they're racing down the reach in a
fine eight!
Learn2Rowers out in force.....doing widths.
Next week we might try a length!
Learn2Rowers make a great start
- talent abounds in the latest group of L2R
participants.....it's applying these latent skills that is
proving a little difficult. The most important thing is that
everyone is having fun....
All Change at the
Boathouse - notice something different?....all
the trees have gone! It all looks a little desolate at the
moment....but should soon green up.
Learn2Row
- Last chance to get your application in. Course starts Sat
17th Oct. Click here
for details
Why is Helen so happy? - at
last she has perfected perfect balance in a single
scull...... no hands and still dry! How come I hear you
ask....is someone holding the scull? Is Helen really in a
double and we've cleverly cropped the photo? Or is she just
got incredible balance....and likes to show off?
Well the
truth is a new acquisition for GGBC..... same fine
sculling boat but with the addition of a pair of racing
pontoons for stability.
Many members have asked for something a little more
stable for when they start sculling..... just to gain
confidence. Well the addition of the pontoons seem to be the
ideal answer. They fit on the riggers using a quick release
bracket and can be raised as you gain in confidence. You can
take the pontoon off completely and scull as normal - so the
best of both worlds.
The only downside is that you need to have
someone to catch you when you come back to the landing stage
to remove the bank side pontoon before getting out....
So all you would be scullers.... no excuses that it's too
hard and frightening we expect to see you out on the water
in the near future!
Learn2Row
- just a few places left.....don't be disappointed act now!
See the
L2R
page for full details
Learn2Cox
- great response so far....but still room for more. All the
thrills of driving a finely tune racing machine....without
the expense of formula one!
Contact us NOW!
TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Annual Dinner Dance
Saturday
14th November The Swan at Streatley
Paris 2009 - What a great
weekend! 22 rowers from GGBC and Reading RC visited our
friends at the Basse Seine club in Paris.... and had a
weekend to remember! For those who have been before there
was one major improvement - we stayed at the new Stade
Munciple facilities..... yep, lots of piping hot showers,
and even a lift to the third floor. Even better there's the
rugby club bar where we were made very welcome until the
early hours.
Race day.... and we had our customary
practice outing to clear our heads and get focused on the
big race in the afternoon. A few minor problems with passing
barges (never will we complain about a mere speed holiday
cruiser again)..... these craft were huge and fast!
All to soon it was time to race.... with the RRC and GGBC
girl's drawn for a side by side battle. There were
quite a few versions of what really happened in the race
(the RRC account seemed somewhat biased) however after
extensive research I can now report the true events~
RRC driving to the finish
The RRC were apparently rather confident at the start and
took a very slack approach to their first few strokes.....
many of the crew were completely unprepared for the 'go'!
Whilst the RRC were in disarray GGBC shot off with a
perfectly 'draw, draw, wind, wind wind....and were up the
racing pace in no time. RRC reacted and just about kept in
touch - at the 1km mark it was neck and neck with everything
to play for. The GGBC powerhouse - all excellent rowers and
perfectly formed - were working well and itching to take out
a substantial lead when the cox called for the
implementation of the 'lets pretend RRC are faster as
they've never won before' race strategy. The GGBC girls
continued to look exceptional but eased off the pressure to
let RRC take a small but encouraging lead.. And so it was at
the finish.... RRC crossed the line a couple of lengths
ahead of GGBC.... worthy winners and the FASTEST women's
senior 8+ of the day! Apparently it's all down to their new
coach...
The GGBC girls - just seconds behind RRC
The boats heading for the start
The guys crew was now under pressure..... they had to beat
the RRC time to hold their heads high..... and they did! A
great row although it did seem a very long way!
The results:
GGBC Girl's 8+ (19'51")
GGBC Guys (18'35")
RRC Girl's 8+ (18'56") collecting their trophy
Any GGBC inspired trip is more than just a
weekend of rowing and victories we like to have some fun as
well. So it was on this occasion with fancy dress, superb
food, and dancing into the small hours....and a bit of site
seeing the following day.
Guess where I went?
Many thanks to the members of Basse Seine
especially Francois and Pascal for all their help in
organising our stay and providing some outstanding
hospitality.
Coxes wanted -
GGBC have lots of very keen rowers..... who need some
dedicated coxes to reach their true potential! Coxing is
great fun - steering, commanding and helping coach a crew.
When it comes to winning the cox plays a vital role.
May be you are an experienced cox who wants to boat
with a keen 8 or 4+ crew....
Or a rower who'd like to pass on their wealth of
experience .....without the exertion.
Or a novice keen to be part of an enthusiastic crew.
You may already know the basics, but don't worry if you
don't - GGBC are designing a dedicated course to ensure
every cox is fully trained. All those reaching the required
standard will be awarded an ARA coxing/steering level 1
certificate.
If you're interested in learning some coxing
skills then please
email us - we'll be very pleased to hear from you.
Don't be shy.... it really is great fun!
Learn2Row
- Places going fast.....don't be disappointed, get your
application in now! This ever popular course has had
exceptionally good feedback from previous participants...
See the
Learn2Row page for full details
First Aid course - the ARA have
organised an outdoor and water specific first aid course at
Reading Rowing Club on Weds 28th Oct. Interested? - then
take a look at the
poster and
application form.
Round the Island head RESULTS -
A fantastic day of racing. Great to have our friends from
Reading and Maidenhead along to join in the fun.
Ergs, marquee, & boats....all ready for action..
We had 9 crews in the restricted fours.... a
hard fought battle. The first crew of the day set a storming
time of 10'33".... good enough to win on many occasions.
However this target just spurred on the other crews....with
a superb winning time of just 10' 15", and second place
coming in at 10'31". A great effort from all the crews....
The winning 4+ crew
Catherine, Ursula, Sally, Matt & Neil coxing
In the 1 minute erg competition it was even
closer....The girls champion was Ursula (RRC) with 292m,
with Annie (GGBC) coming in just two meters short at 290m.
The guys were even closer - Marcus (MRC) managed 352m, Chris
(GGBC) 351m.
Restricted fours ready for action
The highlight of the day was the
interclub eights challenge .....same course, but with
club crews and fine eights. Faster boats but much more
difficult to get around the bend at the island! RRC set the
standard with an impressive 9'38".... with MRC a close
second at 9'48". The GGBC crew eased off to ensure they
didn't humiliate their guests....and rolled over the line in
a creditable third place.
The winning RRC eight....getting 'hands on' with cox Nigel!
The day was made even better by an excellent
BBQ - well done Stu, Annie, Heidi and Jonathan. Thanks also
to all the other club members who worked so hard to make the
day a great success.
One of the best aspects of this event is the
great spirit in which everyone takes part. We row hard but
don't take life too seriously.... having fun is much
more important winning!
Round
the Island Head - This coming Sunday, starting at
10am. All members welcome.... bring along your families -
I'm sure they'd be interested to see you in action! There's
a busy schedule of events:
Scratch 4+ racing,
Eights interclub race (GGBC, RRC & MRC)
Individual & Team erg challenges
Plus a fantastic BBQ, tea and coffee and may
be even some live music!
Landing Stage clean-up a great success
- many thanks to all the club members who came down to the
boathouse on Sunday for the 'maintenance day'. The landing
stages were lifted (removing the fixings wasn't that easy),
the accumulated earth removed, pressure washed and the
wooden staging re-fixed in place. Still a couple of sections
to complete but the majority has been completed.... and
looks like new!
