Bristol Avon Regatta

Almost the whole Boat Club will be racing on the Avon at Saltford this Saturday. The J14 Octo are first on at 09.33, and the last race should be Nicolo’s IM3 1x final (if he gets there) at 18.15 – so a long day!

The regatta website is here: http://www.baregatta.org.uk/ 

NB the parking instructions are particularily helpful. The Parents Gazebo (possibily the new one!!) will be in the “Boat Park Overflow” with a view of the end of the course. The postcode of the Riverside Inn is BS31 3EZ – for your Sat Nav!

Bedford Regatta 12th May

The Girls VIII and the J16 VIII were racing throughout the day, but the event was cancelled due to the waterlogged ground and river conditions.

Thames Ditton Regatta Saturday 12th May

The Boys 1st VIII, and Nicolo in his single scull, were racing on Hampton Court reach, but the strong stream and the proximity of the weir, enforced cancellation of the event.

Evesham Regatta 5th May

This event has been cancelled by the organisers due to the flood on the regatta course.

We are looking at a replacement event on Saturday 12th – details to follow.

Birmingham Regatta Saturday 28th April

The J16B VIII, the J15′s, the WJ15′s, The J14′s and the WJ14′s are all travelling to this “Primary” Regatta – catering for the inexperienced rower. The College group is 70 strong!

The regatta details are here: http://www.birminghamrowingclub.co.uk/?page_id=2

The venue post code is B16 9EE.

Rowing over the Easter Holidays

In the first week of the holidays some of our GB candidates experienced a gruelling few days being tested against others with similar aspirations at the GB Spring Assessments held in Nottingham. Georgia Francis furthered her case for a place in one of the GB teams later in the year and Ben Maxwell put his feet firmly on the lower rungs of the GB ladder, confirming himself as one of the top J16s in Britain. Ed Vickers, also a J16, had his first experience of coxing top juniors and Arabella James showed herself to be well up with those already having international experience.

The following week our senior boys and girls went in search of some early sun in Northern Italy but after a promising first day experienced mainly cloud and rain over the course of their six day training camp. However, with snow clad mountains in the distance and pretty villages bordering the lake at Corgeno, plus a comfortable hotel, ample food and favourable rowing conditions, both girls’ and boys’ 1^st VIIIs made good progress and look forward to the coming regatta season.

In the final week our younger squads encountered typically April weather on the Pangbourne reach. The J16 boys’ four day camp included plenty of seat racing and development of technique in both pairs and the eight. The J15s and J14s enjoyed a variety of activities in their three day camps, with some visiting the Oxford University indoor rowing tank, looking out onto the famous Iffley Road athletics track on which the first sub four minute mile was recorded by Sir Roger Bannister as a 25 year old in 1954.

A busy week for PCBC

It has been a particularly busy week for the Boat Club with crews from all year groups taking part in national events early in the week then the annual Boat Club Dinner on Saturday evening.

At the National Sculling Head on Monday all our J15 crews performed as anticipated, but the J14s exceeded expectation. The girls’ quad had a lower stroke rate than the vast majority of the other crews but kept its length and rhythm to finish in the top half of a large field of 44 quads. The top boys’ crew, also a quad, fared better still to be placed 16^th out of 44 quads, beaten only by 7 school quads, the rest being from clubs.

At the Schools’ Head on Tuesday, it was the girls who took the honours, the Girls’ 1^st VIII finishing an impressive 5^th out of 16 1^st VIIIs, the best performance yet by a Pangbourne girls’ crew, and one which suggests that it has the potential to reach the final at the National Schools’ Regatta in two months time.  The boys’ 1^st VIII had a moderate day at the office with a slightly lacklustre row compared to its previous performances with 6^th place out of 28 in its category and 16^th out of all 42 School 1^st VIIIs. The Boys’ J16 A crew was 5^th in its class and the B crew 6^th, having overtaken Radley near the finish, much to Mr Stanford’s delight.

We were honoured to have Katherine Grainger MBE as guest speaker at the Boat Club Dinner. The most successful oarswoman in history and the only female British sportswoman to medal in three consecutive Olympiads, she made an inspirational speech that was very well received by a full Mess Hall of over 160 students, parents, coaches and guests.

