March 2008

PLEASE NOTE ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE NOW DUE.

The General Committee has agreed, for the third consecutive year, that their will be no increase in subscriptions for 2008. Current rates of subscription, if paid before 1st May, 2008 when the prompt payment discount ends are as follows:-  Rowing - £70; Social Rowing - £40; Country - £40; Cadet (under 18) - £40; Cadet (under 16) - £15; Associate - £12; Non-rowing cadet - £5. Payment can be made to the Duty Bar person at the Clubhouse, or sent to the Membership Secretary, Don Hickman, 145, Great Preston Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight. PO33 1AZ. Cheques should be made payable to "Ryde Rowing Club". It will be of great assistance to the Club if your subscriptions can be paid promptly - after 1st May the prompt payment discount ends and an increased rate of subscription will apply.

Racing News

December saw two of Ryde Rowing Clubs Senior Oarsman, Nick Pike and Mike Jenner, compete in the Scullers Head of the River Race on the Thames, racing against some of the best single scullers in the country. The race, over four and half miles, from Mortlake to Putney, is the reverse on the University boat race course and is a time trial with scullers starting at approximately ten second intervals in their status and in the order that they finished last years race. Mike Jenner finished in 6th place in the Men's Veteran B status, 115th overall, in a time of 22minutes, 50.43 seconds. Nick Pike, racing in the Men's Veteran C section finished in 10th place,    133rd overall, with a time of 23 minutes 0.62 seconds. Mike and Nick recorded the best times from the scullers entered from any of the South Coast Clubs.

With the New Year came more racing as Ryde Rowing Club returned to the scene of last years South Coast Senior Fours Championship triumph, the 2012 Olympic Regatta venue at Dorney Lake, Eton, for their first competitive event of the year in January. The event was the Thames Valley Trial Head, the Club still managed to take a group of eighteen athletes of all ages and statuses along. The best performances from the Ryde Club came from Senior Sculler Mike Jenner who won the Men's Open Coastal Sculls and J18 Double Scull of Tom Clark and Callum Lowe who won their section. There was a good performance from the Clubs J14 Girls Quad, in their first competition at this level, finishing in 7th place but importantly they were the first Wessex Region Crew to finish in this status. Also the first Wessex Crews to finish in their sections was the Boys J15 double scull of Adam Edwards and Ollie Gove - 9th in the status and the J15 Girls double scull of Charlotte Brimstone and Vicky Owrid who finished 12th in their status.

The Club also had two Senior C Crews entered in Coxed Fours and competing in separate divisions to accommodate some doubling up. The A Crew finished in 6th place in their section. Unfortunately the B Crew competing in their first ever race did not have a time recorded due to an error by the time keepers. Three other Ryde Scullers competed - Stu Johnson at Senior 3 finishing 9^th, veteran Alan Evan, who finished 4th in his section and Hayley Edwards sculling in the Women's Senior C section who unfortunately failed to finish the race.

Preparations for the new Coastal season were continued in February with a visit to Burway, near Staines, for their Eights and Fours Head Race on Saturday, 16th February with Five Ryde crews competing over two divisions in a 3k time trial. The Club was pleased with the wins from their Men's Senior 2 and Senior 4 Coxed Fours and encouraging performances from the other crews.

Crews from the Club then travelled to Christchurch for the Head of the Stour, on Sunday 9th March returning to the Island with an impressive five wins. In the first division the Club concentrated on single sculls with seven scullers competing. Mike Jenner produced the fastest time of the day of any single sculler to win the Men's Open Veteran event. Ian Hayden was the next Ryde Sculler home to win the Coastal Junior Section, followed by Nick Pike to record 2nd place in the Men's Senior Coastal Sculls. The young Ryde Novice Sculler Tom Clark won the Novice Section. Ben Ade secured 2nd place in the Men's Coastal Junior Sculls and Stu Johnson was 5th in the Men's Coastal Sculls Alan Evans was 3rd in the Men's River Veteran Sculls.