Coaching Launch back in
action - thanks to Jonathan the coaching launch
now has a new steering cable fitted, and a fully serviced
outboard. We should have many more years of trouble
free running...
We hope to have some regular coaching at the squad rowing
session in the near future....
Wallingford Town Regatta -
after the disappointment of last year (cancelled due to high
water) it was great to see the former 'pub regatta' back to
it's former glory. Excellent weather, and some top class
racing.
Representing GGBC was an elite girl's crew -
'Coxless' who were so good there only opposition that could
be found was the WRC novices. A best of three race it was a
challenge both clubs were taking very seriously.
WRC came out as overall victors.... but GGBC came away
hungry for revenge and planning a vigorous training regime
over the winter months. Watch out next year....these girls
mean business!
Coxless ready for their first race
Squad Rowing - every Sunday
crews are organising themselves into regular line-ups for
some intense training. If you fancy taking your rowing to
the next level and getting onto the water at a set time,
with a set crew then this is a great opportunity. Our crews
use Squadlist to post their availability - so there's no
waiting around for members to turn up etc.
With an 8am start you're even back for breakfast after a
healthy row....the rest of the family won't have realised
you've been gone!
If you'd like to join the squads then please
email and we'll forward the Squadlist logon details etc.
Maintenance Sunday - it's this
weekend! We need lots of members to lift and clean the
landing stage..... part of an ongoing plan to improve the
facilities. If you've got any of the following please bring
them along - pressure washer, screwdrivers, spades, power
drills etc...
Wallingford Town Regatta -
cheer on the GGBC crews this Saturday. Lots happening from
9:30am.... located by the river bridge in Wallingford. Lets
hope they have a great day... after the disappointment of
cancellation due to flooding last year.
Autumn Learn2Row
course
- The ever popular GGBC Learn2Row
course is now taking bookings. We hope to build on the
success of last years courses and make the 2009 autumn event
even better.
It's a great way to learn a sport, make new friends and keep
fit. Open to adults of all ages, this course has proven
extremely popular - we have a large waiting list from last
year! So if you're interested please don't delay.
Download a poster (click the image opposite).... encourage
your colleagues to join the GGBC L2R course.
Maintenance Day - it's time to
carry out some much needed maintenance of the boathouse
facilities before winter comes upon us. We have a list of
jobs that are relatively simple but need a good number of
volunteers to accomplish in just a couple of hours - "Many
Hands Make Light Work!".
Sunday 13th September
10am - 1pm
Coffee, tea and biscuits provided.....may be
even bacon butties!
We need to:
take up the
landing stage, pressure wash and clean, and re-fix it
onto the concrete.....before sections float away in the
floods!
mow and strim the grass.
audit the boats and equipment
check the lifejackets and safety equipment
tidy both boathouses
If you can make it
please email - so we can plan tools and equipment in
advance.
Blades get a superb respray -
earlier this year GGBC managed to acquire a set of top
quality carbon sweep blades from our American friends, Mount
St Joseph's school....great blades, but the paintwork was
rather garish! Have no fear... club member Amanda and her
husband Andy own Bodytec in Reading, a car body shop
and were happy to professionally prepare and respray the
spoons in a more subtle dark blue livery. The result - a
fantastic job, we now have the smartest blades in
town.....so take great care of them because we'd like
them to stay that way!!
If you want your blades painted
(or anything else) then contact Amanda and Andy at
We'll be adding the latest 'vortex edges'
tip strips for extra speed .... and the traditional orange
and white banding on the shaft in the very near future.
These blades have been set up specifically
for the new fours - the men's blades having slightly more
gearing than the light weight boat. They'll be labelled to
avoid confusion! There are also two blades for 'Make It
Happen', the Aylings pair....for all you budding Redgrave
and Pinsents!
Dinner dance special offer -
ladies..... your chance to take advantage of the excellent
facilities at the
Venus
Spa for just £5 each (treatments at members rates).
There are sun beds, a gym, beauty treatments, and a mineral
pool.....what better way to prepare for dancing the night
away! Interested? -
drop Heidi a line
Annual Dinner Dance
Saturday
14th November The Swan at Streatley
Costain crews excel despite testing
conditions - the latest GGBC corporate evening
was a great success! Gusting winds didn't deter our beginner
crews - they were all keen to get onto the water and do
battle.
But first there was the finer points of British
Rowing Technique to study and a quick introduction to the
rowing stroke on the ergs. No erging session is complete
without a team challenge ...and the crews were definitely up
for it and posted some very impressive scores. Raw talent
indeed but what would they be like on the water?
After a shaky start the latent skills started to shine
through..... within an hour the crews were practicing racing
starts and moving the boat sweaty along the reach. Practice
is one thing .... but head to head racing is a whole new
ball game.
The crew relaxing in the evening sun.....
The crew lined up at the 500m mark, focused on the task
ahead, came the front stops, squared up and waited for the
starters call. Attention, go.....both crews sprung into
action and shot down the course at race pace. Crew A had an
exceptional start (race prepared by a top GGBC coach) and
took a commanding lead. Undeterred the crew B pushed on and
may significant ground on their opponents....unfortunately
the finish line came just too soon.
Crew A just cross the line ahead of crew B
The Costain rowers celebrate their success
Any excellent evening - thanks to a great
group of rowers who really applied themselves to the task in
hand. A big thank you to all the GGBC volunteers who made
the evening go hitch free.
Fancy a corporate day on the river? See the GGBC
Corp Row page
for full details.
Small Boat Tuesdays - all good
things must end.....and so it is with the SMTs. A great
success with lots of members taking advantage of the extra
training opportunity.
Squad Rowing - the guys managed
a very successful outing on Sunday - superb water, and much
less river traffic. The four was even balanced at
times....roll on the head season!
Paris here we come - the GGBC
and RRC girls have started training in earnest for the big
race in October..... and have made an impressive start! No
gentle Sunday morning paddle for these girl's - just high
intensity rowing at the highest standard.
Superb technique - another 500m sprint gets underway
500m sprints, 4km pieces and lots of
technical exercises were all part of the gruelling regime
that the crew demanded... Want to be part of the action? -
there are still and couple of seats free in both the men's
and women's crews....email
now!
Round the Island Head - the
'not to be missed' event in September! A friendly battle in
scratch crews....just come down and race. Lots of fun...plus
a BBQ. Put it in your diary now!
Squad Rowing -Lots of members
have expressed interest in having organised, regular and
consistent crew outings with some expert coaching to help
them improve their rowing. To this end we'll try having set
crews row each Sunday morning from 8-10pm. This will allow
rowers to have an extended time on the water while still
being available to help out with the normal club sessions
from 10am to midday. The final goal of these squads could be
to row competitively at a local regatta or head race, but if
members want to just have a good workout and improve their
rowing then no problem. It is however important to commit to
regular attendance, arriving on time and focus on
concentrating and working hard. If you're interested please
drop us a line.
New Blade racks - you'll notice
the GGBC sculling blades now have a smart new vertical
rack.....thanks to Roger, Andy and Rich. The rack has
capacity for more sculls....but what about the sweep blades
I hear you ask? These will have their own rack at the end of
the boathouse....the only place with enough headroom to
store them vertically.
The racks are labelled...please put the right blade in the
correct slot!
IDEAS wanted -
GGBC is your club....and we'd like to know what you think
about it, how it could be improved, and where it should be
heading in the future. The idea is to put together a
development plan for the next 5 years to help focus the
club's resources and objectives. With such a plan we should
be able to map out where we are going and when we've
arrived...
