News

Read below to find out about what is happening at the club. Articles are in reverse date order so the latest news is at the top.

Spring newsletter

Learn to Row courses

May 2010

For Individuals The club hosts learn to row courses - the cost is likely to be £60 per person. Further courses will be arranged as soon as we have enough people wishing to learn.

See the flyer for general details, Email Jenny Huskinson or phone 07984 158030 for details on dates of sessions or to request a place.

The club also runs a Work Place Health scheme - groups of employees of companies in Nottinghamshire can get a free Learn to Row course funded by Sport England - for details, see the Work Place Health Flyer.

Nottingham Lightweight Students in the Medals

report by Keith Atkinson

24th August 2010

36 of 46 British entries for the European Universities Rowing Championships in Amsterdam reached the finals and helped Team GB to win the EUSA Silver Salver as Victor Ludorum. Nottingham Rowing Club members, part of the High Performance group coached by Dez Atkins, were in action representing their own Universities.

George McKirdy and Richard Watton, representing Nottingham University, came fifth in the A final of the lightweight coxless fours. They then rowed in the Nottingham lightweight eight with Carl Delaney and came 2nd in the eights B final in an excellent time of six minutes. They were the fastest lightweight eight in the event and were awarded gold medals. The crew is coached by local boatbuilder Ray Sims.

Athalie Redwood-Brown and Nikki Spencer, representing Nottingham Trent University, came third in the Women's lightweight double sculls and return with Championship bronze medals.

All Nottingham Rowing Club athletes have won medals.

Nottingham Masters Rowers Run Continues

report by Keith Atkinson

24th August 2010

Following wins at Bewdley and Stourport regattas Paul Johns, Steve Cuthbert, Dave Wregg and Nigel Hollingsworth entered E fours at Warwick Regatta.

In the final the Nottingham boys beat Stratford on Avon and brought the season’s total to 104 wins.

The course is overlooked by the imposing Warwick Castle and along with giving traditional head to head river racing for masters, the event also attracts first timers to the sport.

Junior Rowers muck in to get weed out of National Water Sports Centre

report by Martin Kay

22nd August 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club’s Junior Mens’ Squad turned out on Friday 20th August to help remove massive rafts of summer weed from the rowing lake. Working with the Boatmen’s team, a tonnage of matted weed was pulled out, to help speed up recovery of full usage of the lake. Warm water and sunny conditions since June have led to phenomenal growth of long tendrils and associated green scum on the surface, making the lake virtually unusable to all rowers and very limited for other users, not least swimmers in Triathlon, kayakers and sailors.

Much more weed remains to be pulled out, however a useful area has been cleared, which shows that the saying, "Many hands make light work" applies in this case.

Nottingham rowers off to European University Championships

report by Keith Atkinson

18th August 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club athletes are part of the 130 strong team off to Amsterdam to compete in the 6th European Universities Rowing Championships.

The three-day event will be rowed over 2,000m of the Bosbaan in Amsterdam from Friday 20th August-Sunday 22nd.

The team comprises of 130 athletes and 24 coaches drawn from 23 Universities spread across the UK.

The EUSA Rowing Championships allow students to compete for their University and at the same time be part of a National Team.

Richard Watton, George McKirdy and Carl Delaney will row in the University of Nottingham lightweight eight coached by local boatbuilder Ray Sims. Carl recently won a bronze medal in the World U23 Rowing Championships in Belarus. George and Richard, who won silver medals in the British Rowing Championships in Strathclyde, will also be in the lightweight coxless four.

Nikki Spenser and Athelie Redwood-Brown, silver medallists at Strathclyde and England’s boat for the Home Countries International in Cork, Ireland, will compete for Nottingham Trent University in the lightweight Double sculls; Nikki will also be in the lightweight single.

All five athletes are members of Nottingham Rowing Club’s high performance group based at the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont and coached by Dez Atkins.

Nottingham Masters Mop Up At Stourport

report by Keith Atkinson

16th August 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club Veteran/Master rowers spent the weekend in the West Midlands competing at Stourport-on-Severn Regatta and Sprint. They returned with four trophies, which brings the Club’s total so far this season to 101!

On Saturday the E eight coxed by Carole Dickinson and stoked by Paul Johns beat a local combination of Stourport and Bewdley rowing clubs. Then in the F fours they defeated Worcester.

On Sunday the local joint eight was dispatched again in the 600m sprint. Then a Bradford-on-Avon four was defeated in the E fours.

Tom Wins On His Own

report by Keith Atkinson

15th August 2010

Tom Selby, one of Nottingham Rowing Clubs J16 scullers coached by Martin Kay, has spent most of the season in a very successful quadruple scull, but this weekend he took to the water in a single scull.

Rowing over 1000m of the lake at Peterborough, he won the J16 event and put pressure on his teammates to show what they can do on their own.

Gold For Monica In Hungary

report by Keith Atkinson

15th August 2010

Monica Relph has won the gold medal, rowing in a coxless four in the World University Championships in Hungary with girls from Durham University and Imperial College. Monica is part of Nottingham Rowing Club's high performance group based at Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre and coached by Dez Atkins.

The crew qualified direct for the final beating the Netherlands in a tough scrap.

In the final, plagued by strong wind, Monica said "It was a very good start, hard, focused and solid. An early lead meant that we could react to any move by the opposition. Now it's time for a holiday!"

The GB crew went on to win with Romania second and Italy third.

Monica won a gold medal in 2009 rowing in the Women's U23 eight with Jacqui Round, also from the Nottingham Rowing Club.

Nottingham Rowing Club's Monica off to Hungary

report by Keith Atkinson

12th August 2010

A team of 32 athletes are travelling to Szeged, Hungary to take part in the 11th World University Rowing Championships. The GBR team will be competing against crews from 27 other nations between Friday 13th August and Sunday 15th. The squad includes athletes who rowed in the U23 World Championships in Belarus.

Monica Relph, part of the Nottingham Rowing Club High Performance group coached by Dez Atkins, is in the Women's coxless four with Emily Taylor from Durham University and Leonora Kennedy and Zoe Lee from Imperial College.

Monica was in the U23 gold medal winning eight in 2009, she came fourth in the women's coxless four in 2010 and can be expected to medal in Hungary.

All Round Success for Nottingham Rowing Club

report by Keith Atkinson

8th August 2010

Now near the end of its fourth full season Nottingham Rowing Club, an amalgamation of Nottingham Boat Club and Nottingham Britannia Rowing Club, is fast approaching 100 wins, bookings for the Club are well up and fourteen members have rowed internationally this season. Athletes from 16 to senior level have been involved in the J16 Anglo-French Match in Nantes France, the J18 Coupe de la Jeunesse in Hazelwinkel, Belgium, the Home Countries International in Cork Ireland, the Commonwealth Rowing Championships in Ontario, Canada and the World U23 World Championships in Brest, Belarus.

"Things are already looking good for 2011", said Club President Keith Atkinson "We have plenty of local talent from City and County schools and our reputation is drawing in established rowers from other parts of the Country. With twelve miles of river rowing on the Trent and the National Watersports Centre nearby we clearly have the water. Our coaches are nationally recognised for their expertise and professional approach. The Club is well run and well led by manager Mark Cooke. The winter programme starts soon and we can't wait to get on with it. "

Lindsay in the medals

report by Keith Atkinson

2nd August 2010

Lindsay Marshall, elite sculler in Nottingham Rowing Club's High Performance group based at the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont and coached by Dez Atkins, represented England in the Commonwealth Rowing Championships.

The regatta was held at the Welland Flatwater Centre in Ontario, Canada.

Lindsay was in several different boats: in coxless pairs with partner Mathilde Pauls she came third. The winners were Canada. The pair then came fourth to Australia in the double sculls. Changing into the quadruple sculls Lindsay came second to Canada and finished the regatta with a sprint event in single sculls with another silver medal, Australia being marginal winners.

Lyndsey returns from Canada with three medals. She is one of fourteen Nottingham Rowing Club athletes who have rowed for the Country this season.

Katie wins three medals in Belgium

report by Keith Atkinson

2nd August 2010, updated 2nd August

Katie Bartlett, Nottingham Rowing Club's sixteen year old star sculler, a pupil at Trinity School, Aspley, represented Great Britain in the 'Coup de la Jeunesse' a rowing event for European under 18 athletes.

The racing took place in Hazelwinkel, Belgium. Twelve nations competed over three full days of competition. Katie sculled in the British quad, rowed in the eight and is sponsored by Baxi.

On day one, rowing in the GB Women's eight, she won a silver medal behind a powerful Italian crew. On day two, sculling in the quad she took the silver medal' losing to Italy by inches but putting Spain into third place. On day three, the crew was beaten into bronze medal position by Italy and Ireland.

Katie is part of a World Class Start group based at Holme Pierrepont' coached by Julie Edwards and sponsored by Siemens. Julie was the co-ordinating coach for the whole team.

The Great Britain boys were overall winners of their event and the girls came second to Italy who won the 'Coupe'.

Nottingham Rowing Club Update

report by Keith Atkinson

1st August 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club Veterans/Masters, rowing in a green coloured boat sponsored by John A Stevens, coxed by Carole Dickinson and stroked by Paul Johns, won their eights event at Bewdley regatta on the River Severn, beating the home club in the final.

Athelie Redwood-Brown and Nikki Spencer, rowing for England came second to the Irish Lightweight double scull in the Home Countries International Regatta in Cork in Ireland.

Vicky Bramley, rowing in the Women's Eight for England in the Home Countries, won the gold medal. Vicky is coached by Julie Edwards, World Class Start Coach sponsored by Siemens.

Lindsay Marshall is currently in Canada as part of England's team. Lindsay will be sculling and rowing.

Lindsay, Athelie and Nikki are part of Nottingham Rowing Club's high performance group coached by Dez Atkins. Three other members recently competed in the World U 23 Championships in Belarus.

Another Win at St Neots

report by Keith Atkinson

26th July 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club Junior rowers spent the weekend at a very warm St. Neots regatta. The U15 girls sculled well but were beaten by Peterborough City.

Coach Heidi Dobbs was well pleased with their performance.

A boys J15 quad with Dominic Parnell and Connor Gamble on board, which included Leeds and Tees scullers, won two rounds and beat Oundle in the final. This combination, coached by Claire Parnell has the Boston Marathon as a target for this season.

Nottingham Rowing Club, now in its fourth full year, has won ninety trophies so far this season.

Carl Delaney wins bronze at World U23

report by Keith Atkinson

26th July 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club athletes have been competing in the British Rowing team in the World Championships in Brest, Belarus.

Monica Relph, last years gold medallist in the eight, came fourth in the coxless fours final, won by the United States in near record time.

Victoria Meyer-Laker was second to Italy in the 'B' final of the Women's Quadruple Sculls.

Carl Delaney, in the men's lightweight Quadruple sculls, won the bronze medal. The crew were fifth for most of the race but moved up in the closing stages and caught Italy on the line.

The British team brought back seven medals in all, a record haul at the U23 championships.

Bill Payne back in Action

report by Keith Atkinson

20th July 2010

After a spell sculling in a quad Bill Payne, Nottingham Rowing Club's most successful master rower, got back into his single.

Competing at Molesey Regatta over the weekend, when the rest of the Club were in Scotland at the British Championships, Bill won single sculls defeating Mortlake-Anglian in the final. He then teamed up with Mike Collier and held off a determined charge by Bewl-Bridge, to win double sculls.

"It was a really good event," said Bill "it ran to time and was very athlete friendly."

Nottingham Rowing Club Men Breakthrough

report by Keith Atkinson

20th July 2010

Rowing in a boat sponsored by local Builders Merchants, John A Stephens, Nottingham Rowing Club men won a silver medal at the British Rowing Championships at Strathclyde Park.

The crew - Richard Whatton, Andreas Endruit, Mark Childs, Ray Hughes, George McKirdy, Rob Yates, Matt Ley and George Caines, coached by Dan Johnson, made a major breakthrough for the Club. Now in its fourth full season, this is the first time that the men's squad have brought back Championship trophies. The men also came second and fourth in the coxless fours final.

"Rowing in top quality boats is essential at this high level" explained Club President Keith Atkinson "The crews have confidence in their equipment and just row better.We are very grateful to John A Stephens for their support and hope they like the results!"

