Talkin tarn regatta - border raid
The Nithsdale racing crews had their last full outing for 2018 at the Talking Tarn regatta; a long and hot day of racing with 29 clubs competing on the Cumbrian Tarn. Water levels were low with a number of crews having navigation errors as they balanced being stranded in the shallows with being out of their racing lane. No such difficulties for the experienced Nithsdale crews but competition was challenging. A newly set-up Women’s coxed quad of with Jasmine Scaife, Rowan Wilson, Annabel McGregor and Lauren Rice won their heat, coxed by experienced oarsman, Graeme Dunse. This was the first regatta for Annabel and Lauren and the win against City of Sunderland and St Andrews Boat Club showed potential. Young scullers Rowan and Jasmine also raced in a Women’s double, and Jasmine in the Women’s single scull, rowing well for places in the semi-finals against older crews. The male categories were very well represented with the small club able to put out a Men’s eight, but were narrowly beaten to second place by Tyne in the heat. The male categories also included father and son duo Mark and Harvey Buchanan in the Open double, racing in the top ranked Band 1 section, and also racing separately in their single sculls where Mark won the Open Masters A-C single. Harvey raced strongly against two other visiting Scottish crews, beating Stirling but Glasgow University won over the final strokes. Harvey also rowed with partner Anderson Black for the first time in a pair, a change of style from their previous double scull category. Foster Ross rowed well in the Open Masters G to secure a second place competing against Lakeland and Berwick. Winners’ tankards went to Mark Buchanan in the open Masters singles and double wins for to the Open Mens coxless and coxed quad with John Heuchan and brothers Graham (Bow), Andrew (Stroke) and John Dunse with cox Rowan Wilson.
NARC Regatta - Narc celebrates gordon kerr's 60 years of rowing
The 2018 Nithsdale Regatta saw a hectic day of racing with crews leaving the Nunholm start line every four minutes from 8am until 5.30pm . There were 121 races altogether on the 750 metre course, with clubs from across Scotland and North of England putting an impressive display of racing on show.
Nithsdale competed strongly on their home river –there were wins across the age groups and strong finals. Clubs brought travelling support and the sun shone, with everyone enjoying the Nithsdale hospitality, including a reception to recognise Gordon Kerr’s sixty years of membership of the club, marked by a formal ‘row past’ by brothers John, Andrew and Graeme Dunse in Gordon’s own boat and the double named after him. Local photography club ‘Photography for Enjoyment’ recorded the racing through some wonderful images which have been posted on the clubs website and Photography for Enjoyment facebook page. Jasmine Scaife and Islay McIsaac won the women’s pair, beating Strathclyde University, Rowan Wilson and Islay McIssac won the Women’s Junior 18 Double against St Andrews Boat Club. Lazlo Szabo raced well in his first regatta, competing in the youngest age category for boys aged 12 or younger, and Hugh Southall also racing strongly in his first season in his men’s Novice category, beating Clydesdale to reach the final but the age and experience of the Strathclyde University sculler was too strong... this year. A combined crew of Nithsdale and Strathclyde University won the women’s coxed quad, the first medals for student members Roosa Salonen and Orla Farrell. Anderson Black won the junior 15 single and then with teammate Harvey Buchanan in the open Junior 18 double sculls. As a father and son duo Mark and Harvey Buchanan won the Generation double and Harvey then made it the hat trick with a third medal in the J18 single sculls. Club Captain Melanie Huxtable thanked all friends and family who helped out at the regatta saying ‘It makes me so proud that our club can put on a successful, busy, jam-packed schedule of racing. Thank you to the local companies who sponsor our regatta and all the friends and family who help. Many congratulations to our athletes who competed, whether you took home a medal or not’. The final medal tally showed Stirling Rowing Club taking home the most silverware; Captain Graeme Duff, who had been a junior member at Nithsdale, was warmly congratulated on the club’s strong performances throughout the day. |
Sculling at sunny semple!
A large team from Nithsdale rowing club travelled to Castle Semple for a busy day of racing in Lochwinnoch. The club took racing crews from age 11 and upwards –with junior, students, seniors and Masters competing against 24 clubs from across Scotland.
An early start to allow rowers to successfully move through their heats and Nithsdale crews achieving places in the finals. In the women’s coxed quad, the young but experienced crew of Jasmine Scaife, Rowan Wilson, Ellis Middleton and Islay MacIssac who won the silver at the Scottish Championships last year, achieved a competitive 2nd place with new cox Lazlo Szabo in his first regatta. Anderson Black won the J15 single, continuing his winning run in this age category this season. Senior sculler Foster Ross raced in both novice and veteran categories, John Dunse won with a composite Stirling Crew in the Men’s coxed quad, along with ex Nithsdale rowers who now compete with the university club, and was second in the Men’s pairs with brother Andrew who races with Strathclyde Park Rowing Club. Jasmine Scaife raced tidily in her Women’s Restricted 2 single and crewmates Rowan and Islay in their Restricted 2 double. Having won last year the young female scullers are no longer novices and now have strong competition in the next category. Harvey Buchanan and Anderson Black raced well in the final session of the day in the double. The Crichton University Campus Boat Club accompanied the Nithsdale Club, racing in a mixed double Novice and a Novice quad wearing the peacock blue and Black colours of the affiliated club, and enjoyed a well prepared barbeque in the sun. |
Hexham Regatta - June 2nd 2018
Well done to all those who competed at Hexham Regatta, especially Harvey who won men's B2 1x & Jasmine, Ellis, Rowan, Islay & Harvey who took the medals for WJ18 4x+. We also had a couple of seconds & some other good performances, notably Hugh who came close to winning his heat at his first regatta.