How could we improve the club? Make it more
accessible and get more people rowing on a regular basis.
Are you happy with the equipment, location etc?
What are the best and worst aspects of the club?
We'd very much value your input - please
email your ideas.
Here are a few topics to help get you thinking:
Regatta
Club sessions
Courses - L2R, L2S, R2W etc
Coaching
Rowing squads and racing
Boathouse
Boats and equipment - what do we need?
Developing the Swan site
Junior section
Crèche facilities
Social - trips, BBQs etc
Indoor rowing
Challenges
Committee membership - the AGM
is scheduled for November - if you'd like to get more
involved with the running of the club then now is the time
to think about putting your name forward for election.
Please feel free to chat to any of the present committee
about what is required...
Annual Dinner Dance
Saturday
14th November The Swan at Streatley
Quiz challenge - budding
masterminds required for the Goring cricket club quiz night.
Represent your club and win some top prizes...Full details
here & here
Small Boat Tuesdays - your
chance to take out a single, double or pair each Tuesday
evening until September....a popular addition to our normal
club sessions.
The water is warm, the river is quiet and there are lots of
people happy to help out.... so why not come along? Small
boats are a great way to build confidence....and you don't
need to wait for the rest of the crew to take to the water!
Paris 2009 -
we've been invited to row in a head race in Paris
again this year....October 3rd. Already there has been a
good response with lots of members keen to row....and enjoy
the post race celebrations! We'll try to organise some
coached training sessions to get everyone focused on
winning.
If you haven't been in contact yet but are keen to come
along then please drop us an
email.
Sponsored Rowers pull for
pounds - 23 rowers and coxes took part is the
2009 GGBC sponsored Row.....and made it from Wallingford to
Pangbourne without a hitch. A great effort from all
involved....with a superb BBQ waiting to refuel them when
they arrived at their destination.
The row was in memory of Jeff Cronyn and
raised money for the
The Lymphoma
Association. The final total is still being calculated
but we should raise over £3k.
Many thanks to Oxford Brooks RC for allowing
us to use their landing stages, Stu and helpers who cooked
numerous burgers, and of course Heidi for all her hard work
in organising the event. I'm sure Jeff would be very proud
of you all.
The Red Lion eight....relieved to get to the landing stage
Sponsored Row -
GGBC and RRC crews are warming up this week in readiness for
their marathon row from Wallingford to Pangbourne. There is
still time to sponsor the crews....every penny counts!
Touring Weekend
- GGBC has a pair of superb tubs...ideal for a weekend of
touring and camping fun. Set off on Saturday morning, row to
either Moulsford or Wargrave, camp over night on the
islands, and then return back to base on Sunday. What better
way to enjoy a weekend on the river?
If you fancy joining the trip then please
drop us a line.... the more the merrier.
Small Boats Tuesdays - from now
until the the end of August there will be an additional club
session on Tuesday evenings..... specifically for singles,
doubles, and pairs.
We'll try to give anyone who wants some coaching some advice
and provide some reassuring safety cover from the launch.
Never tried sculling - now is the time to give it a go!
Regatta 2009 - What a fantastic
day! The gods were smiling on us....a completely dry event!
Many thanks to everyone for coming along - hope you enjoyed
the regatta?
Goring & Streatley
Regatta
Sat 18th July Click here for full details of
the big day
Regatta latest -
just a week to go and it's all action here at GGBC.
If you fancy helping out with this highlight of the rowing
world then please
drop us a line. We have set-up on Wed, Thurs and Friday,
lots of fun tasks on the regatta day, and of course helping
clear the site on Sunday.
CoxBox Joy - yippie.....we now
have a second fully operational coxbox! No more straining to
hear the cox's commands (strange how 'easy' is always
clearly audible!).
Thanks to some clever electronics design and manufacture
from Sally we should have a couple more in the very near
future....
Whatever next - stroke meter, GPS, sat nav,
Paris 2009 - we've been invited
to compete internationally again.... at the Basse Seine club
head race. It's on
Saturday 3rd October
....but we make a fully weekend of it... travel out on
Friday by EuroStar, rowing Saturday (including prerace
coaching from a top French coach), and partying way into the
early hours.... returning home Sunday afternoon. It's a
fantastic weekend, free accommodation, and great
hospitality. If you'd like to be part of the 2009 trip
please
let us know ASAP.
We'll start training in August.....
Sponsored Row -
lots of interest already, and lots of money raised. If you
want to be part of this exciting event please contact
Heidi
ASAP. It's a leisurely 15km....downstream from Wallingford
to Pangbourne. A great day on the river for all levels of
rower..... so don't be shy, come along and join the fun.
Most importantly don't forget to sponsor the
crews -
Corporate Day a Great Success -
as a thank you to our generous boat sponsors from Datasat
and Prolinx we organised a special one day Learn2Row course.
They were joined by a group from Mars Confectionary - 12
people in total. The fantastic weather was matched by the
enthusiasm and sheer hard work of all the participants. They
got to to grips with rowing in just a few hours..... racing
fine eights by the end of the day!
The day started with a
flurry - DVD instruction, erging, and then straight out onto
the water in the restricted fours. Things looked a little
wobbly at this point.... but under the careful guidance of
our excellent coxes and coaches they were soon making great
progress.
Midday saw the first of a number of challenges - the erg
relay race.... a great effort from all involved with the
winning team just coming through just 0.5 sec in front of
the runners up.
After a hearty buffet lunch it was back on the water in
the fine eights....tricky boats at the best of times but
both our crews were bonding well and it showed. After a
quick practice it was down to the main event - skills tests
followed by a 500m head to head race.
The Mars Eight....enjoying the river
Datasat and Prolinx in full flow
The final race was really exciting with the
Mars crews making a superb start off the line and pulling
away to what seemed an unassailable lead.... However as is
often the case in rowing one small error can make a huge
difference....so when Mars caught a crab the Datasat /
Prolinx crew took full advantage and surged past to take a
lead of just over a length.
Although the Mars crews pushed hard and were
catching with every stroke the finish line came just too
soon... A great end to a fantastic day on the river.
The Final race - Datasat/Prolinx make a superb late push
Prolinx/Datasat cross the line - perfectly balanced!
Many thanks to Mars, Prolinx and Datasat for putting in
110% into every activity.....and a very big thank you to all
the GGBC members who came along to help out on the day.
Datasat/Prolinx celebrate in style
Rowing has to be one of the very best teambuilding
sports. Everyone one plays a vital role in the success of
the crew....it's more about skill that strength,
concentration rather that fitness.
If your company would like to join GGBC for the ultimate
team building experience please drop us a line. See the
Corporate
Rowing page for further details.
New Boats - GGBC is the proud
owner of two brand new coxed fours. These super lightweight
fine fours are a step up from our usual craft and will
provide our members a new challenge. With two different
weights, 70kg and 85kg, we'll have craft ideal for the guys
and girls. Who knows you might well see a GGBC at some local
heads and regattas!
The boats were funded from some very
generous sponsorship from Datasat
Communications and Prolinx
along with matched funding from
SportsMatch. We'd like to thank all involved
for their superb support. A formal presentation will be one
of the highlights of this years regatta. Make sure you come
along and see these fine racing craft for yourselves.
Names - 'One Four All' and 'All Four One' - very adapt.
As can be seen below the boats have already proven to be
winners with our American friends.....so no excuses now if
we don't do well!