National Sculling Head at Dorney

The results are here: http://www.thescullery.org.uk/results2012.html

WJ15′s are in Div 4, MJ15′s are in Div 5, WJ14′s in Div 6 and MJ14′s in Div 7.

Lots of splendid photos for all to enjoy:

WJ15 photos here: http://rowingphotography.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/2012-03-19-Junior-Sculling-Head-Div-4/G0000X9eHVoi1hNY/I0000EBJ9k4Rc6OY/P00001XgfM4kBp0c

and here: http://rowingphotography.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/2012-03-19-Junior-Sculling-Head-Div-4/G0000X9eHVoi1hNY/I0000IVIxFH1n4LA/P00001XgfM4kBp0c

MJ15 here: http://rowingphotography.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/2012-03-19-Junior-Sculling-Head-Div-5/G0000LCsjSbLNzEc/I0000UiVzgKxbhgs/P00001XgfM4kBp0c

WJ14 here: http://rowingphotography.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/2012-03-19-Junior-Sculling-Head-Div-6/G0000vLT_KsrhmVo/I000036KLO.8n.5o/P00001XgfM4kBp0c

MJ14 8 here: http://rowingphotography.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/2012-03-19-Junior-Sculling-Head-Div-7/G0000.zH_V_6SfhA/I0000U5wBPrcw814/P00001XgfM4kBp0c

MJ14 4 here: http://rowingphotography.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/2012-03-19-Junior-Sculling-Head-Div-7/G0000.zH_V_6SfhA/I0000MpceaPh0gDA/P00001XgfM4kBp0c

Schools Head Results

The results are here: http://www.rowing.biddulph.btinternet.co.uk/SHORR_Overall_Results.pdf

Well done to all four crews, the Girls 1st VIII came a wonderful 5th overall, Boys 1st VIII 6th in 1st VIII’s, the J16 A’s 5th, and the J16 B’s 6th.

Boys VIII photos here: http://www.bigblade-photos.com/rowing/events/2012/sch12/bydivision/23%20Pangbourne%201st8%2B.html

And here: http://rowingphotography.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/2012-03-20-Schools-Head-Crews-21-40/G000030rGo7dKXhA/I0000ryLISsGq2gs/P0000mYK6r.jnA88 and next 6 or so.

Girls VIII photos here: http://www.bigblade-photos.com/rowing/events/2012/sch12/bydivision/174%20Pangbourne%20WCh8%2B.html

And here: http://rowingphotography.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/2012-03-20-Schools-Head-Crews-161-180/G0000QfX4_hvobZM/I0000YiZeevxslYU/P0000mYK6r.jnA88 and next 8 or so.

The Schools Head – Tuesday 20th March

Additional information: The Boat Club will be based out of Furnival Sculling Club 19 Lower Mall Hammersmith London W6 9DJ for the day – refreshements will be available for our supporting parents, and the pupils will have a bag drop and crew meetings there.

There are 2 excellent pubs between the the two sites, offering lunch etc – The Rutland and Blue Anchor (see the old Minder titles and almost every Sweeney!)

The 2 College 1st VIII’s and the 2 J16 VIII’s are racing. The race starts at 2.15pm, and the boats are based at British Rowing’s boathouse – 6 Lower Mall, Hammersmith, W6 9DJ.

Start Order is here: http://www.rowing.biddulph.btinternet.co.uk/Shorr_start_order_2012_v1.pdf

The Boys 1st VII starts 23rd, J16 1st VIII starts 93rd, J16 2nd VIII starts 121st, and the Girls 1st VIII starts 174th.

Viewing from the Bridge, or from the North bank embankment are recommended. Hammersmith Flyover is open to light traffic, reducing the congestion. Parking on the South bank on Londsdale Road or at the NCP car parks in Hammersmith are possible, or on the expensive meters near the north side of the Bridge. Map here:http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=522885&y=178249&z=0&sv=W6+9DJ&st=2&pc=W6+9DJ&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf   Furnivall is where the arrow is pointing, and the GB Rowing is by the A of Mall.

See you all there!