2015 Racing Calendar

[Chris Partridge]

Greetings from your rowing captain!
Racing isn't the main aim* of Langstone Cutters, but we like to win when we do. The new arrangement for Sundays, starting with open rowing up until high water followed by longer training rows, gives us the opportunity to build up squads of people who like to row together and can put up competitive crews at the various events we attend. The next dates in the calendar are the Hamble River Raid and the Ocean to City in Cork, in July.
I suggest that at the start we form men's, women's and junior squads - we can segregate into age groups later. I would encourage people to come along for the open rowing and stay on for a longer training row at high tide, an hour at the most.
As time goes on I expect the squads will develop into rowing and sculling crews for specific events, especially the Great River Race.
The forecast for this Sunday is not particularly encouraging but high water is at 13.48 - open rowing should have wound down by then so if you are interested in racing perhaps you could stay for a while and we will go out for a first training row.
What do you all think?
Chris






*as far as I can see, our main aims are:
1) Going rowing with friends,
2) Beer

[Timp]

Sounds good to me, especially the beer and friends bit but I am also very keen on the idea of planning ahead for these events.

See you Sunday afternoon😎

[Teri]

Sounds good ..... sounds very good!       And definitely agree with the rowing priorities - beer, going rowing with friends ..... and maybe keeping Mabel & Gladys rocket propelled for the GRR?

[Steve Woods]

Chris, likewise very happy to get involved in the schedule and assist with coaching , as the days lengthen maybe a few regular midweek rows? . I wonder is there advantage in looking at our starting  stroke rate/ length kindred to the gig rituals ?

[Steve Woods]

Not around this Sunday, have a great time . Cheers

[Chris Partridge]

As a qualified coach I am relying on you to help lick the squads into shape, Steve. Pity you aren't around this Sunday but I hope you can be available fairly often!

[Alan Harding]

Hi Chris,

I for one would like to do the Southend pier again to better our 1 hour 9 minutes 47 seconds in Bembridge! So some training would be great, especially some weekday evenings.

I noticed on Brightlingsea's web site some East coast dates, but need to be confirmed by the hosting clubs.

http://s179128785.websitehome.co.uk/

6/7 June Witchoar? Manningtree?

18th July both the Osea & Round Canvey island events

1st Aug Southend pier

Good to see they have our Round Haying on it too.

Regards,

Al

[Chris Partridge]

Hi Al, good to have a date for the Southend Pier race - I have put it on the rowing diary. Will you be around on Sunday?

[Alan Harding]

Hi Chris,

Yes I will be there Sunday, although the weather forecast is looking wet!

Regards,

Al

[Timp]

May need to practice the main aims# then Alan and plot our global challenges😎

Cheers Tim

#drinking beer with friends

[Rachel]

I like the proposal for training squads/rows, sounds really good. I will be around on Sunday too although I suspect we may go a lot faster in one direction than the other looking at the winds forecast. Chris I think you meant to say that the Hamble and Cork events are in May not July? ( sorry to be pedantic ).
Rachel

[Chris Partridge]

So they are. Anything further off than next week gets me confused.

[alison kidd]

Hi Chris,

Couldn't agree more, I really enjoy all the excursion rows I manage to get to with the lure of a beer/ cuppa/bacon sandwich/roast potatoes - thank you Eling sailing club! somewhere along the way but also think there's room for a bit more focussed training for racing so we can put competitive crews together.

Unfortunately I'm away this Sunday, but when possible (given I work Sunday mornings) I would be up for some training rows and am interested in rowing in the Hamble river raid again.

Alison

[Andrew B]

Hi Chris,
All good stuff.
I'm not around for HRR, but would say to anyone who hasn't done it needs to be aware its a long course when you're rowing it under race conditions, totally different from rowing on an excursion row.
I always enjoy the challenge of coxing for races, getting a good start, and fast turns.
Hope to be there for Sunday.

Debbie and I think we've done our duty at Southend, someone else's turn to break our 'record' (Tim/Alan/Debbie/ Jennie/ me ). But the rowers have to be mega strong, its a good 70 minutes or more of hard rowing over a very long course, much longer than advertised.

Must admit the Itchenor trip was probably as good as its gets for me - a great outing.

Best wishes

[Annika]

Yipee!!  I am sure Annika and Claudia will be happy to get the chance to row in a race or two, I quite like the idea too.  See you Saturday and Sunday hopefully. Katy