Junior Rower's coach calls for East Midlands Sponsor

Martin Kay

20th July 2010

"Give us the tools to do the job"

Nottingham Rowing Club's Junior Under 16 Boys squad has had a cracking 2010 season with 3 Gold and one Silver National Medals in Quadruple Sculling in all of our top Junior Home Championship Regattas. In addition they were topped up with Gold and Silver in Belgium, racing against top class European crews too. The highlight of the crew's season was success in GB Trials to be selected on to the team representing GB in an international match against France. The 2010 Medals record for all of the Club's Junior Rowers, reported elsewhere, clearly shows strength in depth, ranging from JU14 successes to GB Coupe de Jeunesse Selection and JU18 Golds, which will take us into 2011 with great aims to be the best all-round Club in UK.

With this season coming on top of an outstanding record by all the Club's Juniors in 2009, when the Team beat all the big rowing Schools barring Eton College in the Medals Table at National Schools Regatta, the J16s'coach Martin Kay is asking: "Where is the Big Sponsor in East Midlands Business who will back these future international athletes? We are flying the East Midlands Flag. Give us the tools to take the Club right to the top"

The Quad Scullers took a risk and got themselves a privately funded boat from Ray Sims of Nottingham, which proved a winner. Without an exclusive-use crew boat this crew's top medals tally would not have been possible. Others need this opportunity, starting in September, 6 weeks from now.

There are now eight boys under 16, with many younger ones following, and a similar sized group of girls.

After the holidays, they will all be out in small boats again, benefiting from the great training environment provided by Nottinghamshire County Council, at Holme Pierrepont Rowing Lake, right through the tough winter conditions, strengthening the foundations to beat the best of the Big Schools again in 2011.

Contact is possible through the website www.nrcuk.org for details on how the Club can respond to a sponsorship offer with a top class plan up till and beyond 2012!

Martin Kay, Coach, Junior Men.

British Rowing Championships 2010

report by Keith Atkinson

19th July 2010

The 2010 British Rowing Championships were held on a large lake at Strathclyde Country Park, close to the M74 motorway, between Lockerbie and Glasgow. Rain, wind and rough water disrupted racing. A Blue-Green Algae warning was also in place for the water in the loch!

Nottingham Rowing Club attended the event in force. On day two, they came away with four medals - two silver and two bronze. Alexandra Millett (Becket School) and her partner Anna Smart from Marlow Rowing Club won the bronze in the Women's Junior 15 Double Sculls. This was despite the fact that Lexxie had had Glandular Fever, which disrupted training and stitch during the race causing distress. In a very tight encounter, Dominic Parnell and Connor Gamble, coached by Claire Parnell, took bronze in the boys J14 Double Sculls. Alicia Brown (Arnold Hill School) with girls from Tees and Rob Roy, won silver in the Women's J 16 Quadruple Sculls. Edward Fisher, George Greenfield, Dominic Harrison, and Tom Selby, coached by Martin Kay won silver too in a very close scrap with Windsor Boy's School in the boys J 16 Quadruple Sculls.

On day three, seven more medals were won making a total of eleven for the Club.

Katie Bartlett, sculling with friends from Latymer Upper School and Dame Alice Harper won gold in the Women's Quadruple Sculls. Later in the afternoon she joined a composite junior eight and won gold again in the Women's eights. Katie, a pupil at Trinity School Aspley, is coached by World Class Start coach Julie Edwards. Winning sculling and rowing golds on the same day shows 16 year old Katie is a real talent.

Silver medals were won by Nicola Spencer and Athelie Redwood-Brown in Women's Lightweight Double Sculls.

Then the men's four of Richard Whatton, Andreas Endruit, Mark Child and Ray Hughes took silver in the Coxless Fours. George McKirdy, Rob Yates, Matt Ley and George Caines came fourth in the same race. The two fours then combined in an eight and won silver behind London Rowing Club and ahead of Newcastle University. The men are coached by Dan Johnson.

Alicia Brown (Arnold Hill School) won silver in Women's Junior Sculls. Alicia is coached by Julie Edwards.

Catherine Hurst rowing with Laura Wheeler from Trent Rowing Club took the Bronze medal in Women's coxless pairs.

Members of Nottingham Rowing Club featured in many close fought finals. Holly Oughton was 5th in Women's J17 sculls, Tom Huskinson 5th in Men's J17 sculls, Adie Leibert and Gary Padmore came 6th in Lightweight Doubles. Robert Milligan and Thomas Lister were 6th in U23 doubles. Vicky Bramley was 4th in Women's U23 sculls, Athelie and Nicola were 4th in Women's Doubles and Nottingham Trent University eight were 6th in the Women's Eights final.

Said Club President Keith Atkinson “On such a trying week-end the Club came up trumps and were in more finals than ever. From Junior girls to Senior men all played their part and returned with eleven medals from yet another successful event. ”

Three Nottingham Rowing Club Rowers in U 23 Team

15th July 2010

The 2010 U 23 World Rowing Championships are to be held in Brest, Belarus from July 22nd 25th. Three Nottingham Rowing Club members, part of their high performance group based at Holme Pierrepont and coached by Dez Atkins, have been selected by British Rowing in three separate boats.

Monica Relph gold medallist in last years eight, is in a coxless four.

Vicki Meyer-Laker is in the Quadruple Scull and will be coached by international Nick Strange.

Carl Delaney will scull in the Lightweight Quad and will be coached by Steve Trapmore an ex Nottinghamshire County Rowing Association member and stoke of the gold medal eight at the Sydney Olympics.

In order to be with his athletes Dez Atkins has volunteered to be the team driver.

Nottingham Rowing Club take two at Henley Veterans

12th July

Henley Veterans Regatta has been rowed on the Henley reach the week following Henley Royal Regatta since 1994. In line with FISA regulations, this year the age minimum was reduced to 27, with races held for age categories up to 80 years of age. From next year the regatta will be renamed "Henley Masters Regatta".

This year's regatta was held in hot, sunny conditions that led to the competitors making shade and rehydrating their priorities. It also produced some very good racing, and two more wins for Nottingham Rowing Club.

In the women's A double sculls, Athelie Redwood-Brown and partner won A Double Sculls.

Towards the other end of the age range, Bill Payne, Stuart Wharton, Peter Massey and Carl Unwin took the H Quadruple Sculls. Bill Payne is to return to single sculling for next season.

Also reaching finals were the women's B4+ of Zara Muirhead-Smith, Sarah Royles, Cassie White and Viccy Newton, coxed by Ashley Hewitt. Joined by Cat Rooke, Lou Townrow, Ruth Hyde and Netty Cox, they also reached the finals of the Women's B8+.

Three more for NRC at Burton

11th July

On a fine summer day over 1,000m of the River Trent at Burton Nottingham Rowing Club won three events and took their seasons tally over the seventy mark.

Nick Musson and Jack Caston won Intermediate 3 Double Sculls.

Holly Oughton and Sarah Padbury won Women's J16 Doubles. A combined J15/J16 eight coxed by James McKeating with Niahm Gibbons at stroke, Sarah Padbury, Holly Thompson-Barr, Holly Oughton, Helen Ladds,Megan Hughes, Sarah McKeating and Chloe Smedley then defeated Loughborough Rowing Club in the final of Women's Intermediate 3 eights.

"We intend to merge these squads next season so things look good already" explained coach Ben Dobbs. His wife Heidi is overseeing the training of over 30 younger junior members.

Olivia Duckworth and Brandon Jones had a good afternoon sculling.

Katie is selected by British Rowing

8th July

Nottingham Rowing Club's star sculler, 16 year old Katie Bartlett, a pupil at Trinity School Aspley, has been selected to compete in the 'Coup de la Jeunesse' to be held in Hazelwinkel, in Belgium from July 31st-Aug 1st.

She faces opposition from all over Europe.

Katie will scull in the women's Quadruple event with colleagues from Dame Alice Harper,Latymer Upper and Henley Rowing Club and be coached by Julie Edwards who is a World Class coach sponsored by Siemens and is based in Nottingham. Julie said "This is a fantastic opportunity for Katie, she is only 16 and has two more years as a Junior." Final trials were held at Caversham near Reading. This followed months of trials, regattas and assessments and a series of high quality wins by Katie, including National Schools and Women's Henley. 19 scullers were reduced to 14 after a time – trial and Katie was given her International kit following subsequent racing. A delighted Katie said "It's a great honour to be selected for Great Britain thanks go to my coach Julie Edwards, my Club Nottingham Rowing Club and to my sponsors Baxi, Monkton Bluefriars, the Mark Lees Foundation and Mr.Sean Atkins of Bildurn Ltd." Julie Edwards is the lead coach for the Coupe team which is supported by the UK Sport Lottery Fund.

Junior Rowers Selected at GB/France Match Trials

Report by Martin Kay

6th July

Nottingham Rowing Club's Under 16 scullers came up with the goods on Sunday 27 June, on the Holme Pierrepont Rowing Lake in hot conditions against all comers from round the country.

They gained two of the GB Team Crew positions for the annual Challenge Match against France. Alicia Brown, coached by Julie Edwards, cemented her resurgence this year in the Women's Single Sculls. The Club's Quadruple Sculling crew in the Men's event raced to another success against strong crews, and will go to France with Club Manager Mark Cooke as Coach. This crew of Edward Fisher, George Greenfield, Dominic Harrison and stroke Tom Selby, has performed consistently as winners since March, and now plan to take their racing to the next level.

The GB Team will leave from Hampton on 8th July, and the Match will take place at Nantes on 10/11 July. It is the youngest international level of racing in the sport, and gives our athletes their first taste of the thrill in being alongside the best rowers of another nation.

This performance further underlines the strength in depth that the Club's Junior Squad is building up over the current 5 Year Plan.

NRC crews at Henley Royal Regatta

28th June

With the draw for the 2010 Henley Royal Regatta now out, Nottingham RC crews now know their opposition for the first rounds.

The Peterborough/Nottingham composite for the Fawley Challenge Cup (junior quads) will be facing Upper Thames RC B, with the winner meeting a Leander/Peterborough composite in the next round.

In the Wyfold Challenge Cup (club coxless fours), Nottingham A have a local matchup against Newark, while Nottingham B face Elizabethan Boat Club

In the Princess Royal Challenge Cup (women's single sculls), Lindsay Marshall faces E Bello of Centro Nazionale di Canottaggio Piediluco, Italy in the first round.

Nottingham Trent at Henley Women's

Nottingham Rowing Club's tenants, Nottingham Trent University, were also at Henley Women's - their Women's Captain, Emma Corless, reports:

The four racing for the Cathy Cruickshank Trophy on Friday had a time trial to qualify to proceed to the knock out stages. Out of 32 crews the top 16 were to qualify. Set off directly after local rivals Nottingham University the four had an extremely strong row the girls took 4 out of the 6 Lengths of Nottingham University and coming off the water very happy with their performance.

The draw came out with the joy of finding the girls had been seeded in coming top four from the time trial and through to the top 16 knock out stage.

On Saturday morning the side by side racing started, racing Royal Holloway University of London in the first round, the girls had a strong start giving them over a length of the end of the island. The girls kept pulling away and settled down just sitting 4 lengths on RHUL to the finish line.

Quarter finals were to happen on Friday afternoon this is where the girls had aimed to finish in the top 8. The girls were to race United Hospitals in the quarter finals. Again the girls had a strong start and had a length on United hospitals of the end of the Island. The girls had another strong, relaxed row down the course to a victory of 3 Lengths, putting them through to the semi-finals.

Sunday 'Finals' Day at Henley. The girls were racing in the semi finals. The nerves and adrenaline were pumping, racing Southampton who had set the new course record previously in the quarter finals in a time nearly 10 seconds faster than NTU the girls knew the race of their lives was coming. Off the start the girls rowed strong, Southampton unfortunately stronger but the girls still had cover off the end of the island. The girls fighting the whole way down the course however unfortunately not being able to hold onto the stronger Southampton girls with the final Verdict of 1.75 Lengths.

After a successful weekend all the girls went back home very pleased with their efforts and having Southampton win the final by 1.5lengths it was a nice thought having lost to the winners. Congratulations to all a fantastic effort showing what these girls are made of and keeping up the name of NTU was fabulous roll on next year's Henley and all the success that keeps on coming to NTU. Also I would like to add a thank you the the parents of Becca Gill for letting the crew stay at their family home for the week, we made a mess got in the way but they were happy to have us and it was lovely having a home to stay in rather than a hotel, to the Gill family, thank you.

