It is with sadness that I have to report the sudden death of Cathy Cruickshank the Club Secretary and well known and loved rowing personality. Our sympathies are extended to Ian, Andrew and Ollie. Funeral Monday 25th @Reading Crematorium. All are invited to Leander afterwards. Ian has asked for Club Blazers and Tie as preferred dress. Family flowers only. Donations to Harry Mahon Cancer Research Trust c/o Tomalin & Son Henley

January 06

Level 2 Coaching Award: Anyone interested in obtaining a level 2 coaching qualification in the first quarter of 2006 should contact the Captain ASAP. Also any one wishing to obtain a level three qualification later in the year should let their interest be known. Contact Paul 

November 05

At GB Junior trials Chris Clarke finished 21st  and Jenny Arnold 28th These postions should be good enough to see them into the next round of selection. Tom Pocock was 11th out of the J16 Boys.

10 wins at the Upper Thames Head won the Victor Ludorum for the Club for the third year in a row. This was followed by a very successful Henley Sculls well organised by the Club and the weather held out so that over 500 crews had a good days racing with the Clubs men's squad coming away with 4 wins  and the Team prize.

October 05

It's not that a lot doesn't happen it's that I never get round to writing about it. Now you can't have missed that we won the Thames Cup and as a result those very nice people who run Henley held a reception for the crew and guests at the Town Hall with lot's of nice speech's and Desi making the point that we now have to win the Ladies. With the size of the men's squad (now out numbering the juniors for the first time in many years) that may not be far fetched.

Sept 05

The Club ball was held at Badgemore and proved a great success (pictures here) Thanks to Roy Val and Margos organisation. HRR let us borrow the Thames Cup and it went back without to big a dent (it's not the easiest thing to drink out of). It was good to see the event well attended by a good representation of every section of the Club Men Women Juniors Juniors Parents and of course all us old die hards. 

Captains Meeting In case you missed it was held and Mossy re-elected, he insists this is his last year and really would like somebody to shadow him and take over next year.

Dec 04

Boxing Day Eights  6 eights raced on boxing day (pictures here) the winning crew being Kate Pankhurst, Caroline Hocking, Nick Friend, Mike Jennings, Chris Clarke, Bob Thomas, Juliet Hookey, Alistair Walker and cox Rachel Falle The crew was the usual mix of old men, junior girls, the odd boy, some senior women and the occasional serious senior oarsman. The day was a great success no verdict was more than a length and most less than half a length. Val provided the much needed mulled wine and mince pies, Roy the presentation pewter tankards and Mossy, Chris and Ian organised and umpired.

Water Safety There is a new board at the doors to the main boat house crews and scullers who do not have a coach on the  tow path are required to sign out before going afloat, time of going out and crew name. On return the details are to be cleared from the board, if you don't you may start a wild goose chase to find out where you are. The signing out process is a recommendation of the ARA Water Safety Code which the Club and its members are required to comply with.

May 04

Members of Henley Row­ing Club are `WARC'ing on water thanks to the generous gift of a hand­some new eight. When vandals wrecked two top-of-the-range racing boats worth £42,000 belonging to the club after a' competition in London, an appeal for help was launched in the 'Standard. That plea was answered by the Henley-based World Advertising Research Com­pany (WARC) and last Saturday the boat was officially named after its sponsor.

Ian Desmond, men's chief coach, said: "By a stroke of luck the right man at the right time came up with a sponsor­ship deal as a result of read­ing the newspaper report detailing our unfortunate loss of equipment: "My crew, captain Paul Moss, and chairman Ian Pankhurst, and the Henley Rowing Club committee, are extremely grateful to WARC for their generosity.

"The senior men's squad are currently training hard and full of enthusiasm. They have raced well all season and continue to raise their game and improve.

"One of our strengths is that they are all quite good friends and have raced together for many years at the club. There are-no `prima donnas'. "But what this squad is try­ing to do is row and compete at a much higher level than ever before, and all the indi­cations show that we are on the right track." Mike Waterson, chairman of WARC, said the company has grown in Henley and he has been immensely happy with the support from the town.

But he said it was not until recently that he realised how many of the people who work for the company have links with rowing and are members of the club. He said: "I've always secretly harboured a desire to sponsor a boat. So when I saw the appeal on the front page of the Standard it all fell nicely together - the Stand­ard works!