New Blades - okay slightly used!
GGBC were very fortunate to broker a great exchange deal
with our friends from Mount St Josephs Academy.....in
exchange for using out boats for a week we get 10 superb
Concept 2 Ultra-light sweep blades! The very latest design
as used by all the top crews. These will be carefully
adjusted to matched to the new fours....and repainted in
GGBC colours.
Another New Boat - we've rescued a
beautiful Karlisch coxed quad from the bonfire, and filled
the rather large holes in the stern and bow. A few coats of
varnish and a lot of sanding....and we have a superb
lightweight 4x+. She is designed for an average crew weight
of just 65kg so we fitted appropriate shoes (size 6) to
ensure the envious guys don't try to sneak her out onto the
water. Even more amazing - the cox's seat is comfortable
....even for a someone of non cox proportions!
She's called Ratty....give her a outing soon....you'll be
suitably impressed - she rows as well as she looks.
Mount St Joseph's compete at HWR
- after last weeks impressive win at Reading the GGBC boats
went to Henley to meet the very best women rowers. After
gruelling qualifiers both crews made it to the main
event....but came up against some top UK crews. None the
less they put up a great fight and came a close second.
The Mount crew pushing hard
Nearing the finish...still very close
Side by side at Temple Island
The winning crew at Reading looking strong
The Mount St Joseph's 8+ crew winning the first round
Regatta Training starts - just
four more weeks of training to go.....a few of the crews are
obviously keen to get in that vital early session to hone
their rowing skills!
The standards are variable, the main thing is that
everyone has a great time learning...ready for the big day.
Our restricted fours are ideal for getting to grips with the
basics.....a stable platform from which to build on
technique and confidence.
If you haven't already entered a crew there are still a
few places left....but don't delay we have a strict 50 crews
limit this year. If you're desperate to row but don't have a
crew then
please drop us a line....we know of several potential
winning crews in need of a rower.
GGBC boat wins at Reading Amateur Regatta!
-
The new GGBC fours have been sought out by a top USA school
to use during their trip to the UK. The warm-up regatta was
Reading Amateur....and on Sunday the girls took first place
in a field of 18 crews! A superb performance over the
gruelling 1100m course against some of the best crews in the
country. Given that they had only set eyes on the GGBC boats
the day before these top US athletes adapted
superbly....winning the final by a convincing length over
Manchester University.
The winner crew in the WInt3 coxed fours
Next stop is the Henley Women's regatta -
the very best crews from around the world competing for top
honours. A week of training and getting fully used to the
boats and conditions .... qualifying on Friday and racing
Saturday and Sunday. We wish the girls every success - 'Go
Mount Go'
The Mount St Joseph's girl's on their
way to victory in 'One Four All'
The second crew looking ready strong as
they push for home in 'All Four One'
Regatta Training starts Monday 15th June
- we need lots of coxes...so if you have a hidden talent
don't hide it please let us know ASAP!
Thursday Club Sessions - Due
to the demands of training 50 beginners crews the Thursday
club sessions are cancelled for the next 4 weeks...
Learn2Scullers make the grade -
in just 6 short sessions our L2S participants have
progressed from extremely nervous to fully confident
scullers...... despite a few duckings on the way!
Confidence and good technique are vital....our group are
fully conversant with the 'rigger dips', 'circles' and
'slaps' exercises - all of which proved invaluable. The
progression from quads to doubles and final singles proved a
winning formula with each step giving our rowers extra
confidence without being rushed.
The final session included some competitive elements -
the famous 'erging relay' was won by team A by less than a
second. After this warm-up it was out on the river in the
quads for the minimum strokes over a distance exercise and a
head to head race....both tasks completed without incident.
Finally there was a doubles and singles
challenge - extreme rigger dips etc - obviously won by Pete
who managed to get both riggers submerged at the same time!
The highlight of the day was the awarding of
the much deserved Learn2Scull mugs....
Sculling is a great activity - the freedom
to row alone, the challenge of staying up right and the
closeness to nature (intimate knowledge of the riverside
trees!). If you're interested in a future course
drop us a line
- be warned they are very popular.
Learn2Scull starts with a Splash!
- the 8 lucky L2S participants spent an evening swimming and
capsizing.... All passed with flying colours. Some were
naturals at the capsizing bit!
All can now capsize, right
and get back to the bank safely....some can even stand on
one leg and perform rigger dips....
They even took the buddy rescue to new levels.....as can be
seen in the photo. Even a completely submerged scull
provides adequate buoyancy for three people.
Many thanks to Kirsty, Sarah and Stu for helping out.
Buddy Rescue.....
Sponsored Row 2009 - Full
details now online. Your chance to complete a marathon row
and raise cash for a worthy charity....
Click here
to find out more.
Safety Notice Board - the
observant will have noticed that there is a new safety
notice board on the inside of the dry boathouse door. Please
take some time to look over the information....it could save
someone's life. This is part of the new
Row Safe recommendations....
All new and temporary
member will now receive a short induction before taking to
the water. Do you know where the first aid kit and throw
line are kept?....if not then you'd better find out.
There is also an outing notice board on the wet boat
house wall.... whenever you venture out on the river
remember to log your outing and expect time of return.
Safety is basically common sense.... please don't ignore
it.
Marathon
Rower drops in at GGBC - Steve Swan paddled into
Pangbourne on Wednesday looking extremely good after the
first two days of his 150mile row. Some nice blisters and a
little sunburn to show for his efforts...
Apparently Steve
was unaware that the GGBC wasn't in Goring ...so he hadn't
counted on the extra miles to Pangbourne!
Interesting boat too - made out from a canoes, cut into
two!
Steve must have the largest support team of any sponsored
rower.... we lost count of how many people were down at the
boathouse! Particularly impressive was the mess tent
complete with cooking range! Best of luck with the remainder
of the row.
Can You Help?
Regatta Volunteers - if you have some hidden
talent that would be valuable to the regatta team then
please drop them a line. Bar staff, marshals, coxes,
setting up the site, advertising etc….we’d really
appreciate
hearing from you.
Regatta training coxes & session managers -
starting on 15th June. We need your help to ensure this
all runs smoothly. Lots of coxes required…..so please
don’t be shy. There a training session for coxes /
session managers on Sunday 7th June. If you can help
please
contact us.
Sunday 2nd August – Sponsored row
– We’re organising a charity event in aid of the
Lymphoma Association. Starting in Wallingford we’ll
row ~10miles down to the boathouse. All members are
welcome to participate and of course help raise money
for the good cause. BBQ at the finish…so it should be a
great day. If you are interested
drop us a line.
Our previous sponsored row in 2007 was a great success -
see the
full report.
Swim Test - safety is a top
priority at GGBC. All members are encouraged to come along
to the Oratory pool on Wednesday 27th May 6-7pm, for
a quick swim test - nothing too arduous. It's a great way to
gain confidence and prove you can swim in your rowing kit.
If you want to come along - then
please drop us a line.
Those on the
Learn2Scull course
will be going one step further....a complete capsize in a
single + lots of other fun exercises....
Regatta Entries Going Fast -
20+ crews have already signed up. Don't miss out on the
fun....places are limited, you've been warned!
Click here for full details and
online entry.
Categories include the restricted fours (men's, women's and
mixed), single sculls, and family dongolas.
There are also the 'challenge eights' - an invitation race
between local beginner and novice crews....
