A selection of older news items, moved from the Home page, most recent at the top.

2010/11

Around 8 Weybridge folk volunteered at the successful World Rowing Junior Championships at Dorney Lake from 4-7th August.

Ali Jackson and friends have completed their cycle ride from John O'Groats to Land's End. That's 1021 miles in 13 days. Please visit their sponsorship page for Macmillan Cancer Support. Their route log is interesting reading, too.

Here are some upcoming traffic warnings:
a) on Sunday 14th August, the Olympic cycling test event will cut through Walton & Weybridge, via Oatlands Drive which will be closed.
b) from Monday 15th August, A317 Queens Road will be closed at Haines railway bridge for up to 9 weeks.

The junior squad travelled up to the A1 to St Neots regatta and picked up wins in WJ14 4x+ and IM3 1x (Josh Foulkes).

Jason Mann & Dave Sutton made their racing debut in novice 2x at Staines Regatta and won !

The Annual General Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 22nd September. Members are asked to consider if they might stand for election; in particular, new members often have valuable fresh ideas.

There are 2 remaining places for the summer junior rowing course from 15-19 August. More details are available here.

Some of the junior squad went to the National Championships at Nottingham over the weekend. Katy Denham came a very worthy 4th in the final of WJ16 1x; and the WJ14 4x+ came 5th in their final. The boys found the competition tough with a semi-finalist in J16 1x and J14 2x who progressed beyond the first round. The J18 2- and J16 1x had good races but didn't proceed. Their coach, Katy Knowles has provided a full report . Many thanks to her, and to Nick Coxhead for getting the boats there and back.

The secretary advises that the club has been short-listed for a grant through a promotion in the Surrey Advertiser. The entries will feature in the Elmbridge edition of the 'paper published on Friday 15th July. Please buy a copy and vote for the club in order to receive the grant for new blades. The awards will be announced in August.

A good win at Henley Masters Regatta in women's 'E' cozed fours : Lynette, Liz, Rachel & Jude, coxed by Emma Graham, beat a crew from Auckland, New Zealand by almsot 4 lengths.

Electricians are working in the clubhouse and changing room. Please be fore-warned that power may be switched off in the day times but should be on during evenings and weeeknds. The switches for the men's changing room lights and showers have moved.

Apparently, there have been a few instances of the boathouse being left unlocked. Please could all members do their bit to ensure the clubroon and boathouse doors are closed and secured when there is no-one around? This especially includes outings at off-peak times.

Henley Masters' Regatta runs this Friday & Saturday. We have a women's 'E' 4+ and a women's 'B' 2x taking part; plus half of a compsite women's 'D' 4+.

The long-awaited boat-booking system has been set-up by Kirk. It is on a spreadsheet residing on a PC in the clubhouse. Bookings can also be requested using this form .

We had 3 wins for the juniors at Marlow Town Regatta on 11th June which went unreported at the time, for which apologies are offered. That brings us up to 20 wins at the mid-point of the regatta season.

The President's Reception will be on Sunday 17th July from 12noon at the clubhouse. All members are welcome.

The east wall refurbishment is complete and attention is now turned to the west (balcony) side. The new blade racks are now in use and all equipment can be stored indoors again.

The women's IM2 eight came 2nd at Marlow Regatta on Sunday, over 1000m of Dorney Lake.

Despite the dismal rainy conditions, there were two excellent gold medals at the British Masters Championships. They came from Rachel & Liz in WD.Im3 2x and WD 4+ (composite with Walbrook). Ellie & Al were 5th from 7 in WB 2x.

3 wins at Marlow Town Regatta, full details to follow.

Here's a selection of photos from the half-term junior rowing course, courtesy of Nick Coxhead.

A handy4 wins at Weybridge Ladies Regatta on Sunday in breezy and then rainy conditions.

Kirk has provided a new boat booking system. Look for the PC at the clubhouse, upon which there is a spreadsheet linked from the desktop.

There is another junior beginners' rowing course from Monday 30th May to Friday 3rd June (half-term week) from 0900 to 1300. The clubroom and landing stage are likely to be busy at times, so please bear this in mind. This is the 12th such course in recent years, aimed at introducing youngsters to rowing in an efficient way.

Zach Cole is racing his J17 1x at the National Schools Regatta at Nottingham on Saturday.

Walton & Weybridge Regatta had a record entry and with races every 2 or 3 minutes, there was planty of action to enjoy. Several Weybridge crews made their finals, such as both J14 and WJ14 quads, but it was the Masters 'G' crew - aka Alasdair's crew - who came up with a win.

There are photos on-line from Walton & Weybridge Regatta, presented by local photographer Gary Dowzall.

Former captain and president Mike Cumpper asks for your support in his upcoming 200km cycle ride for Alzheimer's Society - please see his fund-raising page .

We now have the February 200 Club draw results on-line.

At Molesey Veterans Head the Mas.D 8+ came 6th overall and 3rd in class; the Mas.F 4- had no direct opposition but finished ahead of several younger crews; and the Walbrook/Weybridge W.MasD 8+ beat their opponents from Lea to claim their prize. Well done.

Hyne Cup results are now on-line. In all, over 200 competitors took part in 46 boats.

There is a Level 2 Coaching course being organised at Reading in April.

Results for Weybridge Winter Head are now available and by event too. Well done and thankyous to all who helped us to run the event.

The Olympic cycling road races will be passing by in August next year. The announced route apparently includes Oatlands Drive and Hanger Hill. Click here for a schematic map.

2008

Walton Small Boats Head was held in incessant rain. Crews, coaches and officials braved the cold conditions and the results are now available after chief time-keeper Mike Hendry was hit by a taxi outside the Anglers pub whilst setting-up his morning team. We had one win for Liz & Rachel in WVetC doubles, plus some 2nd and 3rd places and unfortunately some people raced in events without opposition.

Our new President, Leif Mills, has enjoyed a colourful and varied career which he tends to keep 'under his hat'. For members who are interested, Leif was once General Secretary of the Banking, Insurance and Finance Union, president of the TUC, chairman of  Covent Garden Market, he has written books about explorers and once stood for parliament. So there you go.

The Environment Agency have recently produced a useful web page giving up to date details on river conditions.

Results for Hampton Small Boats Head are now available from David Biddulph (note the results are spread over 11 sub-pages). Alas no wins but some solid performances at this high-quality event for juniors.

Burway Small Boats Head was held in cold, grey and later damp conditions which wasn't particularly pleasant for the crews, coaches and supporters. There were 3 wins for the women's squad.

The big trailer has been tidied-up with several new fittings, such as a better jockey wheel. Accumulated debris inside it has been removed. Please keep it clean.

There was an excellent turn-out for the AGM. Leif Mills was confirmed at the new President of the club. The first meeting of the new committee is next Tuesday 2nd December at 8.30pm, but we currently have vacancies for the roles of Social Secretary and Safety Advisor.

Lately, lots of people have been putting in a great deal of effort on the ergs, so for the benefit of those who are relatively new to the sport, here's a guide to Concept II ergometers . The model 'A' from the early '80s had a simple bicycle 'computer' which measured your flywheel speed in miles-per-hour. In short pieces, it was relatively common to reach 50 or even 60mph !

The dinner dance was a success with over 110 members, friends and guests attending. The Spreadbury Cup for 2008 went to Nick Coxhead; the Junior Award went jointly to Callum Russell and Pip Bolding.

Ellie & Al ventured to Gloucester to try out their new 6km Long Distance Head on the Sharpness Canal. They won WS4 doubles by a whole minute. Well done.

Many Weybridge folk were working behind-the-scenes at the Fours' Head: Richard & Judith Packer were umpiring, Mick Howe was time-keeping, Anne Musgrave was in charge of safety and Paul Wielgut was marshalling in a launch. Quite a turn-out.

We have 3 crews taking part in Sunday's Veterans' Fours Head from Mortlake to Putney, starting at 12 noon.

Some news we missed earlier : at the British Indoor Rowing Championships held in Birmingham at the end of October, Callum Russell came 2nd in the junior adaptive event; and Jack Shepherd came 7th in J18 lightweight. Well done both.

We had a win for Tom Oades & Seb Kirk in J18 doubles at Teddington Small Boats Head. By all accounts, the conditions were pretty awful with a stiff head wind blowing along the Kingston reach.

The Silver Sculls volunteers' party is being postponed due to many people not being able to make next Sunday 2nd November. Sorry to those folks who now have a free Sunday early afternoon. We will choose a new date early in 2009.

The fire escape door at the clubhouse has been replaced. Members are advised to familiarise themselves with its locking arrangement so that it can be used in an emergency. Thank you to Greg Jones for arranging the installation. He assures us that a cat-flap is included for the benefit of Topnut.