In the second division the Men's Coastal Senior Four of Stu Johnson, Ben Ade, Mike Jenner and Ian Hayden, with Bryony Reeve Coxing won their section, recording the fastest Coastal boat time of the day of 11 minutes 53 seconds -over thirty second a head of their nearest rivals. The Club also had a Men's Coastal Four Competing, although two of the crew - Tim Wiggins and Francis Moore are Novice oarsman. Alan Evans, Tom Clark and Cox Eleanor Gaskin, completed the crew, who finished 4th in their section.  Nick Pike, the only Ryde Sculler in the 2nd division, competing in River Men's Open Sculls secured Ryde's 5th win of the day.

The Club Juniors have also recently been in action a with four J14 Girls and a J15 Boy invited to attend the selection trials for the Wessex Junior Team to compete in the National Inter Regional Regatta in Nottingham at the end of April.  Adam Edwards maintained Ryde's impressive record in providing team members by being selected as the Wessex Teams J15 Single Sculler. 

Isle of Wight Sports Achievement Awards

The Club are also celebrating receiving Isle of Wight Sports Council's Senior Team Sports Achievement Award at the recent ceremony at the Riverside Centre in Newport.  Congratulations to the Men's Senior Crew of Ben Ade, Mike Jenner, Matt Allsopp, Ian Hayden and Bryony Reeve who received their award from Olympic Gold Medallist Louis Attrill.

Ryde Rowing Club Regatta

The Clubs Annual Regatta, a Hants & Dorset ARA Championship event takes place on Saturday, 24th May, 2008 starting at approximately midday. There will be racing over a 1900m course, with turn, for Coxed Fours, Coxless Pairs, Double Sculls and Single Sculls for Men and Women in the full range of statuses. Once again we are delighted to be able to announce that Ward House Financial Services have agreed to act as the Regatta's main sponsors with further support from Wightlink, Harwoods garage, the Isle of Wight County Press, Glanvilles, Vectis Insurance Services, the Hope Clinic, Secure Scaffold, DIGS Michael Jenner, Provincial Builders, Hayden Electrical, Hovertravel and  SJ Decorating to date. The event has also bee supported by the Ryde Town Management Committee. Help is always needed - we need - People for all or part of the day on the Friday (23rd May) to help set-up. The Sandwich bash will be early evening on the Friday. On Saturday (Regatta Day) we need help on the Bar and with serving of Refreshments, during the day and into the evening at the Regatta Disco. Help with Breakfasts is needed on Saturday and Sunday morning and on Sunday and Monday - help to clear up the mess & get the Clubhouse straight. Contacts are  - Regatta Set Up/Clear Up - Steve Bull. on 566481. Breakfasts, Refreshments & the Sandwich bash - Josie Bull on 566481. Bar - Steph Hickman - on 613077 - or just turn up!

Henley Stewards Charitable Trust Coach

Ryde's Juniors are currently benefiting from the support of a professional rowing coach, who coaches at the Club once a fortnight. The position, shared with three Southampton based Clubs is fully financed by the Henley Stewards Charitable Trust and replaces the Community Sports Coach - a project that has now finished. The new coach was allocated by the National Governing, the Amateur Rowing Association in recognition of the Clubs work with Juniors and in establishing links with local schools. The Coach, Anne Richardson, is currently studying at Kingston University for an MSc in Sports Management and carries out her coaching role on a part time basis. Anne, a qualified fitness instructor and personal trainer, in addition to her rowing coaching qualifications, primary task at Ryde is to support the Clubs School links and to work with the Clubs volunteer coaches with the clubs successful Junior section.

Promotion of Indoor Rowing in Schools

One of the successes of the last year for Ryde Rowing Club was their promotion of indoor rowing in local middle schools. This has led to funding being made available for fourteen Rowing Machines for the "bay area" schools and a plan to expand the Middle Schools indoor rowing completion, first held last year and promoted and sponsored by the Ryde Club. There is little doubt that neither of these innovations would be taking place without the enthusiasm, commitment, volunteer support and contribution of equipment and expertise from Ryde Rowing Club. Bishop Lovett, Forelands and Mayfield Middle schools have also benefited from "Taster Sessions" and after school indoor rowing clubs supported by the Club allowing hundreds of students to try the sport.

