Cygnet Weekly Update

All,

It was back to the Tideway for a full on training last weekend. It was good to have three coxed fours on the river on Saturday doing race pieces against each other, and it was good to see our bow loader the Peter Roche on the water for the first time in a while. The new novices are making big strides forwards and a good number made the Sunday outing and were rewarded by the excitement of six side by side race pieces against small boats. I can vouch for how hard that was for the single scullers!!! Keep this momentum and you guys should be ready for a season closing race at Oxford City on the 18th August.

It's St Neots regatta this weekend and a trailer loaded with Barnes Bridge and Cygnet boats is heading up the A1. Unfortunately a couple of our entries did not get races so our entries are thinner than expected:

Ex capn Jez MasE 1x heat at 10:24 vs Broxbourne

Sam and Robin Open 2- semi final at 15:30

So this week....

Tuesday Weights session/ race training outings followed by:

8pm Boat naming of our new single scull

8:15pm OGM to elect the new captaincy followed by ringing of the bell and consumption of a few celebratory drinks.

Wednesday Outings for race crews,

Thursday Novice outing meet at 7pm, 7:15 sharp OTW

Squad ergo - 10 x 500m in teams of 2 with 30 second change over

Boat loading for St Neots

Saturday

St Neots Regatta

For those not racing, please put your availability on the sheet so we can plan Tideway outings. We could combine novices with more experience rowers if numbers and mix are right to get further on the prep for Oxford City.

Sunday - meet at 7:05, OTW at 7:30

Novices to join the main squad at 10am

Slightly further ahead is Henley T&V then Peterborough Regatta (12th August).

HT&V entries close at the weekend so if people want to race then they need to get organised really quickly and let me and the new captain know. There seems to have been a shift towards Peterborough, which is fine, but you need to keep the captaincy informed.

This is my final weekly update before I step down as Cygnet captain tomorrow. It's been a great privilege to have been captain for 2 years, thanks of all the support you've given me and the club and to all those who serve on committees behind the scenes to keep things working smoothly. There have been little minor crises when something breaks or we need someone to step into a crew at very short notice leading to "volunteer required" type email from me. And someone always does come forward, the boats get on the water, the kit gets fixed, the trailer gets driven to its destination. We've had a successful summer of pots, the squad is growing, we are getting leaner, fitter, better looking... The future for Cygnet is rosy blue.

I wish the incoming captaincy every success.

See you at the OGM tomorrow,

Jez