Anne Musgrave has been appointed as vice-captain for 2008/09. Please support her in this varied and challenging role.

We had a great day of racing at this year's Weybridge Silver Sculls. The results are now up, although some of the formatting needs tidying. We had wins for Alison Jackson (WS2 sculls), Gemma Smith (WNov sculls), Ellie Wells & Alison Holgate (WS4 doubles) and Liz Flavell & Rachel Kornberg (WVet doubles). Congratulations to them and thank you to all those people who put in an enormous amount of time and effort to make the day a success.
Photos are now available at Birdman Photography.

We are re-launching the weekend mid-morning catering under the Breakfast Club brand. This is open to all. We're also looking for volunteers to show us their culinary skills so please be invited to help fill the 'vacant' dates. We hope all crews will train hard and enjoy the cuisine on offer.

We have a terrific entry for the 53rd Weybridge Silver Sculls on Saturday : 498 boats are entered, including 23 from the home club. All of the information is now up on the Silver Sculls main page - including starting order, instructions, maps, safety plans and officials' rota. Please take a look. Led by event chairman Paul Wielgut and his lieutenants, we rely on the volunteer help of well over 50 people to help us keep Silver Sculls recognised as one of the best-organised events of its kind : thank you all.

At long last, we have new carpeting in the bar. Thanks are due to bar manager John Turnbull for procuring and delivering the material and club chairman Carl Boon for laying it. Please help us to keep it tidy and use the vacuum cleaner if necessary.
We are now looking at suitable flooring options for the main clubroom, so if anyone has any suggestions or relevant experience, please let us know.

We had 3 crews competing at the Pairs' Head from Mortlake to Hammersmith. Ellie & Al came 5th from 22 in WS4 doubles; James & Jack were 16th from 24 in J18 doubles; and Liz & Rachel finished 3rd from 8 in WVeteranC doubles. Well done to all involved.

Circuit training is on Wednesday evenings at Heathside School. Sessions from 7.00 to 8.30pm, with an hour of traditional circuits followed by half an hour of core stability and flexibility training. £4 for seniors, £2 for juniors/students. All are welcome, including family and friends. Bob King is our leader for the next 3 weeks.

Last Sunday's 200 Club draw was very well-attended.  The results are now on-line.

The new cooking range in the clubhouse kitchen is now connected, cleaned and it in service.  Thank you to Greg Jones and the 200 Club for providing this excellent piece of kit. Please look after it.

Have you collected your sponsorship money yet? Check here and see how we're doing. Please remember if you are a tax payer we can reclaim tax if you complete a Gift Aid form. Thank you all.

Sad news - David Parry, former Captain of Walton RC, President of Walton and Weybridge Regatta, and Chairman of the Rowing Foundation, died last Sunday after suffering from cancer since June. He was one of the outstanding figures in rowing in our area. A memorial service will be held on a date to be arranged.

Last Saturday was "Excellent Equipment day" when we checked over many boats and blades and tidied the boathouse. Thanks to those who helped. Please keep up the standards throughout the year.

Matt Beagley is competing in the Great North Run and aiming to raise funds for Cancer Research, so please sponsor him - sponsorship form on the noticeboard in the clubhouse.

The Sponsored Row was an outstanding success - after a misty start we had brilliant sunshine and everyone enjoyed the row, with not too many blisters reported. While we were enjoying ourselves on the river, a number of people worked very hard on the bank to make it happen, so a big Thank You to Tim Owens and Clive Capel who towed the trailer, John Turnbull, Nick Coxhead, Andrew Fisher, Graham Cocks and Jonathan Beagley who operated locks and provided safety cover, Jill Cocks, Jenny and Roy Miller who organised the fantastic picnic at Dorney. Please collect your sponsorship money and give it to Caroline, along with the names and addresses of sponsors who are tax payers so we can reclaim tax on their donations.

Congratulations to James Coxhead and Jack Shepherd who won J18 doubles at the Boston Marathon on Sunday in a time of 4 hours 13 minutes and 8 seconds - very impressive when you consider that at 50 km it's almost as long as the Sponsored Row.

The Sponsored Row is definitely ON for this Saturday, 27th September. River conditions are back to normal and we are expecting a glorious sunny day! There are still a few places in all the boats (men's and women's eights and junior octuple) so if you have not yet volunteered, please contact Nick, Richard or Caroline. We will be loading the trailer on Thursday evening from 5.30 onwards so if you are rowing come and do your bit or you may find you don't have a boat! If you can't row on the day, please make a donation -

The Annual Dinner will be on Friday 7th November (note change of date) at the Hilton Hotel, Cobham. Price held at £35 for adults, £30 for juniors.

Don't forget that it's the Sponsored Row this Sunday (14th). The weather forecast is not too bad, so we are optimistic that river conditions will improve by then. We will be loading the trailer on Saturday late morning. We leave Weybridge at 6 a.m. on Sunday, arriving at Henley RC at 7 a.m. There will be 4 rest stops along the route, including a picnic lunch at Dorney Lake, and we expect to arrive back at Weybridge at about 6 p.m. Lunch and snacks will be provided. We have spare places in the men's and women's eights, so if you haven't volunteered yet, it's not too late! And if you're not rowing, then please sponsor those who are.

We had several crews in the finals at Cambridge Regatta, but unfortunately only Alex Keenes and Elliott Tarrant were able to finish the job (and win!) before a huge thunderstorm caused the regatta to be abandoned. However, we know that the others would have won if they had had the chance!

We had 5 wins at Lea Autumn Regatta.

The Special General Meeting last Wednesday, Caroline was re-elected as Captain for 2008/09.
Subs for next year are £252 for seniors; £160 for juniors; £30 for coxing & associates (to include coaches); £40 for summer membership (July & August). Anyone renewing in full before 1st October can do so at the 2007/08 rates..

We had a win for the J15 boys quad at Gloucester Regatta.

The incident report for the accident at Sunbury weir on 11th July has now been received. It reveals that the non-member involved is age 20 and not a junior as previously thought; he is also described as an "accomplished oarsman". Our apologies for the the mis-information, but it goes to show why it is important to file incident reports quickly and accurately.
Ashley, our Water Safety Advisor, has published revised rules for boating in non-ideal conditions. Please see the main club notice-board, where there is also a committee statement describing the Club's actions in response to the accident.

There will be a sponsored row on Sunday 14th September to raise money for new equipment. On the shopping list - a new men's eight and 2 more doubles for the women and juniors. We will be rowing from Henley to Weybridge, starting early in the morning and stopping at various places for refreshments and crew changes. EVERYONE should take part - the plan is to have a men's eight, a women's eight and a junior octuple - so start rounding up your sponsors (forms will be available at the clubhouse).

Thank you to all those who helped with the the President's Sherry Party. We named the two "new" boats, the Stampfli single "Run A'Wey" and the Janousek double "Our Wey". Guests of Honour were ARA Chairman Di Ellis, the Deputy Mayor of Elmbridge, and representatives of the River Thames Society and the Rowing Foundation, who have awarded us grants to buy these two boats.

Two wins at Burway Regatta - the Womens Vet C 4x (yes, they've got younger since Molesey, with Liz replacing Lynette!) and James Coxhead in J16 1x.

We had a great day at Staines Regatta, with many of our crews reaching the finals of their events and three wins - Elliot Tarrant in J13 singles, Tom Oades in S4 doubles with his brother Rob who rows for Staines, and Matt Beagley and Pip Bolding in S4 mixed doubles.

Congratulations to Mat Tarrant, whose coxed four won the Silver Medal at the World Junior Rowing Championships in Linz, Austria.

Three cheers for Jack Shepherd and James Coxhead, who won the Bronze Medal in J16 2x at the National Championships

A win for the Women's Vet D quad at Molesey Regatta on Saturday.

SAFETY WARNING!! Last Friday two senior members plus a non-member in a Trimmy coxed double narrowly avoided a fatal accident when they attempted to turn too close to Sunbury weir in a strong stream. They were forced to abandon ship and cling on to the ropes across the weir, while the boat was swept though the weir. Had they stayed in the boat they would almost certainly have drowned. Fortunately they were rescued by other river users and the boat was recovered with minimal damage. ALL MEMBERS PLEASE NOTE - you must turn well above Sunbury weir, preferably upstream of the moored barges, or else continue down past the weir and turn in the lock cut. In strong stream conditions, you should turn by the Leisure Centre and stay upstream of the weir.

It seems that the EA are using the Shepperton 'B' weir from this week onwards, after 2 years of maintenance. This should mean more flow passing the club and therefore easier crossing of the main weir stream.

At Kingston Borough Regatta, Elliot Tarrant won J13 1x. There were good performances from the other juniors too. Liz and Rachel represented the Club at Henley Veterans Regatta in Vet C 2x, but met the eventual winners in the first round.