Nottingham Win Four at Henley Women's

Early report by Mike Fay

21stJune

Nottingham Rowing Club tasted success four times at Henley Women's Regatta, as a strong tailwind contributed to ten course records

In the elite coxless fours (Avril Vellacott cup), the Durham/Glasgow/ Nottingham/Sport Imperial composite defeated HSRV Pelargos / Asopos de Vliet by three quarters of a length in a record time of 5 minutes flat, six seconds quicker than the fifteen year old previous record.

The Nottingham/Leander composite in the elite quads (Borne Cup) produced the first ever sub-five minute time for a quad scull at the regatta in beating Reading University by 2 1/2 lengths in a time of 4:55.

Other Nottingham winners were in the double sculls, with the Nottingham/Runcorn composite defeating Tees in the Sch/Junior 2x (Raynor Cup), and in the Senior 2x (Rosie Mayglothling Trophy), where NRC equalled the course record to beat Sport Imperial Boat Club by 3/4 length in the final

In the Elite Singles, Lindsay Marshall reached the semi-finals, where she narrowly lost to former NRC member Franki Jus-Burke, now rowing for Thames, despite leading at the barrier and Fawley. Jus-Burke went on to win the final by four lengths.

Winning crews with NRC members:
Elite 4-: Jenny Arnold (DUBC), Monica Relph (NRC), Lottie Howard-Merrill (Sport Imperial), Polly Swan (Glasgow)
Elite 4x: Catherine Lineker (NRC), Lauren Fisher (NRC), Victoria Meyer-Laker (NRC), Pippa Whittaker (Leander)
Senior 2x: Victoria Bramley (NRC), Fiona Bassett (NRC)
Junior 2x: Lucy Burgess (Runcorn), Katie Bartlett (NRC)

Other NRC crews:

Nottingham off to Henley in force

published 17th June

Club coaches Helen Bloor and Mike Fay are taking four crews - an eight, four, lightweight double and lightweight coxless four. World Class Start coach Julie Edwards has entered a joint School double scull,a senior women's double and a joint quad with Tees and Rob Roy.

Dez Atkin's high performance women will be in a single scull,a lightweight double, a senior quad and a coxless four. Andrew Wilson and Ben Dobbs will take a J16 quad.

Dan Johnson has entered two Wyfold Fours for the Royal Regatta. Ben Sibly will scull in a joint Fawley Cup entry with Peterborough City.

The Club's Masters have yet to finalise their arrangements but Bill Payne will be making his customary appearance.

Loughborough Regatta 2010

published 17th June

The morning programme was a mixture of heats and finals. Nick Musson won Intermediate 3 sculls, Ben Sibly followed this with a resounding victory over his Loughborough opponent and the morning finished with the Junior 15 girls eight, which had shown good form at National Schools, turning up only to find that Nottingham University had withdrawn. An embarrassed Regatta Committee awarded the race to the girls but did not award any points. The crew stroked by Niamh Gibbons rowed over and claimed the trophies. The afternoon was all finals and the Club then won seven more events.

First winners of the afternoon were Dominic Harrison and Ed Fisher, coached by Martin Kay'rowing in their Linear Insulations sponsored boat.They took Intermediate 2 double sculls from a strong field. Hereford and Belfast were then defeated by the winning Intermediate 2 Coxless pair.This was followed by wins in Intermediate 2 sculls and Novice sculls where Tom Lister, coached by Julie Edwards, won an all Nottingham final. Ben Sibly sculled away from the field to take the Intermediate 1 title, his second win of the day.

Impressive crew wins were recorded by the Women's Intermediate 2 Eight coached by Helen Bloor, currently preparing for Women's Henley and the girls U18 quad of Mary Wilson, Lucy Crooks, Holly Oughton and Sarah Padbury who, although only 16, brushed aside older opposition from Newark Rowing Club and Welbeck College.The crew is coached by Andrew Wilson and Ben Dobbs and are preparing for Women's Henley too.

Nottingham Take Two at Marlow Town

published 15th June

Marlow Town Regatta was rowed over a 900m downstream stretch of the River Thames starting at Bisham Abbey. Conditions were fine and dry.

Jo Topham (Trinity School, Aspley) and Harry Townsend (South Wolds School, Keyworth) won the J15 Double Sculls. The Umpire awarded the race to the boys after Latymer Upper School were judged to have impeded them in a race for the line.

Lexxie Millett (Becket School) teamed up with a Marlow sculler and won the Women's Junior 16 Double Sculls.

Women perfect at British Masters

Early report by Mike Fay

published 14th June

With Women's Henley coming up next week, NRC's women only entered two races at the British Masters Championships, but won them both against tough fields. The racing, at Holme Pierrepont, took in the whole range of June weather, from a chilly start through some warm spells of sun, to an early evening downpour.

Athalie Redwood-Brown claimed the first gold of the day for the club, winning a hard-fought final of the Women's Masters A singles after opening the days racing with a win in the heats to take the gold from a field of seven.

Not to be outdone were the Women's Masters B eight of Netty Cox, Ruth Hyde, Lou Townrow, Lisa Bailey, Sarah Royles, Cassie White, Katherine Wiley and Zara Muirhead-Smith, coxed by Ashley Hewitt. Although they faced former World Masters medallists in the fast-starting field of five, the NRC crew held their nerve and pushed through the pack to the front. They took the gold by a length from the other crews, who were left to battle for the silver. Their boat, "Hello Gorgeous", has been recently bought by the club following a fund raising Duck Race and a boat naming auction, won by the West Bridgford beauty salon of the same name.

In the men's races, Graham Angus and Chris Beesley won bronze in the D double sculls, while Peter Massey, Bill Payne, Stuart Wharton and Carl Unwin overcame the rain to win gold for the NRC/Nottingham & Union composite in the H/I quads

Five wins on Dorney Lake at Met Regatta

published 7th June

The prestigious Metropolitan Regatta was held on Dorney Lake at Eton, site of the 2012 Olympic rowing events. In bright sunshine crews raced over the classic 2,000m course.

Nottingham Rowing Club was involved in 5 wins at the regatta.

First trophy of the Saturday was Women's Elite Double Sculls, a joint effort with Yarm School. This was followed by Lyndsey Marshall, who is coached by Dez Atkins, taking Intermediate 1 sculls from Quintin and Molesey opponents. A combined Women's Elite Quad then beat another combination involving Leander Club and Nottingham.

Highlight of the day was a convincing win in Men's Coxless fours where Richard Watton, Andreas Endruweit, Mark Child and Ray Hughes, coached by Dan Johnson, dominated their event and defeated crews from Bristol, London and Molesey.

On Sunday the Women's Elite combination Quad battled home just ahead of the Nottingham/Leander composite.

Four Star Sculling Day at Peterborough Regatta

Report by Martin Kay

published 7th June, updated 8th June

On Saturday 5th June, Nottingham's Junior scullers showed star form in small boats across the age groups, on a beautiful day at the 1000M Peterborough rowing course next to the River Nene.

Tom Huskinson, 17, racing "Carpe Diem" in Senior sculling category Intermediate 1, cleared the field in 2 rounds to win, then stepped into a coxless four with the Men's squad, raced, stepped out and promptly threw up after the fierce pace. Undeterred, and rehydrated, he went straight out again to the Junior 18 sculls final, to win that in style 3 lengths ahead of heavier opponents.

Star No. 2 Declan Gamble, 16, in Intermediate 3 sculls faced 3 preliminary races in the 18-man draw, then came up against a giant adult sculler in the final. Even so he managed second place, just 1 ½ lengths behind and raising quite a few eyebrows, with Nick Musson also creditably reaching the final in 4th place.

Star No 3, Alicia Brown, 16, cemented her comeback record with two confident wins ahead of her age category, in both Intermediate 3 and Junior 18 sculls, in her new Wintech boat "Miss Brown."

Single sculler Star No4, Dominic Parnell, racing in "Red Arrow", together with last week's doubles crewmate Connor Gamble, in his Culligan-sponsored Wintech boat, both 14, finished 1st and 2nd respectively at the head of the J14 field, setting the pace in this age-group and underscoring the training programme set up by their coach Claire Parnell this year.

J14 sculler Dominic Parnell also competed at Peterborough on the Sunday, rowing up an age group and won J15 2x in a composite crew with Leeds Rowing Club and came 2nd in J15 1x after being knocked back by the launch wash during the race – he missed 1st place by 1 second.

Nottingham Juniors Land 6 Medals at 3-Day National Schools Regatta.

Report by Martin Kay

31st May 2010, published 4th June

The two Gold medals won in quad sculls on the Holme Pierrepont rowing course at the weekend (see separate report) were backed up with three silvers and a bronze. This strong performance overall shows how the 2006 amalgamation of four Nottingham Clubs (Britannia RC, Nottingham Boat Club, Notts County RA and Nottingham Schools RA), is really now bearing fruit at junior level as well as in senior rowing.

On Friday over the 1000M short course, Connor Gamble and Dominic Parnell claimed the silver medal in a field of 23 entries in J14 double sculls, with the gold going to a heavier Walton crew more suited to the stiff headwind. “They really rowed at their best," said coach Claire Parnell, "It bodes well for upcoming Regattas. While Dominic has a wealth of experience in winning regattas, Connor is a newcomer with 6 months in a boat, a credit to the Club and his sponsors, Culligan International UK Ltd." J14 girls Lexxie Millett and Sarah Lyons are snapping at their heels, just missing the Finals in their 26-boat contest, so the rest of the season holds promise indeed for them too.

Saturday's racing brought a bronze medal for Katie Bartlett, a tough tight race with all the medals within a boat length. She was deliberately racing up a year in J17 single sculls in her Wintech boat sponsored by Baxi Heating, while crewmates Holly Oughton and Mary Wilson made the final in the 24-boat draw for girls' J16 double sculls.

In the big boat the first ever J15 girls' eight fielded by the Club hit surprising form with coach Heidi Dobbs thrilled to get them to 5th overall having got ahead of Emanuel, Haberdashers and Kings Chester Schools in a spirited semi final qualifying row. At J18 level, Ben Sibly achieved 6th placing in the final of Saturday's Championship Sculls, an event with no room for mistakes, from a draw of 24 scullers. Coach Martin Kay noted that many of these are fellow GB Triallists, all aiming, as he is, at the GB Teams for Junior World Championships in Czech Republic or the Coupe de Jeunesse in Belgium.

Sunday brought thrills and spills. Comeback girl Alicia Brown made silver medal position in J16 single sculls, after 6 months out for injury. "I am really pleased with this" said coach Julie Edwards, "considering it is her first race back in the boat."

Coxless pair makes the Final without a rudder in vicious crosswind.
The J16 coxless pair of Tom Savage and Culligan- sponsored Declan Gamble, an inexperienced combination, realised their target of making their Final, as a beginner crew among 10 well-supported school crews. By removing the rudder in training, they went sufficiently faster to be in with a chance, though risky. As relative beginners, qualification from the semi final would only be possible with no rudder, provided no steering infringement happened. They did it. Then Finals day dawned with that ferocious crosswind, but great skill got them down the course without mishap, even though they were robbed of 5th placing by a major launch wash which chucked the boat out of the water and landed them in 6th position. "Well satisfied" said Tom, "lets go on to the British National Championships in July!"

The following race on Sunday saw another first for NRC, with Saturday's J16 boys' quad winners splitting into two doubles and both in the final from a 25-crew field. With both crews feeling the fatigue after the hard quad race, Tom Selby and George Greenfield pushed on bronze, just missing it in 4th, while Ed Fisher and Dom Harrison, lying 2nd, attacked Commercial RC from Dublin in the last 250M, only to be thwarted at 150M to go by another launch wash, leaving them back in the silver slot. This total score of two gold medals, three silver and a bronze speaks for itself, for a Club where in a squad of 60, twelve athletes made the medals podium, seven of them twice, and another twelve made the final placings 4th to 6th, making 40% of the squad across the ages reaching the finals.

Duck race fundraiser

Report by Viccy Newton

1st June 2010

Bank holiday Monday saw the release of 600 ducks down the white water canoe course at Holme Pierrepont to raise money for the new women's 8, with 10% of proceeds going to MacMillan.

The ducks were prepped and ready to go (carbo-loading had been taking place), and the conditions looked good for a fast, but civilised time down the white water course. What we hadn't banked on was the skill and cunning of those pesky ducks, and the secret escape plans they had been hatching (!) whilst in their boxes in the boathouse.