Round the Island Head - a
superb turn out despite the high winds and driving
rain.....many thanks to all the girls from Reading RC for
making the event a great social as well as rowing event. And
a special thanks to the guys who bravely held the gazebo in
place during the gale force winds!
A record number (8) of crews took part in the
scratch fours racing....with some excellent times being
posted. The winners held back until the very last row ....
timing their final push to perfection and crossing the line
just 9 seconds fast than the runners up.
The one minute erging challenge was also hotly
contested:
Guys - Chris 342m (I let him win!) Girls - Natalie - 285m Kids ..... Ruby 113m, Natasha 158m & Amelia 121 - top
scores from our youngsters.....the future is bright!
The victorious Crew H.....Ally, Amanda, Steve & Tim
Sporting their winners T-shirts
The final event...the challenge RTIH eights.... Reading
girl's against a mighty GGBC mixed crew. After the
Maidenhead Rec Regatta clash there were some old scores to
settled. RRC were first to set off and rowed solidly down to
the island. The crucial turn was performed to perfection
(despite a couple of stroke side rowers being rather
ambitious on the holding hard and almost being ejected!).
The return row was hard...all the hours of training (both ot
them) showed through with the boat crossing the line in 9'
56.32"! A sub 10 minute result - fantastic. What
happened to the GGBC boat...apparently they were hampered by
a freak gust of wind (what bad luck) and crossed the line in
10' 38.89".
The victorious RRC crew were elated... apparently they
had some excellent coaching and coxing during the race.
Yasmin (stroke) was heard to comment " we couldn't have done
it without our inspirational cox....we owe him everything,
he's our hero"
A great day out - many thanks to everyone for their help and
enthusiasm...especially Heidi, Jonathan, Annie and Stu
...superb BBQ guys!
Next RTIH is Sunday 20th September...don't miss out!
Learn2Row the final session
-
The weather may not have been perfect but our Learn2Rowers
shone through with some superb performances on this the
final outing. There were a few surprises too....the ever
present 'dynamic warm-up' actually took place this time - a
hotly contested erging relay. One of the closest events
we've witnessed....with the might of Ally (1'10" splits!)
just winning the day for crew A. That said Margot's
hang and suspend technique was text book....
On the river
our crews we're hungry for some side by side racing... but
at GGBC it's as much about technique and brute strength and
so the skill tests came to the fore - the main test being
keeping the boat from being blown into the trees. In the
minimum strokes over a set distance there was a resounding
victory....48 strokes to 68!....crew A obviously realised
that they would move quite quickly just from wind power
alone...so why rush to take a stroke.
Head to head over 500m was the next serious challenge. Both
crews warmed up with some racing starts.....then it was
'Attention - Go'. A very close race, neck and neck at 400m,
with crew A just drawing ahead over the last 20 strokes.
Both crews rowed exceptionally well and managed a crab free
race.
Excellent technique...we demand perfection at GGBC
The final race was another sprint....2km was planned but
by this time the rain was blowing across the river
horizontally! Crew B took an early lead, relaxed into a long
& strong rhythm and just held on for victory....a great end
to the course.
Sarah Birch from the ARA (Gold Medallist in the 2001
world championships) was not only a willing participant but
also our guest presenter of the much converted Learn2Row
mugs.
Many thanks to Sarah, and all the GGBC volunteers who
helped make the course such an enjoyable and rewarding
event. And of course thank you to the ever cheerful
participants - many of whom you'll no doubt see in action at
the Goring & Streatley regatta in
July.
The GGBC
Learn2Row courses are very popular...if you want to be
part of the next course please
contact us and we'll add you to the mailing list.
Sarah Birch, ARA CDO, and the Learn2Rowers celebrating the
award of their L2R mugs...and sheltering from of the driving
rain!
Crew B - perfect balance even during full pressure racing!
Crew A - warming up and visualising victory....
Amanda takes to the water -
GGBC played host to a rower from sunny Manchester and his
friends wife.....who had a burning ambition to row. What
better place for your first outing than GGBC.....a top
quality boat, beautiful surrounding (slightly better than
the Manchester ship canal!) and a great bunch of friendly
rowers.
Amanda was a bit shaky for those first few tentative
strokes....but under the eye of our expert coach she was
soon sculling with confidence....as can be seen in the photo
opposite. Hopefully this first outing will be the start of
an illustrious rowing career.
GGBC welcomes fund raising rower
- Next Wednesday a weary Steve Swan will be paddling to
the boathouse for a well earned rest....camping over night.
Steve is rowing the 150miles from Lechlade to Greenwich over
5 days. His boat is a unique scull-cat, a twin hull single
that Steve built himself.
Steve is hoping to raise a
signification amount of money for the Soldiers, Sailors,
Airmen and Families Association... click on the panel to
donate.
Learn2Rower raising cash - Liz,
one of the outstanding new rowers is holding a Treasure Hunt
in Goring-on-Thames at 2pm on Sunday 12th July to
raise money for The Eve Appeal in memory of her friend,
Hannah. Hannah passed away in 2005, when she was 23, from
ovarian cancer. The Eve Appeal was set up to fund research
into gynaecological cancers. Its current focus is to develop
effective methods of prediction, detection, treatment and
care of ovarian cancer.
The treasure hunt will be completed by solving clues,
collecting items, and completing exciting tasks during a
1.5 hour walk around Goring. Use your logic and creative
thinking to win! It will start and end at the John
Barleycorn pub, who will be putting on a BBQ (included
in your ticket) when you return. It will be fun for all
ages, so please bring your family!
If you would like to come, please make a donation to the
Eve Appeal and let Liz know how many tickets you would
like -
ercartwright@hotmail.com. Suggested donation would be £7.50 for adults, and
£6 for children. Under 5s free. You can donate via
www.justgiving.com/goringtreasurehunt
The Round the Island Head
- is an annual event that no
member should miss......a great start to the season. This
year's spring event is to be held on Sunday 17th May,
at the Oratory Boathouse, from 10am-2pm.
This is a 'scratch' event - all crews are drawn out of the
hat on the day - so there's no need to find a crew.....just
turn up a row! The boats used are the stable fours used at
the regatta.
The race is a timed event, the start and finish are at the
boathouse - all you need to do is row to the island, turn,
and row back. The best crews manage this in around 10
minutes.
What better way to meet all your friends at the boat club,
dust off your rowing skills, and enjoy the river.
This year we hope to have our friends from Reading and
Maidenhead rowing clubs joining in the fun....Of course
we'll also be out to take revenge for our 'poor' performance
at the recent MRC Rec Squad regatta.
STOP PRESS - BBQ and
refreshments have been organised for the day.... We're
expecting large numbers from neighbouring clubs.
Prizes have also been arranged....tee shirts and posters
signed by 5 times gold medallist Steve Redgrave!
Learn2Rowers take to the eight
- after just 3 outings in the stable fours our group of
exceptional L2Rers were keen to experience a fine eight. No
problems ..... they were soon speeding along with almost
perfect timing and balance! Lots of concentration is
required as well as brute strength....
Many thanks to Duncan for stroking the eight....his steady
rate and fast catches really helped set the boat up. Still
lots to perfect but with such promising start we're just
fine tuning. Watch out for these guys at next weeks round
the island head...
Perfect balance.....
Fantastic 'chicken wings'
New
Ergs Arrive - we now have six Concept 2 rowing
machines...ready for our athletes to get into tip top shape.
We're hoping to hold some group erging sessions during
the summer evenings...a great way to keep motivated and get
fit!