The sun came out in time for Saturday's Post Henley Ball, which about 80 people attended. Many thanks to Sheila and her team for another great effort.

77 people enjoyed the Post Henley Ball. Many thanks to the organisers and everyone else who helped out.

James Coxhead and Jack Shepherd took part in the qualifiers at Nottingham for the Franco-British J16 match, but were not successful. A good experience, nevertheless.

Here are some mid-season committee changes to announce: Guy Ingram is the new treasurer; Jude Bowen is no longer a vice-captain.

Although he is probably too modest to mention it, James Coxhead has won a sportsperson-of-the-year award at Jubliee High School in Addlestone, even though rowing is not a recognised school sport there.

We had a winning WJ14 quad at Egham Regatta on Sunday. Last week Elliot Tarrant won J13 sculls at Thames Valley Park Regatta. Both achievements have been added to the season's list of wins. The boys J13 quad came very close to winning at Egham and will be one to watch at their next regatta.

At Henley Women's Regatta our women's senior 8 gave Cambridge University a tough race. Cambridge, despite comprising half of the women's boat race crew, could not get clear water until the last few strokes; the final verdict of 1-and-a-quarter lengths was clearly closer than their crew and supporters expected. Well done to coach Steve and the crew for 'flying the Weybridge flag' with such passion and commitment.

The summer 200 Club draw was held on Sunday. Results are now on-line.

Congratulations to Liz and Rachel, who picked up two more pots at Marlow Town Regatta on Saturday and finally lost their novice status!
At Reading Regatta, our WS2 eight lost to City of Oxford by 1 length; and our WS2 quad made the final, losing to ULWBC.
And at Nottingham's National Veterans Regatta, our Vet C four came 6th and Mick Howe came 3rd in VetC-Sen3 single sculls.

We had a busy day at the club to make up for missing the regatta. Many thanks to the juniors who painted the outside walls and tidied the boathouse, Tim and Nick who mended the roof, and Sheila who organised the BBQ.

Unfortunately Walton & Weybridge Regatta has been cancelled due to the strong stream and anticipated red boards at the weekend. There is a lot of water coming from further up the Thames Valley. Thank you to all of the volunteers who were ready to help - you can now stand down from regatta duties on Saturday.

Following the recent heavy rain, Sunday's Weybridge Ladies' Regatta. was cancelled. Initial suggestions of a move to this Sunday have come to nought.

At the Metropolitan Regatta at Dorney Lake, Ali Jackson came 3rd in her heat and 5th in a close-fought repechage. Al & Ellie were 4th in their heat and 4th in their even tighter repechage. On Sunday, they combined into a quad with Emily and came a very decent 4th in a straight final of 7 crews, only 3secs behind 2nd place.  Here is a picture of trainee umpire Matthew Pinsent checking Ali's boat.

Since the uptake of sculling and the popularity of small boats, we haven't had so many regatta wins in Eights recently. In fact, this picture from Twickenham is the first we've received in five years.

At Twickenham Regatta on Sunday, the women's senior 2 eight showed class in both their races, winning the final by 1.5 lengths over Upper Thames. Liz & Rachel had 4 races in close succession for their novice double, including a re-rowed final after being washed-down by Twickenham. Dan Fisher & Tom Oades also made the final in men's novice doubles.

One of our juniors, Danny Garrett, is going to do a parachute jump in aid of "Help for Heroes" which is the charity raising money for Headley Court where injured members of the armed forces are treated. He's doing it over the half-term. We have a special relationship with Headley Court, since member Margaret Fleming is a senior nurse there and has brought some of their patients along to the club to try rowing for rehabilitation. So please sponsor Danny - you can donate via the Just Giving website

The replacement of Walton Bridge staggers on : apparently, the colour has been chosen in this BBC article.

We had one veteran four racing at  Thames Ditton Regatta on Saturday; and 8 junior boats raced at Maidenhead Junior Regatta on Sunday.

Vice-captain Richard Harris took part in the Stroke Association's 33-mile Thames Bridge Bike Ride on Sunday 11th May. Richard suffered a stroke 7 years ago and at that time it was difficult to contemplate him taking on this kind of challenge. Please sponsor him - if you haven't already - via the form on the club notice-board.

The women's senior 3 eight won their heat at Wallingford Regatta and came a creditable 4th in the final.

After lots of close racing over two full days, we came away with 5 wins at the Evesham Regatta weekend. A great start to the regatta season.

The next adult beginners' rowing course - run by our sister club Weyfarers - will be on Monday and Wednesday evenings, starting on 2nd June.  The course structure and price will be exactly as for the April course.  Unfortunately, due to technical problems, we are unable to update the Weyfarers website, but if you would like to do the course please download an application form and send it to us by post, along with a deposit of £25.

All those who are nervous of the dark will be please to know that a contractor has installed new lights along the path. We asked for the posts to be positioned away from the path edge to allow extra clearance for us carrying boats to/from the trailer. Thanks are due to Nick, Jon and the juniors who kindly tested the route with a coxed four in the rain. The club is making a donation to the Whittet's Ait Residents Association for the provision of the lights.

The first 3 wins of the season came at the very first regatta, Lea Spring Regatta last Sunday. Oli Tomalin's novice sculls win was unfortunately not qualifying because one of the other entrants failed to show in the other semi-final.

The latest Allan Whitwell Sculling Course ran successfully. Thank you all those who helped out, or who loaned equipment to the guests.

Would anyone be interested in acquiring a house by the river? This may well include the cottages at Shepperton and Sunbury locks.

Pip Bolding and her Dad are doing the Playtex Moon Walk to help raise money for Breast Cancer on Saturday 17th May. She has done two half moons which is 13.5 miles and is now doing the full 26 miles. They start at midnight and are hoping to do the walk in 7 hours. If anyone would like to sponsor Pip for this worthy cause they can see her in the club house or go to www.justgiving.com/pipbolding

We had a record turnout of over 40 people for the Spreadbury Dinner on 12th April, which included several former Presidents, Captains and current Committee members. Here's a photo of the event, courtesy of John Shore. Credit is due to Greg Jones for his first-class organisation of the event.

Sad news has reached us - Elsie Stagg, former Captain and President of Weybridge Ladies Amateur Rowing Club, has passed away. The funeral will take place at Randalls Park Crematorium on Wednesday 9th April at 12.30.

Mountain bike for sale - see our noticeboard page

Thanks to Cath Allaway and Richard Harris who have volunteered to help with coaching, we can accommodate four extra people on theWeyfarers Adult Beginners course starting on Wednesday 2nd April., so round up your friends! Parents of juniors are particularly welcome

Results from the recent 200 Club draw are now on-line.

The Veterans' Eights Head was called off 45 minutes before the start time due to rough water in the middle of the course.

First win for the juniors this year - our girls junior quad at Kingston Head. Plus a creditable 4th place for the boys J16 quad.

All members are reminded that the parking spaces on Whittet's Ait are for drop-off and pick-up only. And no-one should park on the access road or verges; please help us to keep on good terms with our neighbours.

Cath Allaway is back from Antigua after her trans-Atlantic row completed in 73 days and 5 hours. If you wish to contribute to her charity collection, you can do so via her Just-giving page.

The wine-tasting evening planned for 15th March has been postponed to a later date, preferably one that doesn't co-incide with any rugby or precede any head races.

A quite stunning result from our crew at the Women's Eights Head : 21st overall from 236 finishers and just 1 second behind Molesey BC who were the fastest senior 2 club boat. Congratulations to coach Steve Heywood and his squad for coming up with our best WEHORR result since 1994.

Please note that the next UKCC coaching course will be based at the club from 20th February. The course is organised by Caroline who says that Bob King will be covering for her at the Wednesday circuits sessions. Bob likes to see people sweating at circuits - so be warned !

Well done to Tom Meade for completing the 54 mile Thames Meander run in 11 hours and 57 minutes. He says apart from some bruised & blistered feet, he is in reasonable shape considering the ordeal.

There was a win for the Vet C four at Burway Head on Saturday. The J15 and WJ15 quads both came 2nd by a single second.

The 200 Club draw dates for 2008 are now decided and listed on the 200 Club page.

Former vice-captain Cath Allaway and her rowing partner Margaret Bowling from Barnes Bridge Ladies arrived in Antigua on 13th February. See their blog for their insight on this remarkable achievement. We expect there will be some kind of home-coming party at the clubhouse next month.

The river continues to drop slowly and is now below the bottom step although the Shepperton weir stream remains somewhat challenging.

The President, Captain and several committee members represented the Club at Molesey Veterans Head on Sunday. The Women's VetC eight clocked up the Club's first win of 2008, with the VetC coxless four missing out on a pennant by less than 2 seconds.