After some initial treading water in the first rapid, the ducks started moving off down the course, ably encouraged by the odd bemused canoeist. Quite a few got stuck in the first eddies and the numbers dwindled as they neared the finish line, lulling the marshals into a false sense of security. The first three ducks came through in a civilised fashion, and the winning numbers were recorded, but then, phase 2 of their escape plan kicked in. Approximately 400 ducks then rushed the finish line netting and broke through, with their sights set on the main stretch of the river Trent, 100m further down the course.

The marshals were caught unawares, and ducky freedom looked to be in their sights, as the ducks made it out onto the river. The club netters and baggers rushed up and down the bank like loonies thinking all was lost (at £1 for each duck we couldn't return!), until salvation appeared in the form of one small canoe, and a fireman with a bizarre desire to strip off and jump into the river.

Stuart the Jolly canoeist, Fireman Dan and a flotilla of random people waving nets then managed to capture almost all the escapees, although many had got a good kilometre further downstream before captured.

A magnificent seven did manage to elude capture however, and we bid them well on their voyage of discovery, and hope they don't have too much trouble with the locks downstream!

Thank you very much to everyone who bought and sold tickets, provided nets, launched the ducks without slipping in, took photos, ran about like madmen, and special thanks to Stuart and Dan for going beyond the call of duty and providing much entertainment to those on the bank!

We raised just over £3000 in total - Thank you!

Winning ducks from yesterday were

1st - Ticket 288 - Janet Deacon (sold by Ruth Hyde)
2nd - Ticket 41 - Elizabeth Mayfield (sold by John Bartlett)
3rd - Ticket 162 - Marisa Bailey (sold by Sarah Jones)
605 ran

National Schools Regatta 2010

Report by Martin Kay

1st June 2010

Double Tops in Quads for Robin Hood County
Under 16's Scoop Both National Schools Gold Medals in Quadruple Sculls.
Hunt on for Equipment Sponsors to Back Younger Athletes.

Nottingham Rowing Club's J16 squad have scored again in a big way by winning the hotly contested quad sculling events in both boys' and girls' events, in the face of strong opponents from top Schools as well as Clubs nationwide.

Saturday's tussle with Westminster School for Tom Selby at Stroke, Dominic Harrison, George Greenfield and Edward Fisher steering ended in a convincing winning margin after a hard fight in the middle of the race with both crews clearing the rest of the field. Rowing in their state-of-the-art Nottingham built boat from Ray Sims, never dropping below 37strokes/minute, the boys said that "the further it went the easier it felt", a sure sign that their technique was right for the job on the day, using the successful Race Plan which brought Olympic Gold to our GB lightweight scullers in Beijing 2008.

Sunday saw a repeat performance in the face of a big push from high quality opponents by Mary Wilson at Stroke, Katie Bartlett, Holly Oughton and Sarah Padbury steering, with the Nottingham girls leading off the start to take the race by the scruff of the neck. Dropping Sir William Borlase early on, they then countered a major burst by Tideway Scullers School over the middle stage of the race. Sticking to the Race Plan of getting an early lead, then make sure of the result by the 3rd 500M section, the girls powered to a 6 second margin at the Line. Their Wintech boat, also Nottingham supplied, is of a tried and tested design used by the Chinese Olympic team also in Beijing.

Both these boats are privately funded by the athletes families, and so will be expected to follow the crews as they progress up the age-groups to Under 18 in 2012. The Rowing Club has a bulge of 14 and 15 year old athletes coming through, so the hunt is now on for one or more benefactors to find up to £30,000 in coming months, so that these younger crews can form and repeat the process next year with the right tools for the job.

Nottingham City Regatta 2010

Report by Keith Atkinson

27th May 2010

Nottingham City Regatta was rowed on the lake at the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont over the 2,000m international Olympic distance (1,000m for Masters events.)

Over 1,000 athletes and their supporters watched over 300 crews battle for trophies on calm water and under cloudless skies. Event Organisers bought extra water and sunscreen for helpers and even had an emergency plan in case of thunderstorms. The weather remained fine and warm. Competitors were even entertained by a local steel-band. The scene was set for what turned out to be a very successful event.

Nottingham Rowing Club had an excellent day. The High Performance group, coached by Dez Atkins and based at the Centre, won five events. First over the line was a very impressive Senior quadruple scull stroked by Nikki Spencer with Lyndsey Marshall, Monica Relph and Athelie Redwood-Brown on board, they were ahead of a Nottingham Rowing Club Junior composite crew. They followed a club men's novice quad who came second in their first race ever. The next race saw a photo-finish with the Club's Intermediate 1 double missing out by inches.

Kate Hurst won Novice Sculls. Victoria Meyer-Laker took the Women's Intermediate 2 singles and then with Monica Relph, the Intermediate 2 double sculls. In this race, Nottingham took the first three places but again the Juniors were put in their place by the Senior Women. Lyndsey Marshall won Intermediate 1 sculls to complete the Club's domination of sculling events.

The Club's Men, coached by Dan Johnson, had a good day too, winning another three trophies. Taylor Rodwell won Novice Sculls, and Men's Captain Aidy Liebert and Gary Padmore from Nottingham Trent University reversed their morning disappointment by winning Intermediate 2 Double Sculls. But pride of place goes to the Men's Intermediate 2 coxless four of Richard Watton, Andreas Endruit, Mark Childs and Ray Hughes, who although dumped off the start showed superior race pace and caught, overtook and beat the field. The eight wins brings the Club's summer total to 33 following hard on the winter total of 58 trophies.

National Schools Regatta Preview

preview by Keith Atkinson

24th May 2010

On Friday the UK's premier junior rowing regatta comes again to the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont, recently taken over by Nottinghamshire County Council. Since 1973 the best of the Nation's junior athletes from the biggest Schools to the smallest Clubs have come here to contest the full range of events in the sport of Rowing. Events are open to ages from Under 14 (J14) up to Under 18 (J18 Championship) classes. Last year there was a record entry of 3973 competitors from 153 Clubs and Schools, both boys and girls.

The Regatta offers exciting racing over 1000M for J14 and J15 crews on Friday 28 May, and over the full 2000M course for J16, J17 and J18 Championship crews, on Saturday and Sunday 28 and 29 May. Our East Midlands Rowing Clubs, based on the Rivers Trent, Soar and Witham, will once again face the best from Devonshire to Aberdeenshire, including the great and famous Public School names as well as the major Clubs based on the Rivers Thames, Severn and Clyde, to name just a few. Without a range of big rowing schools in this region, the flag will be flown by the junior sections of our Clubs, whose members' own schools do not have their own Boat Clubs. Team Supporters and Spectators are generally able to follow the action from the moving vantage point of double-decker buses along the South side of the Rowing Course. This grandstand view is often rewarded with close and thrilling racing across the 6- lane Course. Event types in each age-group, both sexes, feature sculling (two oars per person) in single, double and quadruple crews. For older athletes, (J16 to Championship J18), as well as the sculling events, sweep-oar rowing (with one oar per person) is contested in pairs, fours and eights.

Entries in some events can reach up to 40 hopeful crews, so early races each day are processional Time Trials to reduce the field to 12 or 18 crews, who will then contest 2 or 3 semi-finals respectively to qualify for the Finals. Once in the final line-up towards the end of the day, the stage will be set for loudly cheered crews to fight it out over the final stages in front of large crowds of family, fellow team-mates and the Public all along the final 500 metres. Presentation of Medals always takes place at the Finish Tower Pontoon. Gold, Silver or Bronze medals are up for the taking. These crews may well face racing flat-out over the Course three times in the day, taking it right to the wire in many events.

Racing can start from 8:15AM according to entry levels, and details can be found online at the Regatta website: www.NSR.org.uk

NRC take Four at Shrewsbury Regatta

Report by Mike Fay

16th May 2010

Shrewsbury Regatta, organised by Pengwern Boat Club, is located in a picturesque river valley in the centre of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, with Saturday racing covering a 1000 metre upstream stretch of the River Severn. This year, the Saturday racing enjoyed fine weather, with calm water for the racing. NRC crews from the veterans, womens and juniors sections were all in action.

The women 's IM1 crew of Shirley Myers, Sarah Royles, Cassie White and Viccy Newton coxed by Ashley Hewitt, powered through both of their rounds to win convincingly. This marked Cassie White's first rowing point, and she added another shortly afterwards as stroke of the Novice Eight. Along with Netty Cox, Ruth Hyde, Heather Wesson, Johanna Zumer, Charlie Whyman, Lisa Bailey and Cat Rooke, having defeated Royal Chester in the first round comfortably beat out The Queen's College in the final.

Not to be outdone, the veterans also claimed two wins. The Masters E eight defeated Pengwern on their home water in the first round before triumphing over Bewdley in the finals, again with Ashley as cox. Finally, Dave Sperry and Alan Crowther claimed a win in the Masters C double sculls against Trafford.

A J14 girls crew had their first taste of regatta action, and although not successful this time have now been bitten by the bug and are keen to join in the winning in future.

NRC Squad Lands 9 Trophies at Durham City Regatta

Report by Martin Kay

9th May 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club's annual foray to the 750M Durham City Regatta on 8 May scored a tankard tally of 9 wins. Racing against Clubs and Schools mainly from the North East, we steered the not – quite – so - easy "straight" course with a few close shaves and one "Bank visit", to spice up the enjoyable day which all clubs racing there appeared to have in sunny but sharp conditions, with curiously quirky winds coming down the slope from Pelaw Wood.

In the intense every 2- minutes racing programme the thrill of the day came with a dead heat in J18 quads for Ben Dobbs' (J16) girls against locals Durham School. Turned round to re-row immediately, they pulled out the stops and won convincingly, from being behind initially, pointing to sound training foundations being put to good effect. This came after the crew had already had an all- NRC tussle in the final of W IM3 doubles, where honours went narrowly to Holly Oughton and Mary Wilson just ahead of Holly Barr and Lucie Crooks.

Connor Gamble won J14 sculls final, well ahead after a tough semi final, and in IM3 double sculls Nick Musson teamed up with Ben Thomas from Boston to finish out in front with their best row this season.

Other All-NRC finals saw Tom Huskinson win J18 singles v Tom Lister, and J16 boys in alternative combinations George Greenfield and Ed fisher just ahead of quad crewmates Dom Harrison and Tom Selby in Elite Double Sculls. These J16's had also won J18 doubles and IM2 doubles in their usual combinations too.

Veteran G coach Martin Kay was able to win single sculls, in Tom Huskinson's boat kindly lent for the purpose, nevertheless remembering that the saying "Don't do what I do, do what I say" still applies!

In Novice Double Sculls, Mike Lavelle and Fin Hooker tasted their first race wins in 2 early rounds of their big event draw. Getting across the line ahead for the first time is always unforgettable and an exciting vital step setting you up to win in future

A very good day, with thanks very much due from everyone to Andrew Wilson for masterminding trailer loading and towing up the A1 in what always turns out to be a long tough stint at the wheel.

Junior Inter Regional Regatta April 25 2010

5th May 2010

Only bad luck keeps Team East Midlands out of the top three.

This year the East Midlands region fielded its strongest team ever. With 18 members of the team doubling up we were able to enter boats in every event for the first time. Nottingham crews formed the mainstay of the team with strong contingents from Newark and Leicester. Derby, Burton and Trent were also represented. This year saw the first inclusion of scullers from Lincoln and Derwent. Finding enough rowers to fill all of the slots has always been a problem. This year we only had three J15 boys in the whole region to fill 11 places. Thankfully an inexperienced J14 composite 4x/+ crew from Derwent, Lincoln and Leicester gallantly stepped into the breach to row up in the J15 4x/+. Then Callum Jones who was home for the weekend from St Edwards School agreed to do the J15 single and double up into a scratch J15 4+ with James Mckeating (coxing) Will Ablet from Leicester, Joe Topham and Jack Caston. Which left Joe and Jack to doubled up to fill the 2x slot.

During the morning most of the East Midlands crews raced well and qualified for the A finals. In all 20 out of 24 including all of the single scullers who score double points. The J15 4+ was one of these qualifying crews but unfortunately when Caston and Topham raced in the double their luck ran out. At half way they were well in contention when things started to go wrong, at 500m to go disaster struck, Jack collapsed in the boat with a suspected asthma attack. Eventually they were able to manoeuvre the boat to the side and Jack was taken into the ambulance for treatment. Though Jack did recover sufficiently to race the 4+ final the 2x wasn't able to race again so the points from that event were lost.

