Archive for September, 2010

• Date
• Start time if possible (State of the tide may be defining this)
• Location
• Club hosting the event
• Type of racing planned (Straight sprint event, short buoy turning event(500-1000m), long buoy turning event(1000-2000m), long distance race (2000m+))

There will be a general meeting of the Scottish Coastal Rowing Association at South Queensferry on 24 October 2010.  All orgnisations who are members of the association are invited to send delegates to the meeting.  The draft agenda can be found here:  http://scottishcoastalrowing.org/general-meeting/

A team from North Berwick took Skiff John B,  Scotland’s eighth St Ayles skiff, down to London on 25 September 2010 to take part in the Great River Race.  The crew were Clive Drewitt, Ken Reid, Johnny Macnair, Maggie Macnair, Andrew Knight and Graham McNicol.  If you are confused…..there are indeed six of them.  The race requires that  a passenger is carried over the 21 mile course from Docklands to Richmond on the Thames. At any one time one of the six relaxed in the bow, taking in the sights of London’s River, while the rest did the hard work.  The other rule of the race is that a flag must be flown at all times.  From the photo you will see that the crew had a magnificent and ancient town flag, showing North Berwick’s coat of arms, which by good fortune features a galley being rowed! 

They rowed the course in 3 hours and 27mins, setting the standard for others to follow.

The good people of Inveraray are being invited to build a St Ayles skiff, and their neigbouring communities are being dared to try to match them!  Elaine Morrison is laying down the challenge and can be contacted at coastalrowinveraray@gmail.com  .  For more information see http://forargyll.com/2010/09/inspirational-invitation-to-argylls-waterside-communities-take-to-it/

A group of coaches from SCRA clubs returned today from an intensive 4 day coaching course run by British Rowing at Aberystwyth Boat Club. Stuart White (Cumbrae), Topher Dawson (Ulla), Jim Ford (Royal West), Ian Clark (Royal West) and Adam Graham (Royal West) all successfully completed the first section of thier UKCC Level 2 Coaches Course in Fixed Seat Rowing. On the completion of further club based activities and assessment by British Rowing Assessors, in spring of next year they will be qualified and approved to plan, deliver & review coaching sessions in fixed seat rowing.

As some of you may know a UKCC coaching qualification is nationally recognised across all sporting disciplines, not just rowing. This qualification will help boost the individual club’s and the Association’s commitment to operate safely and with a clear understanding of Best Practise in coaching. The coaches will be undergoing further assessments and would welcome an opportunity to practice the skills refined over the weekend. If any club would like to make use of this facility please contact Adam Graham (adam_graham (at) hotmail.com).

The coaches who attended the course did so in thier own time and, for the most part, at there own expense, however they would like to acknowledge the support received from Sports Inverclyde, Sports Scotland and Highland Council. They would also like to thank Sarah Hayward of the Welsh Rowing Association who ran the course on behalf of British Rowing, and the members of Aberystwyth Boat Club who made them welcome and gave them access to their Celtic Long Boats.