At Dorney Lake, we had 9 junior boats racing in the Thames Valley Trial Head. They achieved some useful 2nd places. Full results are available here.

Here is an appreciation of Pat O'Connor, club captain in the 1960s, whose funeral was held on 8th January.

Happy New Year to all members and supporters. This website began in 1998 and has tracked the club's news & activities continuously over the past 10 years. However, we know that some people do like a good newsletter which has been somewhat neglected lately. So Greg plans to put one together during January, so if you have any news, gossip or pictures please send them to ggregoryjones [at] hotmail.com
It will be emailed to those whose addresses we know, and printed and sent to everyone else.

2007

Despite the rain, we boated a mixed VIII and a double on Christmas morning, before we returned to a warm dry clubhouse for the free hot rum punch. The Bermuda Black Rum for the punch was kindly donated by former member Michael Swain, who is now President of the Bermuda Rowing Association.

31 people attended the Christmas dinner. A big thank you to Jude Bowen and Derek Holmes whose culinary expertise ensured all enjoyed the meal, and to the juniors who served it with charm and efficiency.

Only a few of our hardy senior women braved the freezing conditions at Dorney Lake to compete at Walton Small Boats Head on Saturday. Ellie Wells and Alison Holgate were rewarded with a win in WS4 doubles - their first in Weybridge RC colours.

Congratulations to Claire and Carl Boon whose daughter Erin arrived at 1.30a.m. on 11th December, weighing 7 lbs exactly. Erin has already visited the clubhouse.

Walton Small Boats will take place this Saturday at Dorney Lake, since the river is still red boarded. The division times have changed - check the website for details.

The next Allan Whitwell Sculling Course is scheduled for the weekend of 26/27th April. Our members have first call on places, so get your names registered before we open it to the wider world.

Burway Small Boats Head. has been called off due to the state of the river. Next event is Walton Small Boats Head .

The events committee have published details for Weybridge Winter Head on Saturday 19th January. This event is open to seniors, veterans and juniors and gives people a chance to race in eights, fours and doubles a fortnight after the festive period. It replaces the 'Vets Head' which we have run for the past 15 years but always seemed to coincide with Mother's day.

Alison Jackson came an impressive third in WS2 in the Scullers' Head on December 1st, and was the 21st quickest woman overall.

The results of Hampton Head are now published.

Thursday's Annual General Meeting unanimously re-elected Derek Holmes as President, Tom Meade as Secretary, Ashley Tilling as Safety Advisor and Tim Owens as Facilities Manager. Paul Wielgut and Carl Boon continue as Committee Members. We have a new Treasurer, Sarah Young, and Clive Capel joins the Committee. There are two vacancies, notably for Social Secretary, since Sheila has decided to stand down. Any members who are interested in serving on the Committee should speak to Tom or Caroline.

A Silver Medal for Peter Morley in the Indoor Rowing Championships (heavyweight 60-64 category) at Birmingham on 18th November. Peter missed out on the gold medal by less than half a second. And a gold medal for Callum Russell in the Junior Adaptive category.

131 members and friends had a ball at the Annual Dinner & Dance on Saturday (17th), at the Hilton Hotel, Cobham. This year's Spreadbury Cup winner was Steve Heywood, in recognition of his years of coaching our successful women's squad. Jack Shepherd won the junior prize, which is awarded to the junior who has shown the most commitment and improvement over the year. Congratulations to Sheila and her team for arranging a first-class evening, and thank-you to all the kind people who contributed the 36 raffle prizes.

We had an array of 2nd places at Henley Sculls on Saturday. The results are here.

A win for Jack Shepherd and James Coxhead in J16 2x at Teddington Small Boats Head Two of our junior girls doubles missed wins by the narrowest of margins.

The Club has joined the new Whittet's Ait Neighbourhood Watch scheme. We shall be reporting any problems encountered, including anything suspicious, to the scheme co-ordinator whose details will be posted in the clubhouse.

We now have results from the Veteran Fours' Head plus photos.

At the Fours' Head our Women's Senior 2 quad came a respectable 15th from 39 in their event. Photos are now available.

The lists of Past Winners have been updated in the history section of the Silver Sculls pages. Incredibly, Emily becomes the first Weybridge person to be added to these lists since 1971.

The results of the Weybridge Silver Sculls are now on-line. Last year's winner, Hugh Mackworth-Praed, retains the title, in a time of 14:29 with strong stream conditions. Fastest woman was our own Emily Kean in 17:03. Overall Weybridge won 9 events. Our thanks to the many officials and helpers who made the day an outstanding success.

Clive Capel reports that the latest order from Powerhouse has been fulfilled, so please collect your goods if you ordered kit recently.
T-shirts and hoodies from Rock-the-Boat should be with us very shortly. Clive also has Weybridge caps in stock at £12. Thanks are due to Clive for his efforts in keeping the squads looking presentable... it has been noticed and complimented upon at 'away' regattas !

Our 3 boats at the Pairs Head all did very well. Alison & Emily came 2nd in WS2 doubles; Peter & Jude came 2nd on handicap in mixed veteran doubles; and Tracey & Linda came 11th in WS4 doubles.

A reminder that subscriptions for 2007/08 were due on 1st October. Well done to all those many people who provided cheques and standing order forms promptly.

There was a win for Mick Howe in Vet C sculls at Maidstone Sculling Head .

The 2007/08 membership application form and the 2006 FISA Rigging Survey (conducted by Sarah Merryman, who rowed for Weybridge in the 1990s) have both been added to the reference documents page.

Rock the Boat are kindly providing emergency 'get-you-home' kit packs for people who fall in. The packs will be available for borrowing from the changing rooms. Please wash and return within 7 days.

Di at Rock the Boat advises that they have a new website. Clive has samples of new items of kit, including caps, polo shirts and fleeces, so have a look at smarten up for winter!

Four more wins at Cambridge Autumn Regatta, bringing the regatta season to a successful conclusion.

The juniors have really put the "Wow" into Weybridge this weekend, with no less than 12 wins at Lea Regatta. Well done everyone!

Well done also to John Turnbull, who has passed his Bronze coaching award.

Members and parents are reminded of a club byelaw that says parking on Whittet's Ait is only for drop-off and pick-up only. In addition, please do not drive near the residents' gates nor obstruct their access. This request comes from the residents' association who have noticed this year's increase in club activities.

The proposed vice-captains for 2007/08 are Jon Beagley, Richard Harris and Jude Bowen. Please support them as they help take us forward under Caroline's leadership.

Concept2 have issued a notice about metal fatigue for their model D and E ergos made in the last 12 months. The Club's equipment is not affected, but do check the serial number if you have a machine at home or know someone who does.

The ARA have issued advice concerning Leptospirosis (Weil's disease) which can be fatal if left untreated. There have been two recent cases in the Henley area which is very unusual and probably a consequence of the high river levels at the end of July.

Observant Weybridge people prompted the rescue of a small child from the fast-flowing River Wye as night fell after Saturday's racing. Despite a long day in the sun, Ross Rowing Club personnel were very quickly on-hand to assist and the boy was pulled out and attended-to by a nurse.

What's that big yellow thing in the sky? we wondered at Gloucester Regatta. Yes, summer had come at last. Some hard-fought races resulted in wins for the J16 girls and for Carl and Mick, and a touch of sunburn for Clive, who gallantly towed the trailer.

The long-suffering boat-bay doors have been attended-to. At times when the boathouse is quiet, Carl has been laying new steel track in the concrete floor. Please make sure the doors are closed if you are the last crew to put boats and blades away after an outing.

The Thames Regional Rowing Council have written to all clubs to say that all boats used on the Thames must display a unique identifier after 30th September. This is an EA requirement. We are now numbering the Weybridge and Weyfarers fleets. We have ordered sufficient vinyl labels to include private sculling boats so we all get a good price - only £3 per boat. If you would like a set of codes, please contact Carl, who can also advise on applying them. Or you can request a set with your boat rack renewal in September.

We are putting together a page on Safety Procedures and Incident Reporting. It's not finished yet, but keep an eye on it as it will be full of useful information.

The BBC Sport website includes a photo of the "Matts" pair - click on this link and go to photo 4. There's also an article on the WRC Junior website - click on the link at the top of this page. And we have just heard that they won the 'B' final, taking 7th place overall in their event, a great achievement.

Racing is underway at the Junior World Championships in Beijing. Matt Tarrant, racing in the pair with Matthew Anker from Oratory School, came 3rd in their heat on Wednesday but impressively won their repechage on Thursday to progress to the semi-final on Friday. Full results are on the FISA website. We've just heard that they came 5th in the semi-final and now go to the 'B' final on Saturday to compete for places 7 to 12.