Ryde Harriers

Ryde Rowing Club are pleased to be able to help out a fellow local sports Club - the Ryde Harriers - allowing them temporary use of their Clubhouse and facilities in Appley Park following the closure of their Oakfield Headquarters. This arrangement repays a debt going back to the late 1960's and early 1970's when the Rowing Club were temporarily homeless and used the Harriers HQ as a temporary home for social events. The Harriers currently meet at the Clubhouse on Tuesday evenings.

Annual Dinner & Dance

Ryde Rowing Club celebrated a very successful season in which they won the Hants & Dorset, South Coast and National Men's Senior Coastal Fours Championships, at their Annual Presentation Dinner at Yelfs Hotel, Union Street, Ryde on Saturday, 17th November.

Yelfs Hotel was a fitting venue in which to celebrate as it was where inaugural meeting of the Club was held one hundred and thirty years ago. Guest of honour was International Oarswomen, Debbie Flood, who was a member of the GB Women's Quad which won Gold at this years World Rowing Championships and are among the favourites for an Olympic Gold in Beijing next year. Kerry Jackson, the Marketing Director of Wightlink, the Clubs main sponsors and her partner also attended as the Clubs Guests. After the Dinner the Clubs awards were made by Debbie Flood to - 1st Year Oarswoman - Emily Page; 1st year oarsman - Callum Lowe; Oarswomen of the Year - Jodie Cocker; Oarsman of the Year - Matt Allsopp: Coxswains Cup - Bryony Reeve; Coaches Cup - Sue Pike and Darrell Reeve; Committee Cup - Stu Johnson and Captains Cup - Mike Jenner. During the Dinner a raffle was held which raised around £150 for Naomi House which Wightlink generously agreed to match.

The date for the 2008 Dinner is Saturday, 22nd November - with Yelf's Hotel as the provisional venue once again. Tickets are expected to sell quickly again this year and we are excited to announce Kieran West as the confirmed guest speaker. Kieran visited the Club back in 2000 before he won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in the Men's Eight. He has also had several successes with Cambridge University, having won the Boat race last year.

50^th ANNUAL MERRYDOWN SAILING REGATTA

2008 will see the 50th anniversary of this event, with Merrydown Plc and Ryde Rowing Club believing that this must be the longest continuous commercial sponsorship of a sporting event in the world.
 

Just to remind you, The Merrydown was started in the late 1950s by a group of sailors from Ryde Rowing Club when the clubhouse was on Ryde pier. They used to sail Fireflys and 12 foot Nationals which they often used to take prospective girlfriends for a sail and take a pinic and some Merrydown cider. One year Neville Hill (now in his 70s) decided to make a race of it and put up a Magnum of Merrydown Cider as the prize. He then wrote to the Merrydown cider company and they presented a solid Silver cup in 1959. The event has continued every year since with it becoming a 2 day event in the 1980s and proving ever more popular. It has been won by many notable name included UK olympic representaives and World Champions.
Dart 18s have won the event more than any other class. It should be noted that the event is sailed under Ryde Rowing Club rules! It is open to ANY sailing craft, the only limiting factor is the depth of water or rather lack of it!

The event is scheduled for the weekend of 27^th & 28th September.  The Club, in arranging suitable anniversary celebrations, would like to hear from any previous competitors/winners.

Ryde Rowing Club 100 Club

There are still a few numbers available for just £12 per year.  That's only 25pence a week and every month you will have two chances of winning plus again at Christmas.  Proceeds have been used to sponsor rowers, assist with boat expenses, equipment and general refurbishments in the Club. Fish & Chip suppers with varied and interesting guest speakers are held at The Clubhouse throughout the winter.

For membership details please contact Ian Lennie on 01983 612877 

Ryde Rowing Club Bar

If you can spare a few hours every week or even every month, then Steph Hickman would love to hear from you to help cover the Bar at the Clubhouse. All functions are covered by volunteers of the Club and with Spring looming your help is needed!

If you can help, then please contact Steph Hickman on 01983 613077

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