"It was really miserable for such a thing to happen to the club when it is working so hard. "I am particularly proud to sponsor the boat and hope, they will completely vanquish Leander! We will be watching them this Regatta." The boat was christened by Lizzie Denham whose father­-in-law was once treasurer of the club. She said: "I wish the club all the best and that they will be victorious this year."

DECEMBER 03

Boxing Day Eights  6 eights raced on boxing day (pictures here) the winning crew being A Desmond, K Pankhurst, S Stewart, C Hocking, G Pullen, D Ford, R Pullen, C Green, and cox H Boyd. The crew was the usual mix of old men, junior girls, the odd boy, some senior women and the occasional serious senior oarsman. The day was a great success no verdict was more than a length and most less than half a length. The spectators where also out in force at one point the bar was so packed that people where sneeking in under the wire (ie via the back room). Val provided the much needed mulled wine and mince pies, Roy the presentation pewter tankards and Mossy Chris and Ian organised and umpired.

NOVEMBER 03

AGM At long last we had the 2002 AGM. Good debate about rowing stirred up by Desi. James Tong retires as Treasurer to be replaced by Adam Charnaud, Chris Boothroyd retires as secretary this job now taken on by Cathy and Ian Cruickshank. Noel Snell retires from the Committee new committee members are Chris Boothroyd, Peter Nickless and John Nowak

JULY 03

Home Countries As a result of his performance at the National Championships David Read has been selected to represent England as the Junior 1x at the Home Countries Regatta to be held in Cork 26th July.

GB Vs France As a result of trials held in Nottingham the J16 girls quad of Kaye Davies, Hannah Smith Willis, Becci Griffiths and Lucy Lewington will be representing Great Britain in the Annual Match against France to be held 23rd July to 26th

HRR  David Read rowing in a Marlow, Kings Worcester, Henley Rowing Club composite crew won the Fawley Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. The Clubs name did not appear in the programme as due to the vagaries of the HRR rules only two names appear in the programme . To win the crew beat two overseas crews St Josephs & Brisbane ,Australie in the semi Final which was perhaps the toughest race and in the final Malvern Preparatory School of the USA. with a verdict of easily and a time of 6:55. As Ian Desmond,  their coach is report to have said " Even though we did not have the Henley Rowing Club name in the programme, at least David was wearing the Club colours and using Club blades. We are very proud of him." I think Desi speaks for us all with that last sentiment. This was the first win for Henley Rowing Club since the 19th Century. HRR Pictures

AGM The date for the AGM has to be revised it is now likely to be mid August. We will be requesting nominations for the roles of Secretary and Treasurer as both Chris Boothroyd and James Tong will be standing down.

May 03

Good month for regatta wins with this years total of wins already exceeding the 65 wins of last year. With good contributions from all sections of the club.

The boat trip was not as well attended as Val would have liked very few Club members turning up.

The Bar-B-Q was a great day though as can be seen from the pictures, no broken bones on the bouncy castle though a few did complain of stiff necks. The skittles obviously became a game of could you through the ball hard enough to break a table - which you did. A good day that also made money.

April 03

A good day out at Bedford SBH with 14 wins and all sections of the Club represented (Jenno & Brown counting as Vet Men). Full report here and Pictures here.

April also saw the Oarsome open day organised by Dave Scivier. This full days programme gives the year 11 pupils at our associated school Wargrave Piggott their first chance to get on the water. The day starts with breakfast as normal provided by Val. A tour of the boathouse follows with tour guides Chris Boothroyd and Paul Moss also ensuring that the kids get the answers they need for quiz that follows. Some ergo work follows to work up an appetite for lunch and then onto the water. The kids are given basic instruction on getting into the boat balance exercises and this is followed by an outing in a quad this year assisted by Kay Davies, Bethan Thomas and Simon Jones. Nigel Weare of the ARA was also in attendance to give a hand with the coaching. Pictures of the day can be seen here.