In the afternoon the finals got off to a good start with Callum Jones collecting a silver medal in J15 1x, This was followed by a Gold in J16 1x (Trent) and another silver in WJ14 1x (Newark). The other single scullers Including Mary Wilson in WJ16 all put in strong performances and added very healthy points scores to the total. Dom Parnel was particularly unlucky not to medal after being put off by the wash from a safety launch.

In the quads and fours event s the successes continued with silver medals in the Mj14 4x/+ (Newark) and MJ16 4+(Leicester, Newark). The J16 and WJ16 quads from Nottingham also came up with the goods. The boys quad of Tom Selby, Dom Parnel, George Greenfield and Ed Fisher stamped their authority on the event with a convincing Gold and the girls quad of Mary Wilson, Holly Oughton, Lucy Crookes and Sarah Padbury took the silver behind a strong Tideway scullers crew.

The J15 quads and fours didn't fair quite as well but still brought in points for the team. The WJ15 4+ of Lois Packham, Sarah McKeating, Georgia Lee, Lizzy Walsh, coxed by Jess Gaten set the pace in the first part of the race but faded to finish in 6th place, The WJ15 4x/+ of Megan Hughes, Sarah Lyons, Lucy Mason, Niamh Gibbons, Tabitha Millet managed 5th. The MJ15 4+ understandably out of sorts also came in 6th place.

In the doubles events there were more very strong performances from East Midlands Crews. In MJ16 2x Ben Eames from Trent (who had already won Gold in the 1x ) teamed up with Chris Williams from Burton they battled through to win silver. In the WJ16 2x Harriet Housam from Boston (who had competed in WJ15 1x) stepped in with Holly Thompson Barr to replace the injured Chloe Smedley. After a good effort in the heat they finish 6th in the final. In the heat of the WJ15 2x Nottingham double of Helen Ladds and Lexxie Millet put in an under par performance to qualify in 5th pace. After a stirring pep talk from coach Julie Ladds they turned things around dramatically in the final to take the silver only 1 length down on the winners. The WJ14 2x from Trent RC were fourth and the MJ14 2x from Nottingham of Dom Parnel and Connor Gamble put in a very strong performance to take yet another silver.

Coming to the last events of the day, the overall scores were very close and it was looking like we may actually take second place overall. The eights events are always a challenge for the East Midlands because we never have a whole crew from one club that can train together. As a result when we have entered crews then they have always been scratch composites. This year was no exception the girls eight consisted of the coxed 4 from Leicester and Newark with additional girls from Leicester and Derby and the boys eight was the boys coxed four from Leicester and Newark joined by Mike Lavelle, Matt Pomeroy and Declan Gamble from Nottingham and Ben Thomas from Boston. Both crews managed a brief outing on Saturday afternoon but that was the only practice they had and for Mike Lavelle this was his first ever experience of sweep oar rowing.

Despite having the odds stacked against them both eight attacked the event with total conviction. The girls narrowly missed qualifying for the A final and finished 8th overall. The boys eight which had finished second in the heat behind Kings school Chester came out of the blocks with all guns blazing. While Hampton School and Kings Chester moved ahead, our boys were well in the battle for the bronze for much of the race. In the last sprint the lack of practice started to show and they slipped into 5th place only a length and half behind Monmouth school in the bronze medal position.

After an amazing effort from all of our crews and some fantastic racing we waited with baited breath for the final scores. In the boys competition East Midlands were second, only 3 points behind the North West and in the girls competition we were 4th. Having finished fourth overall last year we were hoping to break into the top three but it was not to be. The overall totals placed Northwest in Gold, Thames Upriver in Silver and Thames Downriver in Bronze, the East Midlands in 4th place again missing 3rd by only 6 points.

What Katie did next!

27th April 2010

The GB Junior Regatta was held at Dorney Lake, site of the 2012 Rowing events, on Sunday 26th April. Competitors were aiming to achieve a standard which would lead to an invitation to the final GB team selection.

Nottingham Rowing Club's Katie Bartlett, a pupil at Holygirt School, finished 7th in the initial time-trial but was only 3 seconds behind the winner.

Katie raced hard in her semi to finish in the first three and qualify for the A final. With 300 metres to go in the final Katie was lying fifth but she put in her trademark finish burst. She overtook two boats and came third overall, much to the delight of coach Julie Edwards, who is sponsored by the Siemens World Class Start scheme, her father John and her boat sponsors Baxi.

Katie is still a J 16 athlete and has two more years rowing as a junior!

JU16 Quad Scullers Strike Gold for East Midlands at Junior Interregional Regatta

Report by Martin Kay, Graham Greenfield

26th April 2010

Sunday 25th April 2010 saw the National Junior Interregional Rowing Regatta held at the National Water Sports Centre, Holme Pierrepont. This event brings the best in each of 12 regions in the country to compete against each other.

In the JU16 Quadruple Sculls category Nottingham Rowing Club's crew of Tom Selby, Dominic Harrison, George Greenfield and Ed Fisher, representing East Midlands, won their mid morning heat by a narrow margin of less than a second against the champions of the Thames Upper Region.

This set up a thrilling final, with the six best regional crews battling against each other for the J16 quad gold medal. The Nottingham boys made a strong start and after 500m had moved to half a length lead from the Welsh regional representatives with Thames Upper region a close third. In the next 500m the Nottingham crew pushed hard extending their lead to over a length, with Thames Upper and Wales neck and neck for second place. In the final 500m Nottingham increased their stroke rate to 38 per minute which proved too much for the competition. The early pace took its toll on the Welsh representatives which allowed North West Region to take bronze, Thames Upper Region to take silver and the Nottingham crew a well deserved gold medal, winning by a length and a half.

Three very valuable silver medals from Nottingham boosted the EM Team score to bring us up to 4th place nationally. Callum Jones In JU15 Single Sculls, with Dominic Parnell and Connor Gamble in J14 Double Sculls flew the flag for the boys, while in the JU16 Quad Sculls, Lucy Crooks, Holly Oughton, Sarah Padbury and Mary Wilson brought in another strong performance, again showing the all round strength in the Club's youngsters' squad at this early stage in the racing season.

Junior Inter Regional Championships – could this be a record year?

22nd April 2010

This year's Junior Inter Regional Regatta takes place on Sunday at Holme Pierrepont. It is a competition between the 12 British rowing regions who each put forward a team covering most boat types for categories J14,J15 and J16. With only 9 clubs and no eligible rowing schools the East Midlands is one of the smallest regions so it is no surprise that in the past we have found it hard to compete with the likes of Thames Upper and The North west. This year for the first time ever we have managed to put together a full team. With such a small pool of rowers to draw on most of the eligible rowers in the region have been included and quite a few are having to double up events. This year Nottingham are making a significant contribution to this team with 35 out of the 84 places filled by Nottingham Members

To put this into some context in the early years of the event the most Nottingham managed to contribute to the regional team was maybe one or two scullers. After 2003 the number of Nottingham rowers in the team gradually grew but with limited success. In 2005 only 4 of the East Midlands crews managed to make the finals and only the J14 boys 2x managed to win a medal (silver). Over the next couple of years the number of finalists and medals grew slowly but because we couldn't fill all of the events we were loosing too many points to the bigger regions. In 2006 EM were 8th overall, 2007 we were 9th, 2008 after getting together our strongest team to date the event was cancelled due to bad weather. Last year 2009 we came back with a vengeance finishing 2nd in the girls competition and 5th in the boys we managed 4th overall.

Over the years this event has encouraged the development of junior rowing in the region. The necessity to make up composite crews has spawned many collaborations and friendships between the clubs. On a personal note I am very please that so many of the young people that I have taught to row in my time as Community Sports Coach have developed on to be such competitive athletes (39 out of the total of 84).

This year's team should be the strongest yet with many of the selected crews and scullers having real medal prospects. So weather permitting I hope we might be in for something really special on Sunday.

Jim Waller

NRC Juniors enjoy mixed fortunes at Leicester regatta Sunday 18 April

20th April 2010

Nottingham Junior section had 4 singles and 3 doubles racing at Leicester regatta. More crews had been entered but unfortunately did not get races as the regatta was heavily oversubscribed. While the racing crews enjoyed a great day out at Leicester those not competing were able to take advantage of the great weather to put in some hard training for the Junior Inter regional Championships next weekend.

Leicester Regatta is a very friendly and well run event which provides a good sharpener for crews at the beginning of the season and a safe venue for the inexperienced to enjoy their first race. It does however provide another challenge for Nottingham crews who are used to wide expanses of water as the river is quite narrow with hard banks and some overhanging bushes.

The first crew to come a cropper was the boys J14 double of Niall Hughes and Max Hancock. This was the first race for a crew that only got together last week with Max having only started rowing in early March. They rowed well off the start but at 100m gone failed to see the overhanging willow bushes which grabbed them. By the time they managed to untangle themselves the race was lost. Rowan Law had a similar problem in his straight final in J13 singles. Fortunately he was able to extricate himself a bit quicker and after a spirited fight back he rowed through his opposition from Peterborough to win his first pot at his first regatta. Other mishaps included Joe Topham colliding with a swan in J15 singles and the boys J15 double losing a slight lead after clipping the bank in a very close race with Kings School Ely.

Jack Caston from the double had no such problems in the J15 singles event which he won convincingly after progressing through three rounds. Likewise the WJ15 double of Helen Ladds and Lexxie Millet also had a comfortable win. Lexxie Millet and Peter Savage both won their heats to get through to the finals in WJ15 singles and J12 singles but were beaten by strong opposition. Despite mishaps it was a thoroughly enjoyable day and the Nottingham juniors did the club proud, not only with performances on the water but also with their good sportsmanship, behaviour and the co operation they demonstrated getting the boats on and off the water.

Junior rowers scoop five medals at Gent International Regatta

report by Martin Kay

12th April 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club's annual team entry to the Gent Spring International 2-day regattas last weekend brought home a medal tally of 2 Golds, 2 Silvers and a Bronze. Racing against Clubs and Schools from up to 7 European nations in many events, this performance further underlines the strength in depth that the Junior Squad has built up over the last 3 years.

In the packed racing schedule, JU16 double scullers Dominic Harrison (Col Frank Seeley Sch) and Edward Fisher (Harry Carlton Sch) took Silver on Saturday in a 20-crew draw, then topped it on Sunday with a Gold, a length ahead of Germania Dusseldorf RC, hammering home with a sparkling performance in a vicious cross-headwind.

In Sunday's U23 single sculls event, Ben Sibly, 18, (Bilborough College) won Gold and the East Flanders Province Trophy with a blistering attack on the Dutch/Belgian/British field in the same tough conditions.

JU16's Holly Oughton and Mary Wilson kept the Club flag flying with a Silver medal in JU18 coxless pairs, having challenged themselves to race 2 years above their age. In a similar adventure, they followed up with Bronze in JU18 double sculls, lending further credit to the effective training programmes at all levels provided by the Club's coaching team.

On both days the Club's JU18 quad scullers, in deliberately untried combinations, including Ben Thomas of Boston Rowing Club, produced top-drawer results in the top 5, overcoming several rival UK School crews in the process.

Saturday evening's final event saw a surprisingly effective combined Gentse RS/Nottingham RC eight, fielding Tom Huskinson, Ed Fisher, Nick Musson and Tom Savage with four Gentse RS rowers Reinout Laureyns' Iskandar Kholbadayev, Hannes Zeghers, Jonas Vanderhaegen with cox Julien Vandenbroucke, racing in a top flight Empacher boat provided by the home Club. Breaking into the top half of the rankings among well-practised school opposition after only two short training sessions, they came out of the woodwork to upset many longer-standing UK school crews. Both Clubs agreed that this again proves the standard policy of single sculling, which always gives the racing skills to do well in any bigger boat type.

At the beginner level this Regatta's JU14 events enabled Peter Savage, 12, to kick start his rowing career with his first races in both single and double sculling (with Davide, a Gentse sculler) among 41 other JU14 scullers.

A big "Thank you" goes to Annemarie de Wispelaere of Gentse RS Club for hosting such a highly competitive and enjoyable regatta, and to Dieter Oosterlynck, GRS Junior Coach, for making the combined eight possible. Martin Kay

Bedford Fours & Small Boats Head

12th April 2010

Bedford Fours & Small Boats Head was held over a 2000 metre course on the River Great Ouse through the centre of the town on a day with sunny weather but an occasionally blustery headwind. Frustratingly, no wins came to Trentside crews despite Nottingham RC and Nottingham Trent combining for five second places.