The river is now below the bottom step but still flowing more than we'd expect at this time of year. Due to on-going maintenance on the weir upstream from the club, the main Shepperton weir stream is quite strong. If you're not confident in turbulent water, stay on the 'home straight' by the landing stage.

Full results from Sudbury Regatta are now up on their site. We had wins in S4 1x and Mixed J14 2x.

Congratulations to Matt Tarrant who has been selected for the World Junior Championships. The full team is listed on the ARA website and the event starts in Beijing on 8th August. We understand he expects to be in the coxless pair. Matt started rowing with us in 2004/5 although he has been in crews with Walton RC since the Spring. We'll report on his progress, but whatever happens, at only 17, he has another year of junior eligibility in 2008.

Those people who have been to Evesham Regatta might like to see the latest pictures from Evesham. No news yet of the state of their boathouse and equipment, but it must surely be damaged.

Molesey Regatta did not happen on Saturday and was reduced to an ergo competition on Sunday where Jack Shepherd won J15 the J14 quad won too. We cannot recall the last time a major Thames regatta was cancelled due to strong stream conditions.

At the National Championships in Nottingham, we had two J15 doubles competing. Conditions were appalling at times, and racing was suspended for 3 hours on Friday. James Coxhead & Jack Shepherd made it through their heat despite losing their lane number in a big wave, but they did not progress through the semi-final time-trial in a horrible headwind. Dan Fisher & James Amico did not have a favourable lane draw in their heat and did not progress but gained invaluable experience. Thanks to Clive Capel & Paul Shepherd for supporting the crews.

This year's FISA Tour is in the USA, starting on 21 July. Some of the Weyfarers people are participating.

The club's coaching launch is back in action. Please give it tender, loving care and record all use and problems in the log-book in the clubhouse.

Results from the Summer 200 Club draw are posted here.

Alison & Emily sent us the inside story from Women's Henley... "we had a hilarious experience! We always know that we would need a miracle - and one happened, briefly. The Leander stroke girl's bowside blade popped out of the gate about 5 strokes into our race. So we were ahead at the end of Temple Island. But then they pushed back during the second minute and beat us by 4 lengths in the end. Lenader went on to win the final of elite doubles." Great effort, chaps.

Despite at times torrential rain, we notched up a couple more wins at Thames Valley Park Regatta. It was third time luck for the novice women - Rachel, Trudie, Gemma and Marion, coxed by Kirsten. Jack and "Fred" again looked impressive winning J15 doubles.

Remember that if you've been involved in an incident where anyone was injured or equipment was damaged you must fill in an incident report. The form is now online, together with guidance information.

Two wins at Walton & Weybridge Regatta: Alex Tarrant demolished all his opponents in novice singles, whilst Jack and "Fred" continued their winning streak in J15 doubles. Also worthy of a mention are Alex Keenes and Elliot Tarrant making an impressive debut in J13 doubles. A big thank you to all the Weybridge people who made the regatta a huge success, including Ashley, Greg and JRB who did the lion's share of organising the event, Carl who transported the tents and helped lay the course, Claire who recruited the patrons then printed the programme, the parents led by Sheila who provided the fantastic catering, and everybody who helped with umpiring, timekeeping and all the other jobs, many of them behind-the-scenes.

Congratulations to Clive and Emma Curd, whose son Charlie arrived at 12.30 am on 28th May weight 9.05 lbs. Clive is a "graduate" of last year's beginners' course and a regular member of the Sunday morning recreational squad.

Three wins from three finals at Weybridge Ladies' Regatta. Well done everyone.

At Metropolitan Regatta , Alison & Emily won their heat but did not progress at the semi-final stage.

Alas no wins at Twickenham regatta although Alison & Emily did make the final of WS2 doubles. Gemma & Rachel made their debut in WNov doubles.

At Thames Ditton Regatta, we had crews racing throughout the day. The women's junior quad had the commentator's excited in winning their final by only a couple of feet. 'Fred' and Jack won the plate competition for first-round losers of J15 doubles; and Alex made the final of junior single sculls.

Further downriver at Putney Town Regatta Peter & Jude had to concede a 13 second handicap in Open Veteran E/F doubles. That does seem a little unsporting, as mentioned by the race umpire ! Not surprisingly, the gap was too great to make up over the men's crew.

Shrewsbury Regatta on the River Severn is normally a sunny, picturesque event. This year it became a bit of an ordeal as the weather deteriorated into incessant rain. Carl & Mick won 3 out of 5 races, including the final of Vet B on the Saturday.

At Wallingford Regatta, held over 1500m at Dorney Lake, Alison & Emily contested women's senior 2 doubles in which 16 crews started. They came 2nd in a tough heat to claim a place in the final, where they came an excellent 4th. That represents progress on last year and bodes well for the rest of the summer.

Congratulations to Linda & Tracey won their veteran-novice doubles event at Marlow Spring Regatta on Monday in blustery, rainy conditions. The regatta was later curtailed due to the foul weather.

A busy weekend for many of the juniors at Evesham Regatta. We had several finalists on Saturday (including a very impressive debut from Oli Tomalin in a double with Matt B) but no winners. Sunday was more successful, with wins at Vet B 2x (Carl and Mick beating their nemesis, Huntingdon, for the first time), J15 2x ("Fred" and Jack), and Mixed Novice 2x (Matt B and Kirsten with perfect timing after only 10 minutes practice). A big thank you to Clive for towing the trailer, Jonathan for keeping everyone on their toes, and Nick and Paul for making sure that the boats and blades were always in the right place at the right time. Here are some photos.

Mike Cumpper, former captain and president of the club, has kindly donated his single scull to the club. This boat is one of the very first made by Janousek back in 1981 and its first owner was a 19-year-old Steve Redgrave. It is therefore quite a big boat and has been ear-marked for the primary use of Matt Tarrant. By way of a thank-you, we have offered Mike three years of free membership.

Clive Capel represented the club at the trailer towing symposium at Marlow on Thursday. He has a lot of new information to share, and we'll try and get a summary online shortly.

We ran an informal training regatta for beginner juniors from local clubs in the Cut on Saturday.

Kirsten, Diana, Oli, Jack and 'Fred' who representing the Thames Downriver region at the Inter-regional regatta at Nottingham on Saturday came 7th in their respective events. Full details are on the JIRR website.

The new boat booking sheet is available online. With the regatta season approaching, there is bound to be pressure on boat availability, so make sure you book your boat by emailing Chris de Mauny by TUESDAY of each week. Also please let him know if you will not be using the boat you have booked.

A reminder to everyone that bicycles must not be taken into the boathouse. Our boat bays are narrow and falling bikes can do damage to boats. Bikes left overnight should be left locked-up outside, or short-term in the changing room.

James Whittingham is doing the 250 mile cycle ride from London to Paris from 26th July to the 29th for the Big Issue, which helps homeless people. He is trying to collect as much sponsorship money as he can for the event and would be grateful for support from WRC members. You can donate online here

Our men's Veteran D eight put in a strong performance at the Vesta Veterans Head on Sunday, coming 73rd overall (having started at 90). Full results here

Thank you to everyone who supported the Quiz Night on Saturday. It was very close between the six teams and in the end there were only 8 points between the winners and the wooden-spooners. Congratulations to Sheila and Claire for their organising and to Mrs Whittingham and Mrs Bramhall for their work in the kitchen, plus all those who helped with the set-up, bar duties and the tidy-up afterwards.

We had a men's veteran 'D' eight and a Walton/Weybridge women's senior 3 composite eight at Kingston Head. The results are available here.

The full calendar of club events (in Excel format) can now be downloaded from the Events page.

At the Women's Head, where 270 eights competed from Mortlake to Putney, the novice crew came 229th (6th from 17 in their event); and the Walton/Weybridge composite crew came 111th (31st from 66 in seniors 3s). Full results are here.

In last week's Schools Head, Matt Tarrant filled the 3 seat in the Walton boat that came an impressive 7th overall, with the same time as the Eton College 1st eight. Full results are here.

The National Junior Sculling Head was held at Dorney Lake last Wednesday. Four of the J16 boys, representing St George's College, came 5th from 20 in J16 quads. The following day, they contested J16 coxed fours at the Schools' Head and won their event.

The ARA are advertising for HSCT Scholarship coaches. It is anticipated that anyone taking on the Surrey post would be assigned to assist with coaching at Weybridge. The post is a 2-year contract at 20 hours per week.

We are having a Spring workday on Easter Saturday 7th April. The plan is to address some essential tasks which are listed here. Please let Tim Owens know which task you're prepared to have a go at, and he will assist with arranging the necessary materials in advance. Since the kitchen will be having a deep clean, the barbecue will make its first appearance of the season for the production of bacon butties for the volunteers.