February 03

The Club dinner was a great success. Good speeches from Mike Rosewell and Nigel Read who possibly colluded with his daughter as she picked up the winnings from the sweepstake on the length of the speeches. Other winners on the night where Bob Thomas £100 from the £5 draw and Mike Downing another £100 from the Heads and Tails. Prizes for the best rowers of 2002 went to Ryan Davies Junior Man, Lucy Lewington Junior Girl, Lucy Mills Senior Women and Nick Walters Senior Man. Simon Thompson picked up the Richard Head award for his antics in stopping before the finish at a regatta as he didn't think it right that he should win after having fallen out of his sculling boat then got back in and went on to pass the opposition.

Gossip of what went on at Latinos afterwards is still awaited. Pictures of the Dinner are here.

January 03

Cox Required Women Novice Four Urgently require a Cox. Willing to do early starts at weekends. Lots of Laughs and Fun guaranteed with lively crew members!!  If you've never coxed before training will be given. 

Please contact Faith faith.armitage@esmerk.com

Happy New Year Don't think your going rowing though, have you seen the floods. You currently need waders to even get to the Bar , pictures here.

December 02

ROWING UPDATE Despite some head races being cancelled the Club has notched up another impressive set of wins in the Autumn head races at the end of December total wins were 28No.

BOXING DAY EIGHTS  We where luck enough with the stream to get on the river. Sufficient "athletes" turning up to get six boats on the water. Mr Pankhurst and Mr Moss officiated spending a couple of hours on the launch fuelled by mulled wine (them not the launch). The winning crew after five close races was Paul Barker, Hannah Boyd, Natalie McIntosh, Caroline Hocking (it was noticeable that senior women where stroking both the crews in the final) Natalie Robinson, Ben Krauze, David Read, Andrew Cruickshank and cox Amanda Moor.

Val of course provided mulled wine and mince pies to keep all the spectators happy prior to Roy opening the bar where the winning crew where presented with engraved tankards.

Pictures here

MEMBERSHIP DETAILS  Please make sure we have your correct details, Address, Telephone numbers, E-mail address. We are particularly keen to try and get every bodies e-mail address to assist in future communications.

You can update your info on the web site here or by e-mail to thesecretary@henleyrowingclub.org, by amending the lists on the club noticeboard by post to the secretary or by handing the info to Roy

DIARIES  Diaries are being issued this year and if you have paid your subs you will be receiving one in the next few days (if you haven’t already got it).

September

AGM: At long last the latest three year plan was approved, members can see a copy in the members area. Adrian Morris retired as President but becomes a Vice President, Cliff Blakeway taking on the mantle of President. Ian Pankhurst becomes Chairman. New addition to the committee is Mark Davies, Pete Knowles and Sarah Allen standing down from the committee.

Captains Meeting: Paul Moss was re elected Captain. Paul is looking for an understudy to take over as Captain next Year

July - International Selection for Boys 

Following the excellent performance in the Fawley Cup at Henley Royal Regatta of the Henley RC boys quad crew of Rob Friend, David Read, Ryan Davies and Simon Thompson, in which they reached the Semi-Final, three of the boys were invited to Final Trials last week at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham to try and gain selection for the Great Britain Junior Team.

The results were the best ever for the club with Ryan Davies being selected to row in the Eight at the World Junior Championships in Lithuania in August, David Read to scull in the Quad Scull at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in Portugal in August and Rob Friend to row in the England Eight at the Home International Regatta in Scotland on 27^th July.

Not to be outdone, Simon Thompson will be sculling at the National Championships this coming weekend and trying to gain selection for the Welsh team for the forthcoming Home International Regatta.

This is a tremendous achievement for these boys from their junior rowing at Henley RC where Simon, Ryan and Rob have been rowing since the age of 12 and David since 15.

4th June - The regatta season is now well under way a visit to the reports page will show you that we are doing well across all sections of the club, men, women and juniors.  The wine tasting the barbeque and the boat trip have all come and gone all these where well attended but it would be nice to see some new faces. The junior parents where out in force for the boat trip and I spared their blushes by not taking the camera.

2nd March Club Dinner - 

A great evening was had by all Desi despite my concerns produced a great speech. Mossy's was a bit short thankfully. Much to the senior men's disgrace and upset young Simon Thompson won the great chocolate pudding race. There was of course the usual drunks but nothing to up set Roy to much. For the second year Chris Boothroyd got the Brian Fitzpatrick Trophy. Sorry I forgot the camera and theirs no pictures to incriminate 

Of course well done to Val and Cherry for the catering.