Rachel O'Sullivan and Katherine Morton were second – by one second – in the women's senior pairs. Also taking second place were the women's novice coxed four of Cassie White, Cat Rooke, Lisa Bailey and Charlie Whyman, despite having a seat failure before the start in division 7 and having to race in division 8 in a different boat, with Sam from Trent coxing. Hayley and Rachel Kugele took equal second place in the W Int2 double sculls.

The Women's Int2 coxed four crew took fourth, although due to injury-enforced change the crew would have qualified as Int3, and put up a time that would have taken second in that category. The WInt1 4+ came third in their category.

Nottingham Trent's women crews second places came in the women's Int2 and Int3 coxed fours.

The Regatta Season - its here again!

5th April 2010

Our annual Club Regatta was held on Good Friday at Holme Pierrepont Rowing Lake, and again heralded the first thrills of side by side regatta racing, bringing a breath of Spring (with attendant rain of course!)

J16 single sculls winners Dominic Harrison and Mary Wilson were pushed hard by their respective Clubmates to get over the line first in their 1500M races with a strong crosswind all the way. Then Sam Ward, last year's winner of Open Sculls, returned from Southampton University to find a strong challenge from Tom Huskinson forcing him to dig deep at 1600M gone, in order to pull through and win the 2000M race. In J16 Double Sculls, Holly Oughton and Mary Wilson held their form to win the girls' event, while the stars of the day must surely be the Gamble Brothers, Declan, 16 and Connor, 14, who unexpectedly held on to their 20sec age - handicap (for Connor), storming the boys race to win decisively. No chance of getting that handicap twice!

Vintage trophy tankards, kindly donated by the family of the late Mike Butterworth, were awarded to the young winners. Some of these are over 50 years old, won by Mike at regattas from Leeds to Bridgnorth, lending a touch of continuity to our sport and a connection to the past for our new generation of keen scullers.

Thanks go also to parents and supporters who provided video, umpiring and finish judging, plus vital cakes and tea, without which we could not run such an event.

Tideway results

29th March 2010

The Vesta Veteran's Head the next day was raced on a shortened course from Hammersmith Bridge to Chiswick, as tides and time changes meant the traditional course would have had to have been run too late in the day. The race attracted crews from Europe and the US as well as the UK, and in an international field of 38 crews in the Vet C category, Nottingham RC claimed 9th overall. The Nottingham RC / Nottingham & Union / Henley RC Vet H composite was the fastest vet H crew, but were 4th in their G/H category. The Women's Vet B crew were unfortunately forced to withdraw due to illness.

Yet more wins for Nottingham rowers

report by Keith Atkinson

23rd March 2010

At Lincoln Dave Knight drove his Veteran eight to victory over a 5,500m upstream stretch of the River Witham on a cool showery spring day.

At Cambridge Dominic Parnell from Grove School Newark won both j14 single sculls and with his partner Connor Gamble from Dayncourt School Radcliffe-on Trent won the J 14 double sculls. It was Dominics 11th winter win. He is unbeaten in his class.

Nottingham Rowing Club have won an unprecedented winter total of 58 trophies!

Nottingham women take on the Tideway

report by Mike Fay

14th March 2010

Three Nottingham Rowing Club crews competed in the 70th Women's Eights Head of the River Race. Racing over the traditional 4 1/4 miles course from Chiswick to Putney, the crews were aided by mild and calm, but largely overcast, conditions.

Nottingham Rowing Club A claimed the Provincial pennant, with a time of 19:23.06, finishing 10th overall. NRC B finished in 124th at 21:10.97, while NRC C finished in 21:35.68 to take 174th overall, and more importantly third overall in the Novice Club category.

Nottingham was also represented by Katie Bartlett in the Great Britain junior squad boat composite crew, which finished 14th overall.

NRC's tenants, Nottingham Trent University, finished a commendable 71st overall.

Nottingham take two at Junior Scullers Head

13th March 2010

Fresh from victory in the Schools Head, Nottingham Rowing Club's J16 girls comfortably won the women's J16 quad sculls at the 2010 Junior Sculling Head. This time, they were joined in victory by the boys, who also won their J16 category, with the B crew coming 7th.

Nottingham J16 girls win Schools Head

12th March 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club's girls have triumphed in the 2010 Schools Head of the River, winning the JW16 eights in a time of 20 minutes and 34 seconds, two seconds ahead of last year's winners, Headington School. The race is held over the 4.5 miles championship course between Mortlake and Putney.

Coach Ben Dobbs said "I don't think I've ever seen a crew put that much grit and determination into a race to produce a result against the odds, I can't commend them highly enough! "

Nottingham Win Four On Home Water.

1st March 2010

The 2010 Head of the Trent was rowed on a 6,000 m stretch of the fast flowing river from Clifton Bridge to the Training ship Orion. In view of the winter storm warning the Race Committee cancelled Division 2 the day before, which had the novice and junior rowers in it. Fortunately, the weather was less severe on the day than the forecasts predicted, and Division 1 and 3 were able to go ahead as planned.

Nottingham Rowing Club won four events. The Women's eight with the high performance group coached by Dez Atkins were overall women's winners, claiming the Robin Haslam Trophy, and prepared well for London. The Veteran B/C eight stroked by Graham Angus, followed up their Boston win with another pot. The Intermediate 1 coxless four won. The J16 quad stoked by Dominic Harrison and coached by Martin Kay won too.

Sister Club, Nottingham Trent University, won Women's Intermediate 2 fours.

The four wins brought the winter haul to 51, another record for the new Club, now in its fourth full year.

Two Junior Wins At Norwich

28th February 2010

Dominic Parnell, a pupil at Grove School Balderton, continued his excellent winter preparation by winning J 14 sculls over a wet 2000 m course on the River Yare at Norwich.

He beat training partner Connor Gamble, from Daynecourt School, Radcliffe, into second place. The boys then teamed up and won J14 double sculls.

Coach Claire Parnell, with the 2010 season in mind, has the National Schools and National Championships regattas in her sights. The two wins brought Nottingham Rowing Club's winter total to 47.

Nottingham's junior rowers shine again

25th February 2010

Following Sport Nottinghamshire's recognition of the Nottingham Rowing Club's J14 boys quad as 'Team of the Year' comes news of an award to Sam Padbury as 'Sportsman of the Year' by Hinckley and Bosworth Sports Alliance.

Sam is coached by Martin Kay and amongst his many wins last year were gold and silver in the double at Ghent, doubles at Marlow and J18 singles at the Nottingham Small Boats Head.

Sam has complimentary membership of Hinkley Leisure Centre as part of the 'Backed for the future' scheme for talented athletes. He is currently training in his single and double sculls with Ben Sibly.

Veterans tame the Thames

23rd February 2010

Braving a river running an amber warning and taking on crews from the tideway and upper Thames, Nottingham Rowing Club Veteran eight, stroked by Bill Payne brought back the forty fifth trophy of the winter campaign.

Rowing in the F/G category (65+ age group) the crew had drafted in partially sighted Alan Crowther and club stalwart Chris Royles to bring the age down from 70+!

Bill explained that the conditions were very fast but the crew stuck to their task and completed the 3,000m on the Thames at Molesey, in fine form.

When the results were announced, placing Nottingham fourth overall, with the age-related handicaps applied, a roar of delight came from the Nottingham squad as they had left in their wake Tideway Scullers, Wallingford, Thames and Crabtree made up of ex Cambridge blues.

The crew are looking foreward to the Trent Head where they hope to repeat victory in front of home supporters.

Nottingham Boat Club prints for sale

12th February 2010

24x19 inch prints of A Century of Rowing by G. Herickx and Sunday Outing by A Spooner - depicting Nottingham Boat Club members in 1994 and 1894 respectively - are available for sale from Tony Lorrimer.

For more details see the attached leaflet

NEWS UPDATE (in case you missed it!)

11th January 2010

Alan Crowther and Dave Sperry won Veteran double sculls at Peterborough Head bringing the Club winter total to 42.

Steve Millet was shortlisted for Performance coach of the year at the Nottinghamshire Sports Review of the Year held at the University.

Steve's J14 Quad were awarded the Junior Team of the year trophy and were presented with a fine engraved glass plate. Having gone a whole season unbeaten and winning gold at National Schools and National Championships they were seen as Sporting Heroes - so well done indeed Jack Caston (Becket School), Jo Topham (Trinity School, Aspley) Harry Townsend (South Wold's School, Keyworth) cox Llachlan Smith, who has just returned to Australia and stroke Callam Jones (He also won J14 Singles at National Champs easily!) who has since gone on to St Edward's School, Oxford.

Junior Coach Ben Dobbs is currently coaching a Nottingham Rowing Club girls J16 eight. He hopes to start putting pressure on the big Public Schools. They came second to Headington School at Hampton and were third girls eight overall. Stroked by sculler Katie Bartlett they have entered the School's Head in London. Katie also came second to a Runcorn competitor in the J18 sculls.

Boston Head 2010

25th January 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club was well represented at the annual Boston Head of the River, run by Boston Rowing Club in three divisions, over 3,000m of the canalized River Witham. All Club Squads from high performance to women's novices entered.

First crews afloat took to the water at 8.30 am for a 10.00 am start. Conditions were cool, dull but dry with showers late in the day. Boats made their way up river to the 47km marker of the Boston Marathon at Anton's Gowt lock, and raced down to the 50km marker near the clubhouse.

First winner of the day was the women's novice eight stroked by Ruth Hyde with Army Captain Netty Cox at bow. They were coached by Helen Bloor and Mike Fay, and coxed by Ashley Hewitt from Becket School. A women's Intermediate 1 four also coached by Helen were the fastest in their class but had no opposition.

The High Performance section of the Club, coached by Dez Atkins had a good day with Lyndsey Marshall winning Elite Women's Sculls and George Caines winning Men's Elite Sculls.

Julie Edward's World Class Start group, sponsored by Siemens had a good day too. Rob Milligan won novice sculls. Katie Bartlett won J17 sculls in a faster time than the J18 race-she also pushed the club's elite women. Fiona Bassett took Women's Intermediate 3 sculls and Vicky Bramley stroked the winning Women's Intermediate double scull but their opposition did not race.

Martin Kay coached two winning doubles. Ben Sibly and Sam Padbury won Intermediate 1 Doubles and Dominic Harrison (Colonel Frank Seeley School Calverton) and Tom Savage (Djanogly City Academy) rowing in a boat sponsored by Linear Insulations, won the J16 event by 1 second from training partners and local rivals Newark Rowing Club.

Dominic Parnell, coached by Claire Parnell won both J14 and J15 sculls and in so doing, brought an end to an unbeaten run of 18 by a York City youngster.

The Club veteran men were not to be outsmarted by the rest of the members and produced a grandstand finish that was declared a dead- heat and the boats, one stroked by Dave Knight and the other by Jonny Austin shared 18 pots!

Twelve wins brings the winter trophy total for Nottingham Rowing Club to 43 in all, with three more months to go a winter all time record is on the cards.

The Carl Smith Memorial Fund

8th January 2010

Sometimes we don't realise what we have until we lose it and that describes exactly how the tragic loss of Carl has affected the Club. Carl was unique and his loss has reverberated across the rowing world.

Therefore, it is imperative that we ensure that Carl is not forgotten and to this end, the Carl Smith Memorial Fund is being established to ensure that, at least for a period of time each year, we associate Carl's name with our sport. The objective of the fund will be to assist promising young rowers by giving a small bursary each year to one outstanding junior (J15-18) based within the East Midland region.

More details and donations form

Carl Smith funeral service

Details from Andrew Wilson

8th January 2010

Carl Smith's funeral service will be on Friday 15th January, 1pm at St.Mary's Church, High Pavement, Lace Market, Nottingham. NG1 1HW

There are two multi-storey car parks just a minutes'walk on both nearby Fletcher Gate and Stoney Street.