We took the difficult decision this morning to cancel the Weybridge Veteran & Junior Head (18th March). The small number of entries, plus continued concerns about the state of the river, meant that we thought it best to pull the plug (sorry!) sooner rather than later. All entry cheques will be destroyed. We look forward to seeing everyone at Walton & Weybridge Regatta on 9th June.

The new Walton Bridge is delayed, according to this BBC article.

Despite a strong performance, our Vet D eight were unable to retain their title at Molesey Veterans' Head. And the river came up overnight, so the Hyne Cup race was cancelled.

Coxless four "100 Weys" has been despatched to a new home in a bar in Stockholm, Sweden. This boat was bought with the proceeds from the club's centenary dinner in 1980 and served us well for 25 years until it suffered an unexpected structural failure at the centre join which gave its crew an unwelcome swimming session.
Only two wooden boats now remain in the club's fleet : the eight "Take-a-Wey" (in service) and single "Theresa" (away for refurbishment).

Claire Boon has agreed to be Ashley's deputy safety adviser. Claire has been skiffing and rowing between Shepperton and Sunbury since 1992, so she knows 'our patch' well.

As rumoured since January, it's the end of boat building at Eton.

Full results of the Thames Valley Trial Head at Dorney Lake are now up. 3 wins, all of them from J16 girls. Plus a second place for the women's novice coxed four on their racing debut.

We have acquired 4 matching recreational/beginner single sculls from the late Pat Sherwin at Southsea. Greg Jones and John Burnett kindly collected them on our behalf. The boats do need some basic repairs and setting-up, and we plan to do this during the Spring.

We have despatched our last remaining wooden pairs/doubles to their new homes. The fashion outlet Ralph Lauren are proposing to use them in their Bicester store which opens on 18th March. The third boat in the collection is Mick Howe's old single, kindly salvaged from his garden. Thanks go to Carl & Claire for assembling the consignment and to John T for organising and making the delivery.

The Rowing Foundation have kindly granted us £2,500 towards the purchase of two 65kg Janousek doubles suitable for use by smaller juniors. The boats are in service now, but we can expect a naming ceremony when the weather is kinder. The balance of the cost is being met by the 2006 President's Appeal and a contribution from club funds.

John Whittet, the former owner of Whittet's Ait and supporter of the club since the 1950s has died. The club will be represented at his funeral today by John Burnett.

Last week, the funeral of Charlie Drake was held at St James' Church in Weybridge. Charlie used to live on Hamm Court and became a supporter of the club. The eight "The Drake" was purchased following a donation from Charlie in 1965; the bows of that once-superb boat are today hanging from the clubroom ceiling.

The clubhouse and outside boats escaped serious damage in the recent storms. However a couple of doubles did blow off their racks even though the ties were on them. The same boats narrowly avoided being crushed by a tree which came down on the landing stage. Thanks are due to Tim Owens for securing the boats and removing the tree.

The events committee have confirmed the details for the Weybridge Veterans & Juniors Head on Sunday 18th March. Plaques will be awarded to winning crews and entry fees have been reduced from last year.

We had a handy 5 wins from 7 entries at Maidstone Small Boats Head on Sunday. The River Medway was hardly flowing at all, which led to some quick times. Fortunately for us, it looks like Maidstone SBH was the only rowing race in the country which ran over the weekend. Oddly quite a few of the umpires were from our area, but there were very few Thames-based competitors.

The Hyne Cup will be on Sunday 25th February at 11am. Walton RC are the hosts this year.

All of the ergos in the clubhouse have been thoroughly cleaned and lubricated. The handfulls of fluff removed from the fan casings mean that those people who train 'scientifically' should check their preferences, since you might need to use a lower damper number to achieve the same drag factor. Thanks to Claire for giving-up her Saturday afternoon to get this job done.

Those who enjoyed Greg Jones' rum punch after the Christmas morning row should be aware that the Bermuda rum was personally delivered during last year by Michael Swain from Bermuda Rowing Club. Thanks, Michael, for your kind gift.

We are redeeming our 985 Tesco vouchers for core-stability balls and pump, a sit-up mat and a stopwatch. The order has been sent off. Thanks to everyone who helped us collect the vouchers during the autumn.

Eight Weybridge/Weyfarers people trekked around Ockham common on Boxing Day, covering 5½ miles before retiring for lunch.

We had a mixed eight and a double on the water for the traditional Christmas morning row, much to the amusement of the towpath walkers.

Clive reports that the latest orders for Powerhouse kit are now delivered and can be collected from him. Remember it is cash or cheque on collection.
The kit page has been brought up-to-date to reflect the colour brochure displayed at the clubhouse.

Almost 50 people enjoyed the delights of the Club Christmas Dinner on Saturday night. Congratulations to Sheila, Caroline and all the other volunteers for putting on such a good show.

There is a new 'for sale' item on the notice board.

Here are some key points from the AGM for those who couldn't make it... ? 3 new committee members : Tom Meade (secretary), Howard Simons (treasurer), Paul Wielgut ? rule change to make it clear that future rule changes must be advised in writing along with the meeting notice ? Caroline Turnbull and Carl Boon become honorary life members ? Alasdair Kean becomes a vice president ? Walton & Weybridge Regatta will be held on 9th June '07, but we need team leaders and volunteer workers if the is to be a success. The new regatta secretary is Ashley Tilling. ? major project for the year ahead is likely to be the upgrade of the boathouse drains and septic tank.

One fact that was skipped at the AGM was that Leif Mills is retiring as club chairman after 9 consecutive years' service. We owe Leif a vote of thanks for "keeping a firm hand on the rudder lines" as we passed some tricky obstacles along the way.

There's an assortment of pictures from the Dinner Dance on the Take-the-Pose site.

Over 130 people attended the annual dinner dance and it was an excellent way to remember the 2005/06 year and to look forward to even better achievements in the near future. The 2006 Spreadbury Cup for an outstanding contribution to club activities went to Clive Capel for his behind-the-scenes admin of the busy junior section and his inspired mentoring of junior beginners.

Here's some post-Silver Sculls trivia for those analysing the results:
- Mike Knowles fell out of his single at Shepperton weir, but got back in and raced - and won, much to his surprise.
- Claire Boon and Jack Shepherd were the only people to race twice for Weybridge.
- Fiona Parry was the 4th quickest woman of the day.
- our 5 wins gave the home team its best showing for at least 10 years.
- at least 50 volunteers gave up their time to help run the event.
- the conditions were so tough that Hugh Mackworth-Praed's winning time was the slowest since 1974 (set by Dan Topolski).
- Lewis Knollman from Walton, who won the Demerara Cup as the fastest junior sculler, was at work stacking shelves in the Weybridge branch of Waitrose until 10pm on Friday night.
- EJ Bradbury of Thames RC went for a swim mid-race and still came 2nd in J14.
- professional photographer Richard Ward was lurking on the bottom Cut bridge, and his photos are now on-line.

The 50th anniversary Silver Sculls took place yesterday in changeable weather conditions and a strong stream. Overall winner was Hugh Mackworth-Praed of Auriol Kensington RC and Master i/c rowing at Pangbourne College. There were 5 Weybridge wins: Mike Knowles in Vet F, James "Fred" Coxhead in J15 and Fiona Parry in Womens Novice singles, Alison & Emily in WS2 and Linda & Liz in W Vet Novice doubles. Many thanks to the marshals, timekeepers and other helpers who did a splendid job as usual, and to Sheila and her team for the delicious home-made soup and other goodies on sale at the Canoe Club.

Results from the Pairs' Head are now up. Alison & Emily came an excellent 2nd in WS2 doubles (and came 8th from 73 women's doubles overall). Peter & Jude also came 2nd in mixed veteran C/D/E doubles, to complete a good day on the Tideway.

Readers of Rowing & Regatta magazine will notice a proliferation of light blue and dark blue in the October edition, which is out this week. There is a spread on the Silver Sculls on pages 42/43 and an illustrated profile of the club itself on pages 30/31.

We received a friendly welcome at Maidstone Scullers Head on Sunday. The event is held on the River Medway, which is relatively narrow and bendy. Much to his surprise and amusement, Mick Howe claimed his 10th win of the year in Vet A/B/C handicap doubles, with Carl. Claire was happy to overtake three of her opposition to come home 3rd out of 6 finishers in women's novice sculls.

The 50th anniversary Silver Sculls has been given new mini-site on this server. Take a look at the newly-written brief history and list of previous winners. Additionally, a full picture article is planned for the October edition of Rowing & Regatta magazine.

We are introducing a Boat Usage Log.  This is to try and establish some consistency in 'who-uses-what' as well as allowing us to determine which boats get the most usage. You will find the book next to the blade racks. Please record EVERY outing. The onus for doing this will fall upon whomever occupies the bow-seat of each crew.