What better preparation for the Goring & Streatley
regatta? Only a couple of months before the big day....
don't forget to get your entry in ASAP.
Interested? - the 'crewing classes' start soon.
Contact us now.
Regatta
Entry
posters - Download one today to encourage
your colleagues to join the fun!
Entries are now open...
G&S regatta - fun for the whole family Saturday 18th
July....
Maidenhead Rec Squad Regatta -
after last years clean sweep it was only natural that the
GGBC crews held back and let the home crews from Maidenhead
RC take the silverware. Despite some superb rowing GGBC
always managed to catch a crab or lose a seat at the vital
moment.....faking a mishap takes hours of practice, but it
was all worth it with the guys from MRC
feeling elated at their new found prowess.
Obviously come the Goring & Streatley regatta we'll be
hoping for a convincing win! Many thanks to Maidenhead for
hosting a superb event and our friends from Reading RC for
nearly letting us win a race!
GGBC (far side) verse Reading RC....a very close race!
Learn2Scull
dates confirmed -
27th May - 6th June... A great way to start the
season - leaving the rest of the summer to practice and
perfect your newly found skills.
Places on the course are limited to just 8 adults....we
expect demand to be high so if you'd like a place please
don't hesitate. Full details can be found on the Learn2Scull page.
UPDATE - demand
has already outstripped supply....if you haven't sent off
your application form then you're probably too late!!
We may run a second course later in the year so if you're
interested in Learning to Scull then please
contact us. We'll add you to our mailing list so that
you informed as soon as the next course is launched.
GGBC head to Maidenhead regatta......fully
story of how the crews got on here soon.....
FOR SALE - Part share in
Freehold River garden at Cleeve
2 existing freeholders want to sell
their shares in a River garden at Cleeve close to the
Leathern Bottle and opposite the regatta finish. This is an
ideal opportunity for anyone wanting to keep a single scull
or a pair and to train on the Cleeve to Wallingford stretch
.
The remaining 2 shareholders want to
maintain this as site for unpowered boating. There is a
summer house with electricity and it is an excellent spot
for barbecues and summer afternoon relaxing. Price per
quarter share £26,500
For more information please contact
Michael Maggs on 01491 833318 or Graham Hubbard on 01926
885695
GGBC Hoodies - the latest
fashion item that is becoming an essential with the well
dressed rower. As worn by many of the Row2Win crowd (see
photo below) this high quality item is available locally
now....
They can be purchased from Cavaliers in Welbeck
Street, Reading. Cost, a mere £19.50. Be sure to get the
correct specification: GGBC embroidered logo on the front,
3" high GGBC white lettering on the rear, and the lighter of
the two navy blue colours offered by Cavaliers. Single
orders take just 3-4 day to complete.
Surplus
Powerhouse Kit (see the kit
page) also available. All brand new and ready for
purchase and collection now:
Men's XL Power T
Men's XL Shorts
Women's small Short
These item usually take 4-6 weeks
to arrive so this is a great opportunity to get yours
immediately ready for the summer rowing season. Contact
Sally at
kit@goringgapbc.org.uk for full details.
Row2Win.....the final session -
They've been rowing weekly since February....and it shows!
The two 8+ crews are really flying along...
Thanks to the expert guidance of our guest coach John
Truswell from Maidenhead Rowing Club both crews are now
fully race prepared....visualising every stroke and fine
tuning their race plans. Many thanks to John for his
invaluable advice..
The Row2Win Crews + coaches Stuart & Richard
All this talk of racing meant our crews had
to put it into practice. The gruelling 2km head to head was
as exciting as it was long.....the girls got a fantastic
start, dug deep and slowly drew away to take a convincing 2
length victory
A real turn up for the books....the guys were shocked into
some drastic rethinking at the mid interval break. The
second session concentrated on sprints.... just 1000m. Over
this shorter distance the odds shorten and both crews looked
very even. First race was a convincing victory to the guys
(they did have a one length start!). So with honours even it
was down to the final 500m sprint. Both crews started
extremely quickly with the girls getting the early
advantage. At the mid point they had a canvas length lead.
The guys remained calm, and implemented their prerace plan
with devastating effect.....a push at 300m saw them fly past
the girls and take an unassailable one length lead.....and
victory.
Great excitement, and two boats of exhausted rowers....it
was a fitting end to a fantastic course.
This was the first ever Row2Win course and has proved to be
very popular with our rowers. If you'd like to be part of a
future course please drop us a
line.
Maidenhead Rec Regatta - GGBC
have been invited to an afternoon of head to head
racing...... we just need to form some crews, send off the
entries and race on the big day. If you are interested in joining in the
fun please take a look through the details below:
Sunday 26th April 2009 – 2pm
Registration
.....A novice fun
competitive event run over 350m upstream to the sounding
arch, open to all men and women in the club and to invited
crews.
The Row2Win guys - keen to hone
their technique by taking to the water in a fine four....
They looked really good as they rowed into the sunset.
The guys worked really hard....dripping wet from the
exertion!
Row2Win - it's nearer the end
of the Row2Win course and the intensive coaching is really
starting to pay dividends. Perfect timing and balance
combined with a fierce front loaded catch is proving the
winning formula for the GGBC squad.
We might not make Henley this year.... but the folks at the
Maidenhead recreational regatta better watch out for some
new course records!
Paul & John decided to get in some extra practice in the
pair...
Thursday Evening Club Session -
starting this Thursday at ~5:30pm..... time to get those
sculling boats out....
Regatta
Entry
posters - Download one today to encourage
your colleagues to join the fun!
Entries open on 1st May... and numbers are limited.
G&S regatta - fun for the whole family Saturday 18th
July....
Concept II ergometers coming soon
- GGBC is about to take possession of four model C ergos....to
replace the rather old and decrepit model Bs! No more
excuses for not getting super fit for the regatta
season.....
Angers
Race analysis - at GGBC we take our racing very
seriously.... using all the latest technology to monitor and
hone our performance. Okay, Mike switched on his GPS and
recorded the
vital statistics...but still it's interesting stuff.
You can definitely notice the parts of the course where GGBC
excel.....mainly the downstream bits! Interestingly the
girls are as fast as the guys in this section.
Next year we'll be fully prepared...as long as they don't
run the race backwards!
Rivers Gym - if
you fancy working out on an regular basis then why not
investigate joining Rivers gym located at the Ibis club,
Scours Lane, Reading. Tell them that you're a GGBC member
and you'll get special corporate membership rates....
Peak membership - £34 a month
Off peak membership - £24 a month
Yearly membership is pay for ten get two months free
More Photos from Angers -
Thanks to the eagle eyes of Phil and Jane we can bring you
some exclusive images from the Coupe des Dames and
Messieurs......
Guys crew start in style....notice they've
already left crews in their wake!
Adam & Phil slip into the regulation women's tee shirts
...ready for their first 'outing'
Row2Win - the fantastic weather
continues.....matched only by our crews performance! This
week the focus was on balance - with our expert guest coach
Jim Flood from Reading RC. In no time Jim had the crews
concentrating hard and rowing in style... some new exercises
and a difference in emphasis really made a positive change.
Many thanks Jim, your help was much appreciated.
As the course progresses so does the level of
fitness..... the 2km sprints are now a weekly regular with
both crew making substantial improvements week on week.
Not long before GGBC hits the ARA regatta scene ..... we
intend to WIN!
Angers
Glory - two elite composite crews of some of the
finest rowers in the Thames Valley represented GGBC at the
Coupe des Dames and Supporter over the weekend. A fantastic
effort by both crews....