The burial at 2pm, Wilford Hill Cemetry, Loughborough Road, Nottingham NG2 7FE http://www.multimap.com/s/j6A3dosJ

And also from 2pm at Nottingham Rowing Club, Trentside North, West Bridgford, Nottingham. NG2 5FA http://www.multimap.com/s/i5ZtWqAg

As attendance is likely to be large, would anyone hoping to attend please direct their e-mails to alexs@concept2.co.uk

Sad News

Tribute by Nick Hartland

3rd January 2010, updated 5th January 2010

Nottingham Rowing Club is sad to report the tragic death of four-time GB world champion Carl Smith, who was travelling home from a training session at Nottingham Rowing Club on New Year's Day, when his car left the road and hit a tree.

The 48-year-old father-of-two was a long-time member of the GB rowing team through the 1980s and 90s, winning lightweight doubles world gold with fellow Notts County rower, Alan Whitwell, in 1986 on their home Holme Pierrepont course.

Carl went on to win gold in 1991 (LM4-), 1992 (LM4-) and 1994 (LM8+), as well as winning one silver and three bronze medals, and two bronzes at the 1986 Commonwealth Games (L1x/2x) in Edingburgh.

Among numerous Henley wins, Carl was part of the lengendary Notts County eight that won the Ladies Plate at Henley Royal Regatta in dramatic style in 1988, breaking the record not once, but twice in one day, after a re-row was awarded against final opponents Harvard, who complained of a piece of wood trapped under their fin, following the British crew's five length victory.

Having already changed and started to celebrate, Notts County got back into their kit and went out and beat the three-stone-a-man heavier Americans again, lowering the record for a second time, by another two seconds, to six minutes 11 seconds. The prizegiving had already been held by the time of the re-race, but no-one returned home, with the Stewards Enclosure opened to the public and rammed to the rafters.

Amid memorable scenes, thousands roared them home and Sports Minister Colin Moynihan welcomed them back to the landing stage. The crew reconvened at Henley this year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their famous victory.

Our thoughts are with his wife, son and daughter.

Tribute by Nick Hartland (former NCRA rower) A tribute from some of Carl's friends and colleagues at Nottingham Rowing Club is included in this report from This is Nottingham

Down at The Boat - The Legend by the Trent

Article by Keith Atkinson

25th December 2009

Nottingham Boat Club, situated between Trent Bridge and the new Forest Stand, was founded in 1894 by a group who insisted on rowing on Sundays.

The founders are commemorated in a painting by local artist Arthur Spooner, which was later sold at auction for over £90,000.00.

The boathouse was gutted by suffragettes in 1913. At their next meeting they were subjected to " various indignities" by the men ("so nothing changes there then"! ) said Club Coach Helen Bloor.

In the 60's, 70's and 80's The Boat Club was one of the leading rock venues in the country hosting most of the great acts and artists of their time. A survey of local bands highlighted it as their favourite venue. Rod Stewart speaking recently to the audience at the new Nottingham Arena recalled gigs at the Boat with Jeff Beck. Robert Plant said "The punks hated us for Knebworth, quite rightly so But we couldn't go on playing The Nottingham Boat Club just to prove to people in long overcoats that we were OK. " Def Leppard in On Through the Nightmare said"At the Boat Club in Nottingham, capacity about 300, 400 were turned away at the door. "The band were supported by Black Sabbath clones Witchfynde Rod Stewart, Robert Plant, Jethro Tull, Gary Moore and Zoot Money were just a few of the visitors over the years. What was the attraction?

The Club's formula: A novel riverside venue; a knowledgeable, enthusiastic and loyal following, welcoming helpful staff and people more interested in the show than the money-a formula that still delivers today.

In one of his Resnick novels John Harvey wrote:- " Oars men were lifting their boat from the water and carrying it towards the nearest of the two rowing clubs that stood back from the path by the waterside. Later that evening the buildings would be transformed by flashing lights and speakers pushed almost to distortion. "The Boat, Charlie. Half eight, nine. " Resnick thought he might be lucky to get there at all. Resnick walked along Arkwright Street, away from the city, the muffled bass patterns audible before he stepped onto the bridge. A Hammond organ surged as Resnick handed over his money and stepped inside. Thick with bodies the room swam with the scent of sweat and tobacco. On the stage a seven piece band was playing Green Onions In those days they were always playing Green Onions.' "

The interior of the club was recently used in a film, the biopic of Ian Curtis of the ill fated Joy Division called Control which starred Samantha Morton from Clifton. The filming took place in Nottingham because the Producer felt it looked more like Manchester than Manchester did !

In 2002 John Peel converted the ladies' changing room into a recording studio and broadcast live to the nation on Radio One over a three day period.

Weekly the Club is hired out for retirement parties, anniversaries, weddings and family celebrations, where proud parents show their children where they first met up and referring to Pete Frame's Rock Family Trees which has pride of place on the Club wall, can show the groups they danced to. All showing the constant changing face of the Club "Ultimately we are a local Rowing Club" said Keith Atkinson, President Nottingham Rowing Club.

Brabants and Grainger praise Nottingham rowers

Report by Keith Atkinson

22nd December 2009

Nottingham's Olympic gold medal canoeist Tim Brabants and triple Olympic silver medal winning rower Katherine Grainger praised two Nottingham rowers after they were selected to attend a national camp for highly talented athletes.

Katie Bartlett, a pupil at Holygirt School and Alicia Brown from Arnold Hill School will be among 130 aspiring Olympians in eight sports at the National Talent orientation camp run by the Youth Sport Trust at Loughborough from January 6th-9th.

Katie and Alicia are World Class Start athletes sponsored by Siemens and coached by Julie Edwards. Katherine said "Getting selected for the Youth Sport Trust National Talent orientation camp is a real Achievement and something that Katie and Alicia can be proud of. One of the key aims is to offer the young people a window into the world of performance sport, exploring the expectations and demands and allow them time to reflect on their own talent. "

The four day camp blends cross-sport training sessions and competition with motivational workshops delivered by past and present Olympic and Paralympic medallists, while the youngsters will also learn from a variety of scenarios that occur in the life of an elite performer including working with the media. "What a wonderful opportunity for the Nottingham Rowing Club girls-and well deserved after the 2009 season, "said Club President Keith Atkinson, "I'm sure that mixing in such illustrious company will bring them on even further. Their Club is very proud of them. "

Ten for Nottingham at Newark

Report by Keith Atkinson

8th December 2009

The Newark Head of the River was rowed over 3,800m from Farndon to the town. The morning started with a heavy downpour, followed by clear but blustery conditions that made for difficult steering on the course. Several boats ended up in bushes, trees and reeds along the riverbank.

Nottingham Rowing Club took a large contingent ranged right across the club from High Performance, Mens and Womens Squads, Juniors and Veterans. Sister Club Nottingham Trent Úniversity were there in force too.

Fastest Nottingham crew home, who came third out of 200 entries, were an Intermediate 1 Quad, a joint venture with Newark, with two Newark lads rowing with Ed Fisher and Dominic Harrison. This combination tied with another Nottingham Intermediate 2 quad stroked by Nik Parnell. An Intermediate 1 Coxless four, with Ben Sibly from the Junior squad on board, was the next winning boat over the line.

Next winner was George Caines who took Elite Sculls despite the fact that he had to stop as his course was blocked by novice fours! Declan Gamble (Daycourt School, Radcliffe-on-Trent ) and Matt Pomeroy (Nottingham Boy's High) won J 16 double sculls. A Womens Senior Coxed four stroked by Rachel O'Sullivan won their event. Athelie Redwood-Brown won Women's Elite sculls. Andreas Endruweit won Intermediate 1 sculls, again he had problems clashing with other boats. Steve and Graham Daw won Veteran E/F double sculls. Rachel Kugele won Women's intermediate 2 sculls and the ever reliable Bill Payne and Mike Collier brought the Head total to 10 and the winter total to 31 by winning the Veteran G/H double sculls.

It was a good day for the Club. The High Performance group coached by Dez Atkins won 2, as did Martin Kay's juniors, Dan Johnson's seniors and the DIY Veterans. The Women coached by Helen Bloor, went one better and won 3, that is if the appeal over the novice fours goes in Nottingham's favour!

Nottingham Trent University won Women's Intermediate 3 coxed fours.

NRC win three more

Report by Keith Atkinson

23rd November 2009

Over 100 crews competed for trophies at the annual Head of the Soar run by Loughborough Boat Club. Conditions were cool but dry and a reasonable stream was running.

Two boys from Nottingham Rowing Club won three events. Dominic Harrison (Colonel Frank Seeley School Calverton) and Tom Savage (Djanogly City Academy) won Intermediate 3 double sculls and J 16 double sculls, and Dominic won Intermediate 3 single sculls. Overall they were the second fastest boat headed by a four and ahead of everyone else. Tom was subbing in for Ed Fisher who was ill. The boys are coached by Martin Kay who was very grateful that parent Niel Fisher towed the trailer. They rowed in a boat sponsored by Linear Insulations.

The three wins brought the current winter total to 21.

Gold and Silver for Nottingham R.C.

Report by Keith Atkinson

30th November 2009

Nottingham Rowing Club returned from the Hampton Small Boats Head with gold and silver medals in the Women's Junior 16 double Sculls event, having come first and second in the race. This brings the total number of trophies won by the Club so far in the winter campaign to 18.

The Head was rowed downstream over 3000m of the River Thames, close to Molesey Boat Club and within walking distance of the famous Hampton Court. Conditions were cool and windy. Competition was fierce with entries from rowing schools like Lady Eleanor Holles, Latymer Upper and Emanuel School and clubs like Marlow, Thames and Tideway Scullers School.

The girls are coached by Andrew Wilson and local schoolmaster Ben Dobbs. The winners were Holly Oughton (Trent College) and Mary Wilson (Nottingham Girl's High School). Four seconds behind and six seconds in front of the bronze medallists were Lucy Crooks (Nottingham Girls High) and Sarah Padbury ( John Cleveland, Leics).

Another two for Dominic

Report by Keith Atkinson

23rd November 2009

On a cold, wet and breezy River Ouse at Bedford, Dominic Parnell, coached by Claire Parnell, took on a range of scullers in both the J14 and J15 events in the Star Head of the River.

He won both events whilst trying out a new rig on his boat - clearly it didn't slow him down, as he clocked up his fourth and fifth win of the 09/10 campaign.

British Indoor Rowing Championship

Report by Keith Atkinson

23rd November 2009

The British Indoor Rowing Championship is the world's biggest indoor rowing race and the largest indoor sporting event in the UK, with over 2,000 competitors racing at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham over the course of just one day.

The Championship attracts sporting legends and stars, and over the years has become an integral part of the training and selection programme for the British Rowing Squad.

Sir Steve Redgrave is the Honorary President for the day, and the Steve Redgrave Trust is the official charity of the Championships.

Nottingham was well represented with youngsters from Nottingham City School-Sport Partnership, Rushcliffe School-Sport Partnership and the Nottingham Rowing Club.

Rugby player Garath Archer was the overall winner, beating members of the National Rowing Squad. The top ten finishers were sub-six minutes for 2,000 metres, the equivalent of the four-minute mile for athletes.

The first Nottingham medallists, as they had an early race, were Bill Payne who took the Gold in the 75+ category and Mike Collier who won the Silver.

In the Women's Open Event, won by Debbie Flood, Fiona Bassett gained the Bronze. Fiona is coached by World Class Start Coach Julie Edwards and is sponsored by Siemens. Two of Julie's other charges, Alicia Brown and Katie Bartlett, from Arnold Hill School, won Gold and Silver in the Women's Junior 16 event.

City's Emily Ward won the J13 Bronze. Willow McGowan won the Gold in the Womens' J12 event and her sister Sacha came fourth. Both girls are coached by Nottingham Rowing Club's Ian Wain and Bill Payne. They competed for the Rushcliffe Partnership.

Callum Jones won the Gold in the Boys' J15 event. Jo Topham was fourth and Harry Townsend fifth.

In the team events, with four athletes on one Concept2 Indoor Rower, Callum Jones (St. Edward's School, Oxford), Harry Townsend (South Wolds School, Keyworth), Jack Caston (Becket School, West Bridgford) and Jo Topham (Trinity School, Aspley), a Nottingham Rowing Club crew unbeaten in 2009 in coxed quadruple sculls, took the Silver Medal in the Boys' J15 event, just behind Stratford on Avon Rowing Club. The crew is coached by Steve Millett. The Nottingham girls, coached by Andrew Wilson, won the Gold Medal in the J16 event, and set up a new competition record. Holly Oughton (Trent College), joined forces with Mary Wilson, Lucy Crookes and Georgia Smith (all Nottingham Girls' High School), and beat Trentham Rowing Club by a fraction.