Watch out for the little red arrows on the saxboards of each club boat which indicate the normal positions that boat's assigned rack. Please pay attention to exactly where you leave your boat so that you do not interfere with an adjacent boat.

2006

Five wins and some other very close verdicts at Lea Regatta on Sunday, all witnessed by Caroline who raced herself on the River Lea over 30 years ago. Unusual goings-on included vet B double opposition from Broxbourne falling in within sight of the finish (picture courtesy of Nick Coxhead) ; and later, a visit from the armed police in pursuit of local yobs who had harassed the nearby cricketers.

For the benefit of those who were at the World Championships last week, here is  an article by TV presenter John Inverdale. Page down to the second part of his piece to get his opinion on the proceedings at Dorney Lake. Praise indeed !

Here's a quick summary of the Summer General Meeting:
- Caroline Turnbull was elected to be captain from today and becomes the 3rd lady captain in our 125 years. She outlined her expectations for the year under the headings of Safety, Education and Excellence. More details to follow in a newsletter bulletin to all members during September.
- 2006/7 subs are going to be £230 for seniors and £135 for juniors with a small discount for full payment by 31st October and a discount for second and subsequent family members.

The police are investigating a suspicious fire at Weybridge Sailing Club last weekend. Their Nissen hut workshop was gutted and several boats were destroyed. We must remind everyone that any obvious fire-lighting materials must be stored away from the boathouse.

Well done to Emily & Alison who won WS2 doubles at Peterborough on Saturday. In tricky windy conditions, they finished a length up on their decent opposition which included the likes of Mortlake, Tideway Scullers and Peterborough.

The Weybridge volunteers for the World Championships got together to pose for a photo on Sunday, courtesy of Greg and Judith. Hopefully picture articles will appear in the local media in the next week or two.

Thank you to everyone who supported the Rag Regatta & Visitors' Day on Sunday. Click here for a report and photos.

Here are some pictures of the ARA recreational tour.

We would like to welcome Paul Willcocks, of St George's College and Vesta RC, who will be helping with coaching our crews over the summer. His timetable will be based around the juniors' sessions, but that does not preclude seniors from joining the flotilla and enjoying the benefit.

At St Neots Regatta on Saturday, there was an afternoon storm that caused a suspension of the racing for an hour. The huge gusts of wind destroyed several tents and left the first-aiders out in the open as the temperature dropped by 10C in a just few minutes. On the river, we had a couple of finals to consider : in Vet C doubles, Carl & Eric lost to Ancholme and in Vet B doubles, a withdrawal due to injury meant that Carl & Mick had to scull-over the 1000metre course.

Greg Jones has provided a list of Weybridge people who are signed-up as volunteers at the upcoming World Rowing Championships. This is an excellent turn-out and Greg will be arranging a get-together soon.

There is summary of the juniors' exploits at Molesey Regatta on the juniors' news page.

A report of the President's Reception are now featured on the juniors' news page. And some excellent photos too.

The 5 seniors who travelled up to Bedford contested 7 races in blustery conditions. The only win in a final was Alison & Emily in WS2 doubles.

Regattas coming-up for us in July include Molesey, Molesey Juniors, Staines, Burway Vets & Juniors and St Neots. We can expect our crews to compete at all these events. Click here for links to posters, draws and results. Remember to file your entries and race fees in good time to Tracey Charge, our entries co-ordinator.

The summer general meeting/captain's election is confirmed as being on Thursday 31st August, which is the latest possible date under the club rules.

There is a shiny 'new' boat lurking in the boathouse. Second-hand Janouseks don't appear on the market very often, but Caroline has managed to acquire this coxless quad and it has been professionally refurbished by Andre Munday. We need to sort out the rigging and find some seats for it, but hopefully Caroline will be in the first crew to take "Turn A'Wey" out on the water during July.

The President is going-to-town with plans for his reception on 9th July. Apparently, there will be a launching of the newly restored coaching vessel. And everyone will have a first opportunity to get a limited-edition "Weybridge 125th Anniversary" shirt, specially designed by Rock The Boat. Here is the design in light blue which will be printed on navy short-sleeved T-shirts (either unisex or fitted) with "Weybridge" on the back. Price only £12.50. Contact Derek Holmes to reserve yours in advance.

Congratulations to Sheila, Caroline and the entire event team for putting on a first-class Pre-Henley Ball. There are too many sterling helpers to mention in one paragraph, but if you did your bit then give yourself a pat on the back. Hopefully everyone had a memorable evening. There are some pictures available, courtesy of the junior squad.

Mark Eshelby, director of Latchmere Properties who own Whittet's Ait, reports that they have put up a new sign to remind people not to park on the road. He also says that a few of the "Phase 2" (2005) apartments are still for sale. The show home at 12 Flockton House is open from Thursdays to Mondays inclusive.

Michael Swain, former Weybridge oarsman and current 200 Club member, is now residing in Bermuda. He send us pictures of their latest boat purchases. As you can see, delivery is not easy to such a remote location. We are so lucky to have boat factories on our doorstep here in the Thames valley.

Clare Groome reports that she completed the 5K Cancer Research "Race for Life" in Newcastle last weekend, although not in a record time - not that it matters. Thank-you to all who supported. Her sponsorship page will be open until 18th June.

The President, Derek Holmes, is holding a reception at the clubhouse on Sunday 9th July, around midday. All members and their families are welcome. Apparently the Mayor of Elmbridge has already accepted his invitation. Derek is launching an appeal to raise funds for more boats for the juniors, so bring your cheque books. If you can't afford a donation, then offer to organise a fund raising event instead.

At Weybridge Ladies' Regatta on Sunday, the sun was out again. We had 4 wins on home water: WJ15 quad (Julia, Diana, Emma D, Kirsten, TomC), WJ15 doubles (Julia, EmmaD), WNovice doubles (Linda & Liz) and Mixed Veteran doubles (Peter & Jude). For a better write-up, see the juniors' news page. Race results are now on-line too.

Sheila would like to express her enormous thanks and congratulations to everyone who helped with the regatta catering effort on Saturday. The teamwork was quite superb, from erecting the tent at 6am through to clearing-up at 8pm. Thank-you, too, for all the kind donations of food, equipment and time; these will greatly improve the financial result which will be posted in the clubhouse very shortly.

Thanks to Spike the regatta IT guru, the complete results from Saturday's Walton & Weybridge Regatta went on-line shortly after the last race. You'll see that we had 3 crews progress through to their respective finals. The new men's novice four - comprising our J16s and J18s - came within 1/2length of winning, a result that will give them great confidence. Claire Boon got tipped out of her single by a cruiser in the busy navigation lane, but clambered back in and raced her semi-final without delaying the regatta. Her event was the subject of a "stewards' inquiry" later when it was discovered that the "winning" sculler from Walton RC was not a novice and was disqualified.

At Thames Ditton Regatta on Saturday there were excellent wins for James Coxhead and James Whittingham in their respective single scull events. For full descriptions of their races and those of the other competing boats, see the juniors' news page.

170 miles away, at the Shrewsbury Regatta weekend on the picturesque River Severn, Claire Boon reached the semi-finals of women's novice sculls both days but was knocked out by the same sculler from Pengwern BC, the home club. On Sunday, Carl & Mick won vet 'B' doubles after battles with old adversaries from Huntingdon  and Loughborough.

Many of the more recent recruits were off to Cranmore School swimming pool at West Horsley to undertake their capsize drill last Sunday, led by Caroline. This is a vital step in learning to row and scull. You never know when you might end-up 'in the drink' and knowing what to do in that situation is key.

There is a short report along with a nice selection of photos of Saturday night's party on the juniors' news page. Special thanks to the Whittingham family for decorating the clubroom, Theresa, Jude and Julia for all of the catering, Caroline for manning the bar and our house DJ Nick for getting everyone - including the coaches Jon and Clive - up on the dancefloor. And, of course, thanks to Sheila for masterminding the evening.

Thursday night suppers have raised £120 over the last 2 months. Well done all who have contributed to this effort through cooking and eating.

Our enterprising juniors (Jack, Chris and Tom C) have now developed their own website, with lots of information, photos and even video clips.

Rock The Boat have a stock of the brand new 2006 British Rowing Almanack, published only last week. For details of the special offer for Weybridge members, email Di or see the noticeboard in the clubhouse. Pages 157/8 of the book contain an article describing the career of Greg Jones, former president, captain & secretary of the Club, and a tongue-in-cheek description of the club kitchen.

The 10th Spreadbury dinner on 8th April was enjoyed by 40 people, mostly Spreadbury Cup winners from 1950 to 2005 plus a few of the current committee. Thanks to Greg Jones & family for organising the event.