The girls (we were very lucky to have Phil and Adam's twin
sisters along - strong rowers but rather butch) gave it
their all and put in a really good performance despite a
serious impediment at the start....a French crew cut us up
and cost us the race....a devastating equipment failure (a
shoe fell off). Undeterred they managed a very credible time
of 1hr 19" 53' and 7th overall.....and proceeded to party
into the small hours.
The
guys, joined by two superb French athletes, were determined
to build on their intensive winter training....they started
as they meant to finish - at race pace. They left crew
wallowing in their wake and were power sliding the stern
around the sharpest of bends. Another great effort saw them
sprint over the line in 1hr 8" 03'....and a very credible
11th overall.
A fantastic weekend. We're are all very grateful to Angers
Nautique for organising the event and particularly for their
excellent hospitality.
The Basildon Burn - GGBC
athletes are always keen to take on a new challenge .... and
get in some useful cross training....
So if you fancy stretching your legs on
Saturday 28th March then there's a great new running
event being organised in Upper Basildon. It starts at 12pm
from the Village Hall. £5 Entry on the day. Do 1,2 or 3 laps
of a 3km
circuit depending on your level. You have to be 16 to do
the adult course but there is also a fun run for younger
kids on the recreation ground. See the Basildon
website for full details.
New Boat takes to the water -
the latest addition to our fleet has already proved a firm
favourite. The Janousak double scull has been checked,
cleaned, and serviced over the last week and was out of the
boathouse for it's first outing in no time. Our intrepid
pair, Andy and Ronald, were soon into their stride
confidently moving to firm pressure despite the rather windy
conditions.
The verdict - an excellent boat.... it should prove a
popular boat over the summer months.
Row2win - Square blade joy! -
our rowers were once again blessed with fine weather and a
perfect river.... and they made the very best of the
conditions. Square blade rowing is, as anyone who has tried
will testify, a tricky skill to master. After some initial
rockiness the crews were soon looking good and rowing in a
relaxed and confident manner. A tribute to the excellent
tuition from our guest coach Sarah Beevers.
During the 2km
pieces our girls crew made a huge improvement on their
previous time....a sub 8mins - a superb row. A 500m head to
head race was close too with this guys just pulling away
after 300m.
Angers here we
come - two GGBC crews (with RRC and MRC extras) are off
to France to compete in the Coupe des Dames & Supporters. A
great weekend culminating in a 15km head race... a pretty
testing row against some of the top crews in Europe.
The full story to be posted in the near future....
Urgent
Splash top orders - If you want to look your very
best there is no better way than in a GGBC splash top.... We
have an order being placed imminently - if you want to get
the very best price contact
Sally
immediately.
New Boat arrives at GGBC -
we've just purchased a second-hand Janousak double / pair -
a companion boat to the Sims double we bought last year.
While the Sims is a 70kg boat, the new boat is a heavier
85kg.....so all you guys who fancy some serious double
sculling - we now have the boat for you!
It also comes with a set of pair riggers.. so we also have
some future flexibility.
With the Learn2Scull
course coming up in May (no I haven't finalised the date
yet!) we should be fully equipped to make the most of the
sessions.
Row2Winners
make the most of the good weather - the river is
perfect.....flat calm and within the banks! So our intrepid
crews took to the water to make the very best use of the
time......well obviously after they'd had a lengthy
discussion about rowing kit!
This week the emphasis was on the catch - so lots of testing
exercises - slaps, roll ups, legs only rowing etc - all soon
mastered by our ever resourceful rowers.
The second session was all together tougher - 2km piece at
full pressure. The crews didn't disappoint and posted some
very encouraging times (helped only slightly by the raging
downstream current!).
They gave the Reading Uni head a miss this year (training
was more important).... but 2010 could well be their year
for victory.
The guys preparing for action...
The guys in action...
Round the Island Head
Rescheduled - to miss the Hairy
Legs Challenge...... some kind of running / cycling race!
We've moved to ensure the HLC gets a big turn out. The RTIH
is now a week later on Sunday 17th May.
Maidenhead RC RecSquad Regatta - the first big
event of the year in the UK for the elite GGBC crews. We
need to get into training to ensure we maintain our unbeaten
record! See below:
Action footage from the 2008 MRC/GGBC challenge
Sunday 26th April 2009
– 2pm registration, 2.30pm first
race,
finishing around 6.30pm.
Crews invited also from Maidenhead, Reading
and Phyllis Court.... so expect some tough competition.
Run over 350m this gruelling sprint is a test of
endurance and good technique!
Guidelines for Entry: Novice,
first or second season rowing, no ARA points, returning
to the sport, first competition...
Proposed Events (subject to entries) – All
boats provided by Maidenhead Rowing Club and allocated
on the day:
Eights – Mixed, Men, Women
Coxed Fours – Mixed, Men, Women
Stable Single Sculls – time and entries
permitting
Time allowing, racing will be followed by knock out
races for eliminated crews.
Email to join the fun.
Sponsorship Opportunities - The
club has recently ordered two brand new fours....but we're
in need of some matching blades. We are inviting local
companies, and individuals, to sponsor the purchase of a set
of four blades.
Businesses - this is a great way to help grassroots sport
and obtain some valuable publicity.
How about dedicating your donation to a member of your
family? - a new addition or someone who has loved the river.
GGBC Kit updated - a brand new
range of exciting club kit has just been launched..... see
the kit page for full details.
If you'd like a splash top or Power Rower T then we need to
make a bulk order - please contact
Sally
Update - a kit
order has now been placed....so expect our crews to look as
elegant off the water as on...
The next order will be compiled over the coming months -
once we have the minimum order quantity.
River Floods return - Lots of
rain during the week resulted in the dry boathouse floor get
an inch or two of water. The river is still flowing very
fast but has dropped considerably....
Row2Win - the show must go on -
undeterred by the river conditions our crews were determined
to keep up their stringent training regimen. A quick switch
of venues found the 20 members of the R2W course ready for a
couple of intensive coaching sessions.
Erging as a group
is a great way to improve technique and fitness - 10
ergs in a circle meant that no one could slacken off - lots
of concentration on technique combined with some vigorous
firm pieces... these guys are really starting to reap the
benefits of all that expert coaching.
By contrast in the second session we had some expert
Pilates instruction from Jackie Mason. Our rowers may have
spent an hour lying down but they were working hard -
improving their flexibility and core stability.
The enthusiasm of the group is really bonding the crews into
a supportive and dare I say winning unit.....
Row2Win tank sessions
proves a hit - two high intensity evenings at the
OUBC rowing tank really put the Row2Winners through their
paces. Thanks to some superb coaching from RRC's Charlie
Simpson both crews were soon showing great promise. Good
technique is about understanding the theory as well as
putting it into practice...... we all came away wiser and
worn out!
Expert coaching from Dr Charlie Simpson
Perfect posture....the makings of a winning crew
Just a blur of speeding rowers....
Concentration - a key aspect in successful rowing
Our rowers exhibiting their perfect 'chicken wings'
Row2Win gets off to a bright start......
despite the ice and snow. 22 GGBC members had an excellent
row at the very first session of the new Row2Win course. The
two eights were put through 3 hours of intensive coaching,
and firm pressure rowing - and the end result..... some
excellent technique from both crews.
This is only the beginning, with a couple of sessions in the
rowing tank next week followed by a series of structure
coaching sessions. By April we aim to be competing against
the best in the district..... and winning!