Mike and Bill in the medals again!

Report by Keith Atkinson

16th November 2009

High winds and heavy rain on Saturday led to the cancellation of the Fours Head of the River, due to be rowed on the River Thames from Chiswick Bridge to Putney, a distance of 7,000m. Over 500 crews were ready to take to the water but with the wind whipping up the tideway, the event was cancelled on safety grounds. Six Nottingham Rowing Club crews had a frustrating day.

However on Sunday conditions were much improved for the veteran event and the four NRC crews competing. Mike Collier, of Nottingham & Union RC, and Bill Payne from Nottingham Rowing Club with friends from Henley and Reading won the veteran G/H quadruple sculls for the 70+ age group. This follows their recent win in the Pairs Head.

Rowing at Dayncourt School

Report by Chris Ballard - PDM Dayncout School, Radcliffe

9th November 2009

Two years ago, lottery money given to the Rushcliffe School Sport Partnership funded several rowing machines across secondary schools including Dayncourt School, and, as part of a three year project with Nottingham Rowing Club, success has come at Dayncourt in the form of Year 11 student, Declan Gamble.

Declan first started rowing at Dayncourt as an extra curricular activity via the project and the support of regular coaching by Nottm Rowing Club. He has proved to be such an ambassador for the sport that in October 2008, Declan attended a Junior Rowing Leaders course. From the course, he has now been promoting rowing and delivering sessions in our local primary schools including Candleby Lane School, and has also been helping out with various indoor rowing competitions, proving a very dab hand with all the technical equipment that has to be set up in order for any event to take place.

Also in October 2008, Declan qualified to represent the Rushcliffe School Sport Partnership at the British Indoor Championships. Here he got his first taste of the big time. From this, Declan set out to become faster and stronger as a rower.

Earlier this year Declan took part in a 5 week course of 'wet' rowing on the River Trent, and from there was invited to join the Nottingham Rowing Club. As a member he now trains 5-6 days a week at the club.

As if being in your last year at Dayncourt with exam pressures and coursework and representing Year 11 as Vice-Chairperson on the whole school student council isn't enough, Declan runs a rowing club for our Year 7 students at lunchtimes on a Tuesday passing on all the skills that he has learnt.

On 8 November Declan took part in the Henley Long Distance Sculls on the River Thames which was rowed over a 3,000 m course. With the help of his rowing partner, Matt Pomery Declan recorded his first win in the J16 double sculls earning him a well deserved trophy.

Declan also won the recent Rowing Factor held at Dayncourt School and through this has proved that he is the number one rower in Year 11 throughout the whole of Rushcliffe. He will now go on to represent Dayncourt and Rushcliffe once again in the British Indoor Rowing Championships on Sunday 22 November at Birmingham National Indoor Arena along with Sam Bright Year 7, Callum Reader Year 10, Will Gill Year 10, Jo Gilbert Year 11 and Daisy Hickman Year 11.

Victories at Henley Sculls

Report by Keith Atkinson

9th November 2009

Henley Long Distance Sculls was rowed over a 3, 000m course on the River Thames finishing at Leander Club. On a cool, Autumnal day Nottingham Rowing Club returned with two well earned trophies.

The crews, both coached by Martin Kay, won J16 double sculls and J18 quadruple sculls.

The quad of Tom Huskinson, Ben Sibly, Luke Harrold and Sam Padbury, who also won at Nottingham last month, came fourth overall and saw the race as great preparation for Henley Royal Regatta next July.

The double of Matt Pomery and Declan Gamble recorded their first win. Declan is a ex-swimmer from Daynecourt School Radcliffe and has been coached over the summer by Jim Waller.

Holly Oughton and Mary Wilson, coached by Andrew Wilson came a close second in the J16 doubles as did Ben Sibly in the J18 singles.

Dominic Puts Down A Marker At Marlow

Report by Keith Atkinson

1st November 2009

Nottingham Rowing Club's young sculler Dominic Parnell, a pupil at Grove School, Balderton, Newark, coached by Claire Parnell, began his winter campaign with a resounding victory on the river Thames with a win in the J14 event at Marlow Long Distance Sculls. He brushed aside competition from clubs like Marlow and Wallingford, some in double sculls and quads, continuing the form that has made him the Club's most successful athlete this year.

Tough trials at Boston

Report by Keith Atkinson

27th October 2009

Trials for places in the British Rowing Team took place in Boston Lincolnshire over the weekend. Rowers had to complete 2,000m on a Concept 2 Indoor Rowing Machine with cut off times posted, before water trials over 5,000m on the canalized River Witham. Heavyweight Men were expected to get below 6.10, Women 7.05, lightweight Men 6.33 and women 7. 28.

Overall winner on the water was veteran Olympian Greg Searle. Debbie Flood - silver medallist in Bejing - was the fastest woman.

Only two of Nottingham Rowing Club's sickness ravaged squad coached by Dez Atkins made it past the ergometer cut offs. Nik Parnell posted a creditable time on the water but it was Nikki Spencer, who had recently won elite sculls at the Nottingham Autumn Head, who caught the eye with her third place in Women's lightweight sculls. This put Nikki, a student at Nottingham Trent University, in line for a squad place.

Katie on form - Yet again!

Report by Keith Atkinson

26th October 2009

15 year old Nottingham Rowing Club sculler Katie Bartlett, part of the 'World Class Start' group based at the National Water Sports Centre sponsored by Siemens and coached by Julie Edwards, has just completed a very busy and successful week.

Last weekend she won J17 sculls at Nottingham Autumn Head. Then she came 4th at a Talent get together at Holme Pierrepont earlier this week, and this weekend she won J17 sculls at Tees where she was the fastest female sculler on the water. Katie then teamed up with her training partner Alicia Brown and two Tees friends and won the quadruple sculls event.

Current form suggests that Katie, still only 15 and National Schools and National Champion in her age group, will be a major competitor next year.

Dave, Dave and Dave triumph!

Report by Keith Atkinson

19th October 2009

The Nottingham Autumn Head races were held in cool, calm conditions and took place in two divisions. Division 1 was over 5,450m, started at Clifton Grove, and was aimed at experienced single scullers. Division 2, which started at Clifton Bridge, was 3,850m long and catered for small boats.

Division 1 was won by Tees sculler Rowe with Graham Coleman from Nottingham & Union RC second and Karl Delaney, Nottingham Rowing Club third. Nottingham Rowing Club won three events. Dave Sperry, a doctor at Queen's Medical Centre, won Veteran C sculls, Spencer won Women's Elite sculls and Katie Bartlett, who has dominated J16 sculls all season, stepped up to J17 level and won that too.

In the second division, the Club won four events. First Quad home was the Intermediate 1 crew of Padbury, Harrold, Sibly and Watton. The J16 quad of Fisher, Greenfield (Newark), Harrison, and Selby (Newark) won their event and came third. Women's Captain Sarah Royles won Women's novice sculls setting a fine example to her flock. However, it was in the Veteran G Double sculls that the real surprise of the day happened. Dave Cogman and Dave Sharp took on National Champions, Henley winners and even a World Champion and beat them all. Not only that, they rowed their opposition down between Clifton Bridge and the Clubhouse.

Provisional results from London Pairs Head of the River, held on the previous day, show Mike Collier (Nottingham & Union RC) and Bill Payne as winners of the Veteran G double sculls. No doubt, this will be some solace for Bill after the drubbing handed out by the two Daves.

The eight wins set Nottingham Rowing Club up for the winter campaign ahead.

Nottingham Autumn Heads

18th October 2009

The Nottingham Autumn Heads results (Division 1 - the Nottingham Sculling Head and Division 2 - the Nottingham Autumn Head) are now online at the Nottingham Autumn Heads website

Thanks again to all who took part.

Suspension bridge - safety rules

October 2009

Please note the circulation pattern for the Suspension Bridge during the repair works has now changed (as of 2nd October 2009). Crews are to now pass on the City Side. Boats going downstream continue to have priority, but boats going in both directions should proceed with caution.

In very windy conditions, crews should not pass under the bridge.

See the attached word document

Nottingham Rowing Club's Internationals

article by Keith Atkinson

September 2009

September saw several Nottingham Rowing Club athletes in action on the Continent.

75 year old Burton-Joyce resident Bill Payne brought back two gold medals from the World Masters Championships in Vienna. One was for single sculls - Bill has been World Champion in his class for most years since 1995 - the other was for Quadruple sculls where he teamed up with Mike Collier from Nottingham and Union Rowing Club and two friends from Reading.

Conditions were very poor with wind and rain, another distraction was that the course on the River Danube ran through a naturalists camp. Bill felt that this was not an ideal preparation for a hard race!

Athelie Redwood-Brown, a high performance athlete based at Holme Pierrepont, won a bronze medal in the World Universities Championships for lightweight sculls.

Two other high performance members of the Club, Monica Relph and Jacqui Round, who had already won gold in the U23 World event, rowed in the GB Women's eight at the Eurpean Championships.

Cambridge Regatta

22nd September 2009

We had a clean sweep in the J14 single sculls and J14 double sculls at the Cambridge Regatta on Sunday 13th September:

Dominic Parnell (Grove School, Newark) and newcomer Toby Mclardy (St Hughs, Grantham), competing in his first regatta, both won through three rounds of the J14 single sculls on opposite halves of the draw to both reach the final making it an all Nottingham final. There was a total of 11 scullers in the draw making it a tough event for both Nottingham boys. Toby beat opposition from St Neots and two scullers from Peterborough, whilst Dominic beat Peterborough, Royal Docks and St Ives Rowing Clubs. In the final Dominic took an early lead off the start and finished some 4 lengths of Toby.

Dominic and Toby then moved on to demolishing the field in the J14 double sculls. They had only been in a boat just 4 times together previous to the regatta but out of a field of 7 crews they took the win in a final against Peterborough after comfortably beating the winners of the double sculls at the J14 Championships in Peterborough earlier in the summer in the semi-finals.

This takes Dominic's tally of wins this summer to 15 and gives Toby his very first win in his first ever Regatta. The pair are both coached by Claire Parnell and they commented that they are looking to build on this early success in a double scull at the York Sprint Regatta on September 19th.

Nottingham Rowing Club Induction for Junior members

Jim Waller, Junior co-ordinator

3rd September 2009

Dear all,

I hope you have all enjoyed you experience of rowing this summer. I was very impressed with the way that many of you picked up the key skills.
If you would like to continue then here is what is available:

1) Joining the Nottingham Rowing Club junior section.NRC
This is for those that want to take it seriously, committing to training regularly to compete in regional and national competitions.
When are the training sessions?
I have attached a provisional weekly timetable for the different groups. In year 7 there are 2 sessions per week then this increases as you get older to 6-8 sessons for Yr11 and above.
What are the costs?
The cost of full membership is £300 per year (£25 per month by standing order). On top of this there will be also additional cost for competition entry fee etc. this could be an additional £30 per month.
Can anyone join?
Anyone can apply but to be accepted you will have gone through a learn to row course so that you have the basic skills of rowing. You must also meet some minimum fitness standards which will be tested on the indoor rowing machine. I have attached a sheet with these standards on. The reason for these standards is so that we only take on those that are keen and able to take part in the training sessions.
How can I join?
We are running an induction session on Sunday 13 September at Nottingham Rowing Club. This is on Trentside between Trent Bridge and the Nottingham Forest ground.
Unfortunately this is the day of the Nottingham Marathon and Trentside is part of the route. The road will closed until 16:00 so the Induction session will start at 16:15 and finish at 18:00. The induction will include a talk from club coaches, a running test and a rowing machine test so please come in your kit with trainers on. The cost of this session will be £5.

If you would like to attend the Induction Session then please contact our membership secretary Jenny Huskinson Jenny.Huskinson@ntlworld.com.

2) Attending The Rowing Academy
This is for those that can't make the commitment required for the junior section but want to carry on rowing and for those who haven't yet been able to reach the required standards of skill and fitness. These sessions will be held at Holme Pierrepont on Sunday afternoons from 13:00-15:00 starting on Sunday 27 September. The cost for these will be £7 per session.

Please feel free to pass this information on to anyone who you think might be interested.

Regards,

Jim Waller
Junior Coordinator
Nottingham Rowing Club

For more information, also see the attached documents:
Fitness Standards
NRC juniors provisional weekly schedule

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