Results from Teddington Sculls are now confirmed on their site. It shows wins for our women's J15 quad and men's vet B double. Our other crews all came well placed in their events. Full details to follow. Special credit goes to the J15 quad bowman Callum Russell who, despite his visual impairment, showed great skill in his first race on 'foreign' water. Thanks to Tim Owens for getting up early to tow the trailer and to all the other parents for their support on the towpath.

The Avid magazine article has been published following the photoshoot and interview back in January. It is available on-line.

News has reached us that Bill Stagg passed away on 28th February. Bill was a stalwart of the club in the 1970s and was Spreadbury cup winner in 1974. Bill devoted a great deal of time and energy working with the junior section at Weybridge. He and his wife Elsie were also well known at WLARC. The Club was represented at his funeral on 20th March.

On 2nd March, the Weybridge Mariners' clubhouse opposite Weybridge Ladies' was consumed by fire. This is a timely reminder that we too have a wooden building and should take extra care to minimise the risks.

Results for the Weybridge Veteran and Junior Head are now online. Two wins for our Junior squad - the Womens J15 quad stormed home a minute faster than their nearest opposition and the Mens J14 quad of James, James, James and James won by an even bigger margin despite some dodgy steering by their cox James (no I'm not making it up!) which earned them a 10 second penalty. Many thanks to all who helped on the day with umpiring, marshalling and time keeping and to the catering team for their delicious homemade soup and cakes.

The Vet D eight came 2nd out of 3 at Burway Head. By all accounts it wasn't the most pleasant of days : it was very cold with a bitter north-east wind, the crews were 20mins late starting and then got underway in pretty much any order they wished.

Following the confirmation of Avian Influenza ("bird flu") in France & Germany, it is more than likely that wild birds will bring it to the UK soon. Although the risks are small, if you come across a dead bird - maybe a swan, goose or duck - do not touch it since any infection could be passed by direct contact. We should report dead birds to DEFRA by calling 0845 933 5577. Further, it is good practice to wash your hands after going anywhere in the vicinity of where birds might have been present, such as on the landing stage.

There is a mistake in the results for Molesey Veterans Head. The Weybridge Vet D crew claimed the pennant for that event by just 0.9sec over Poplar since the Maidenhead crew were actually Vet C. However the result is insignificant compared with what follows...

Walton RC oarsman Simon Mepham collapsed and died from a suspected heart attack at the finish line of Molesey Vets Head on Saturday. He was 50.  Simon competed for Weybridge RC in the mid-1980s and courtesy of Bob King we have a picture from the 1987 Head of the River* with Simon in the '6' seat. Simon's partner Sarah Birch is our coach for senior crews and to her and the rest of Simon's family and crewmates we express our sympathy at this difficult time.
*the full crew is bow-Peter Collins, 2-Adam Mills, 3-Bob King, 4-Andy Knot, 5-Alec? 6-Simon, 7-Crispin Lee, str-Peter Levy, cox-Julia?

Twenty four crews took part in the Hyne Cup in wet and windy conditions. Walton's youthful Senior 3 VIII retained the title, with the rather more mature S2 eights of Walton and Weybridge fighting a close battle for second. A strong novice four from the University of Surrey won the Allwork Cup, while the Henry Stebbing Cup for the fastest women's crew went to Weybridge (Jax, Fiona, Alison and Emily). The fastest junior crew were Tom O, Tom C, Jack and Jackson. Here are the full results . Well done to all who took part, and many thanks to those who helped on the day, especially Rosie, Marion, Veena and Anne P who warmed everyone up with hot soup afterwards.

The results from Saturday's Burway Small Boats Head are now online along with lots of pictures. Here is a summary of some very respectable performances:
Alex 6th out of 11 competitors in J18 1x
JamesC 2nd from 5 in J14 1x
Kirsten & Diana 3rd from 17 (yes - seventeen) in WJ15 2x
Alison & Emily 2nd from 4 in WS2 2x
Linda & Liz 2nd from 6 in WNov 2x.
A grand effort, especially from those juniors who had to contend with Shepperton and Chertsey locks in both directions.
So unfortunately no wins to add to the what is now the final winners list for the year.

60 people demolished the Christmas Dinner on Saturday evening. The highlight of the evening was a visit from Santa, with presents in his sack for all the juniors. Many thanks to Caroline, Sheila, Jacky and James W who did the cooking, Tom C, Tom O, Chris, Jack and Jackson who waited at tables, manned the bar (allegedly under the watchful eye of JT) and sold raffle tickets, Teri and the decorating team, and all the others who helped put it together and, most importantly, cleared up aftewards.

Photographs of the Anniversary Dinner taken by Take the Pose are now linked here, note there are 6 pages of thumbnails.

Results for the Walton Small Boats Head. are  now online. Good solid performances from everyone, including JamesW & Alex who came 26th overall in their double first-time out, and Kirsten & Diana who won WJ15 2x after coming 3rd in WJ14 and WJ15 singles respectively. Geoff has clearly made a lot of progress in his single, coming 3rd in his event only 1sec behind Peter.
The prizes are presented next Sunday (11th) at 12.30pm at Walton RC. Photos taken from the bottom Cut bridge are now available.

Here is a picture received of Mr Beagley receiving the Spreadbury Cup at the Anniversary Dinner.

Club History CD Lynn Yeo is putting together a souvenir CD of the Anniversary Dinner, with historic photos spanning nearly 100 years of the Club's activity. We need additional material for the last 10 years, and some good photographs of the dinner itself. Please let Caroline or John have any suitable stuff (digital or hard copy) a.s.a.p. and we will pass it on to Lynn. Let us know too if you would be interested in buying a copy (for a modest price).

The Club rules have been updated to include the amendment to Rule 5 approved at the AGM. Prospective new members no longer need to be proposed and seconded but should simply complete a membership form and pin it to the notice board. However they should make themselves known to a member of the Committee so that their application can be considered at the next Committee meeting.

Key points from the AGM for those who couldn't make it... ? Derek Holmes elected as President ? John Turnbull becomes honorary life member ? Leif Mills becomes a vice president ? some vacancies remain on the new committee now that Judith and Caroline have stood down ? accounts show a busy but viable year has passed ? 30% of members have joined during the past year ? new insurance policy is in place ? a development sub-committee will investigate the feasibility of re-developing at our current site subject to achieving an improved lease ? Walton & Weybridge Regatta will be held on 3rd June '06, the name change reflecting the true nature of the event.

It's a non-racing week, so we've got space to mention two former Weybridge people who were in competition last weekend: Oscar Rogers came 2nd in J18 2x and 3rd in J17 1x at Pangbourne Junior Sculls and Chris Moat came 11th (time 7:08.5) in age 30-34 lightweight men's event at the British Indoor Rowing Championships at the NEC, Birmingham.

The 125th Anniversary dinner proved to be a night to remember. Generations of oarsmen & women from the 1950s to the present day came together to mark occasion at the Hilton Hotel, Cobham. Congratulations to JohnT, ably assisted by Caroline, NigelB, Derek, PeterL, Anne, Lynn and all those volunteers who comprised the event team. Also well done to the junior squad who raised over £1000 through selling raffle tickets on the night.
Guest speaker Di Ellis, chairman of the ARA presented the club with a framed certificate for display in the clubhouse. Winner of the Spreadbury Cup for 2005 is Jon Beagley for his support of junior rowing, not just his own attendance in all weathers on the towpath, but also for recruiting help from others. This is all the more remarkable because Jon has hardly ever rowed himself.
If anyone wishes to share any good photos from Saturday's dinner dance, please send them to:-  facilities [at] weybridge.rowing.org.uk

The World Championships at Dorney Lake are 8 months away, hence the appearance of their banner above. The organisers are inviting juniors to sign-up for training sessions to become the start team - see the TRRC site for further details. Weybridge people will be especially welcome. Speak to Judith Packer for further information.

The results from Saturday's Burway Small Boats Head are now online along with lots of pictures. Here is a summary of some very respectable performances:
Alex 6th out of 11 competitors in J18 1x
JamesC 2nd from 5 in J14 1x
Kirsten & Diana 3rd from 17 (yes - seventeen) in WJ15 2x
Alison & Emily 2nd from 4 in WS2 2x
Linda & Liz 2nd from 6 in WNov 2x.
A grand effort, especially from those juniors who had to contend with Shepperton and Chertsey locks in both directions.
So unfortunately no wins to add to the what is now the final winners list for the year.

60 people demolished the Christmas Dinner on Saturday evening. The highlight of the evening was a visit from Santa, with presents in his sack for all the juniors. Many thanks to Caroline, Sheila, Jacky and James W who did the cooking, Tom C, Tom O, Chris, Jack and Jackson who waited at tables, manned the bar (allegedly under the watchful eye of JT) and sold raffle tickets, Teri and the decorating team, and all the others who helped put it together and, most importantly, cleared up aftewards.