Yep....that's snow on the hills in the distance
Girl's perfectly balanced and in time.....
Guy's crew under the watchful eye of Stuart
Head to Head - both crews showing great promise
Meet the GB coaches at the
River & Rowing Museum
....."how to keep Britain on the gold standard to London
2012"
Rowing
Tour
- Dordogne, France - May 21/24 - Our
friends at Reading RC are planning a
trip to France - see below:
If you fancy an experience of a
lifetime, there is the opportunity to
row in the Dordogne Valley in May (21 -
24th).
The Mascaret Rowing Tour has been
organised in France for years and this
year rowers from the UK have been
invited to participate. 120k of great
scenery, nicely paced rowing, punctuated
with lots of French food, visits to
wineries, châteaux's and such like.
The link below details the route, the programme (translated
in English) and the booking form that has costs.
There are only 100 boats that can be entered
and this is proving very popular. We need to
get entries in soon.
If you are interested drop us a
line and we'll pass on your details to
RRC.
Row2Win -
Last chance to sign up - The
R2W has proven to
be very popular with our members....over 20 have signed up
already. If you're undecided as to whether to commit to this
exciting new course now is the time to decide! Any questions
please drop us an
email.
There are lots of exciting plans for the course - a session
at the rowing tank, and top guest coaches from local clubs -
including the 2008 ARA Coach of the Year, and a former Gold
medallist!
We hope to have two eights crews (men's and
women's) competing at a local ARA head or regatta in April /
May.
If you want to row at the next level this is
the course for you... starts February 2009 - winning
trophies (may be!) in April.
Pub Socials - Captain of
Rowing, Belinda, is inviting all members to a once a month
get together at the pub....second Thursday of each month.
The next is 12th Feb at the Catherine Wheel in
Goring.....see you there.
Bacon Butties this Sunday....
the world famous McCowen bacon whopper is back .....just £1!
What better way to start the day - a cup of hot coffee,
bacon breakfast and a row on the River?
Rowing
continues despite the weather - GGBC members are
a hardy lot.... and take any opportunity to get out onto the
river for an invigorating row!
Snuffy is always a firm favourite - with the both rowers
and apprentice coxs!
Stuart and the boys are tough task masters .... "Firm
Pressure" could be heard all along the reach!
Interclub challenge dates announced
- keen to continue the friendly rivalry between GGB,
Maidenhead and Reading rowing clubs all three clubs have got
together and scheduled some varied and exciting events for
2009. Nothing too serious you understand (as long as
we win!), just a few friendly races and some socialising....
Sun 26th April – Maidenhead RC, Scratch Regatta
- 2:30 start, mixed scratch regatta over 350m in 8’s,
quads, and singles - followed by tea in the clubhouse.
Sun 17th May – GGBC, Round the Island Head –
10am start, 2Km head race in restricted fours, eights
(and anything else you fancy) + Erg challenge.
Midday BBQ
Sat 18th July - Goring & Streatley regatta –
Invitation Eights Challenge - this is the BIG one.... we
don't want to lose in front of a home crowd!
Sun 30th August – Reading RC, Oxford to Reading
marathon - 4’s 2’s & 1’s TBC
Sat 5th Sept – Reading RC, Corporate Eights
Regatta – challenge races in 8’s over 700m
Sun 20th Sept – GGBC, Round the Island Head +
BBQ
If last years events we anything to go by we should have
a great time. Best note them in your diary now....
Learn2Row proves very popular -
in just two weeks all the places in the spring L2R have been
snapped up.....others have been left disappointed. The
course has built up an enviable reputation over the past
three years for providing a high quality introduction to the
sport.
We're keen to maintain standards and although increasing
the course numbers is tempting this could compromise the
level of individual attention for which GGBC prides itself.
Be warned, if you want to sign up for the course it's best
to act quickly!
We hope to run a
second course in the autumn - if you're interested drop us a
line and we'll add your details to our emailing list. In the
meantime why not visit the club and have a trail outing -
you'll find everyone very welcoming and helpful.
Row2Win places
filling fast - this new course has obviously
filled a need within the club with over 20 people signed up
already. We hope to get our crews to the next level....ready
to compete at a local head race against the big boys!
We've been very fortunate to get some top coaches
from local high performance clubs to come along and advise
the crews.... we even have a gold medallist to advise on
race preparation and tactics!
If this all sound too serious don't worry, the main aim
is to keep active during the winter and have lots of fun.
There are still places available... visit the
Row2Win page for
more details
Learn2Row
course open for bookings - The spring 2009 L2R
course has been finalised and will run from the 25th April
to 16th May - every Saturday morning and Wednesday evening.
It's bound to be popular so get your application in the post
now to avoid disappointment.
Click
here for full details
UPDATE.......FULLY
BOOKED!
For the more experienced rower there are
still places available on the Row2Win
course - a great way to get back into shape after the
Christmas celebrations!
Exciting events just around the corner
- our friends from Angers have been in contact.....they are
looking forward to some tough competition at the Coupe des
Dames head race - 14th & 15th March 09. Just 15Km of
full pressure rowing against some of the top crews in
France....so if you fancy a challenge and a great weekend
away then this is the event to go for!
UPDATE - Coupe des Dames
dates confirmed - see
full details
Maidenhead RC have challenged GGBC and RRC to a
friendly regatta on Sunday 26th April.
Website attracts 12000 visitors in 2008
- people from all around the world are dropping in to the
GGBC website to see what we are up to.....and wishing they
lived nearer so they could join the fun.
::::
HAPPY NEW YEAR
::::
Lots to look forward to in 2009
- Learn2Row, Learn2Scull, Row2Win, Regatta, trips abroad,
interclub competitions, Round the Island heads.....and so
much more!
Congratulations
Stuart - Our new captain of rowing has just
completed his UKCC level 2 coaching award....and passed with
flying colours! 
Santa
Row Date announced - a definite date for the
diary.... this annual 'row in the snow' is planned for:
Round
the Island Head - This coming Sunday, starting at
10am. All members welcome.... bring along your families -
I'm sure they'd be interested to see you in action! There's
a busy schedule of events:
Marathon
Rower drops in at GGBC - Steve Swan paddled into
Pangbourne on Wednesday looking extremely good after the
first two days of his 150mile row. Some nice blisters and a
little sunburn to show for his efforts...
Regatta
Entry
Learn2Scull
dates confirmed -
27th May - 6th June... A great way to start the
season - leaving the rest of the summer to practice and
perfect your newly found skills. 
Angers
Glory - two elite composite crews of some of the
finest rowers in the Thames Valley represented GGBC at the
Coupe des Dames and Supporter over the weekend. A fantastic
effort by both crews....
The
guys, joined by two superb French athletes, were determined
to build on their intensive winter training....they started
as they meant to finish - at race pace. They left crew
wallowing in their wake and were power sliding the stern
around the sharpest of bends. Another great effort saw them
sprint over the line in 1hr 8" 03'....and a very credible
11th overall.
Urgent
Splash top orders - If you want to look your very
best there is no better way than in a GGBC splash top.... We
have an order being placed imminently - if you want to get
the very best price contact
Row2Winners
make the most of the good weather - the river is
perfect.....flat calm and within the banks! So our intrepid
crews took to the water to make the very best use of the
time......well obviously after they'd had a lengthy
discussion about rowing kit!
Rowing
continues despite the weather - GGBC members are
a hardy lot.... and take any opportunity to get out onto the
river for an invigorating row!
