Author: rachelnewell

Although we all love those Summer outings, events and training there is something very special about Autumn rowing. This is a photo of our W1 crew this Sunday morning at 8am emerging from the mist on the water.  The club is focussed now on preparing for Autumn and Winter Head Races on the Cam, the Thames and Ely.  That means lots of 2x6K ergs, circuits, weights and ‘so many squats you can’t get your jeans on’ according to the W1 coach John Welton. All the Champs crews are looking forward to the head race season ahead after a successful summer and Bumps where W1 got their blades and the ‘returners’ – a crew of x juniors just back from uni – also got their blades including an over bump- you can’t ask for much more than that.  One of them had to bump her own mother to achieve it but Champs is a family friendly club and no one could have foreseen just how far and how fast a scratch crew full of determined young women would go.

The Champs  AGM was well attended and there was standing room only at one point in the Boathouse Pub. We are very lucky to have Keith Benton as our President and Pete Twitchett as our Chariman for another year and they and other Champs officials gave speeches, appointed new volunteers to key roles and awarded prizes for most improved rower, sculler, cox and many more.  It’s a credit to the club that so many people volunteer to run the club gather subs, pay race fees, look after child welfare, manage the budget, attend CRA meetings, organise some very good social events, run sculling school and many many more duties that makes Champs the club it is.

Trish Reed in the photo has done a fantastic job captaining the women for the last year and was voted in to become overall club captain for men and women.  Trish will be supported in her role by a team of 2 captains (senior and intermediate) for the women Sam Hulston  and Sarah Corcoron respectively. Trish will be identifying a captain for the men and will be fully supported in this role by us all. We all know that means more 2 K tests at Christmas to inform selection process but it’s a formula that has worked well for the last year and it keeps us training! Trish also runs sculling school with Steve Millar and Carole Mills so this photo shows her getting an impressive trophy for her contribution to the club over the year. We would also like to thank Maura Rutter who has stepped down after several years as Secretary and John Tasker as Treasurer.

However rowing isn’t all about awards and trophies and erg test tests! Champs is an inclusive club that welcomes new comers and we have a clear structure of induction for new members and volunteers also put themselves forward to run the induction scheme at the AGM. We welcome new members who are keen to row and join in. If you are willing to learn and improve and become part of the club we would love to hear from you.

The last few months have been a whirlwind of successes for the club. In October seven Champs scullers braved the first arctic blast of winter at the Norfolk long distance sculls completion where they were treated to driving rain, hail, sleet and rainbows!  Many did the 5K race twice, but their efforts were rewarded as they won both the women’s double (Carole Mils, Louise Affleck) and women’s quad scull categories (Helen Christy, Denise Williams, Trish Reed and Anna-Louise Lawrence).

Carole then went on to win in a single scull at the Ely Head in November and take home a real pottery pot to add to her large collection.

To kick off the holiday season the scullers continued their winning streak closer to home, on a very windy Cam, with women’s master single and double scull wins at the CRCC Christmas Head in Cambridge. The men’s first crew also came away as the fastest men’s eight in the event completing the 1.8K course in 7.26 minutes. 

They were joined in their celebrations by the women’s third crew who successfully won in the women’s novice eights class, showing how seasons of hard work and training together have created a strong and competitive unit.

The results of these races show how our crews are developing and we whilst we look forward to a bit of a rest over the Christmas holidays, we plan to share more of our winning streak in the New Year.