Thanks to Gillian & Andy for sorting out the trailer & towing. Apologies for the amount of wet stuff lying in the boat bay it was torrential rain for most of the afternoon & everything got a soaking.
Race season begins - Strathclyde park regatta
Success at first regatta of the season for Nithsdale. Strathclyde Park regatta was a good test at the first outing for the racing crews from Nithsdale.
A small team of juniors, seniors and Masters rowers travelled to Hamilton to compete against clubs from across Scotland and the North of England. As Strathclyde Park is the home of Scottish Rowing and the training base for many teams there was a strong turnout with many University crews in a full day of racing.
Nithsdale Captain of Boats John Dunse won in a composite Nithsdale boat alongside local rowers now racing in University colours. Anderson Black won the Junior 15 single with a strong performance, teammates Jasmine Scaife, Harvey Buchanan, Foster Ross and Fred Coultart raced well in the 2k course which will be used for the European championships in August. The regatta was good preparation for the forthcoming Castle Semple, Hexham regattas and the forthcoming Scottish Championships for the young scullers.
A small team of juniors, seniors and Masters rowers travelled to Hamilton to compete against clubs from across Scotland and the North of England. As Strathclyde Park is the home of Scottish Rowing and the training base for many teams there was a strong turnout with many University crews in a full day of racing.
Nithsdale Captain of Boats John Dunse won in a composite Nithsdale boat alongside local rowers now racing in University colours. Anderson Black won the Junior 15 single with a strong performance, teammates Jasmine Scaife, Harvey Buchanan, Foster Ross and Fred Coultart raced well in the 2k course which will be used for the European championships in August. The regatta was good preparation for the forthcoming Castle Semple, Hexham regattas and the forthcoming Scottish Championships for the young scullers.
Boat Naming Ceremony - 6th November 2016
Members and Invited guests gathered at Nithsdale Amateur Rowing on Saturday 5th November to name 3 new single sculling boats which the club were able to purchase after receiving lottery funding from Sports Scotland. The 3 boats were named after local people who in one way or another have links with the rowing club. The first boat The Snowdens was named after Brian and Ivy Snowden ( pictured ) who have been involved with the club for many years and are great supporters of young people learning to row. Amanda Cobb, Chief Operations Officer from Scottish Rowing named the second boat after the hotel Ingrams where rowers use to meet .Pam Mitchell gave a moving speech on Jane Haining , who had connections with the town and was a supporter of young people and which the 3rd boat was named after. The boats were then taken out on the water by 3 Juniors for the first time.The club has also been awarded funding for renovations on the club house which will start in the New Year.
Rio Regatta - 2nd October 2016
Project Rio, an initiative from Scottish Rowing and funded by Awards for All, was established to encourage people to take up the sport of rowing and after being inspired by Team GB at the Olympics, it all came to fruition at Nithsdale Rowing Club last Saturday. Over 20 people had signed up for an 8 wk course at the rowing club where they were given expert tuition from experienced club members meeting up twice a week and taken through their paces. With clear blue sky, no wind or rain and near perfect river conditions it was the perfect setting for the fun club regatta which saw the Rio crews race against each other on the Nith. Over 20 Scottish clubs had taken up the challenge of Project Rio which not only introduced people to the sport of rowing but also taught new skills and a fun way to keep fit and healthy. Unfortunately due to high winds and rain forecast for the week before ,the event for Project Rio crews had to be cancelled at Sthrathclyde Country Park on the 24th September so last Saturday was the first time that the Rio crews from Dumfries had ever raced against each other on the Nith. After the round robin events it was the crew of Gillian Brydson, Emma Eden, Anne Thompson, Jamie Wilson cox Graham Dunse who were overall winners on the day. All those that took part said they had really enjoyed themselves over the 8 weeks and were keen to keep rowing, they found everyone to be very helpful and friendly and wanted to thank John Dunse who organised the event and did the coaching along with Laura Allan and Paul West.
Open Day - 26 July 2016
Nithsdale Amatuer Rowing club held an Open Day on Sunday 24th July, and although the weather conditions weren't very inviting, with heavy showers throughout the morning, which may have put many people off from attending there were many very hearty souls who did turn up. For most it was a sport which was new to them but which they all thoroughly enjoyed. First time rower Annelise Chazec from France said ''It was a good experience, the coaches were very experienced and although there was a lot to take in everything was explained thoroughly''. Alice Parker 15, from Dalbeattie High School was also very enthusiastic, a keen sports person who has tried many sports including other water sports didn't let a bit of rain put her off. Alice said ''Everybody was very friendly and approachable and the event was well organised and i'm definitely coming back'. With over 20 people turning up throughout the event and at least 15 signed up for Project Rio, all managed to get on the water and experience rowing in a quad. With 3 boats available everyone was able to have their turn at rowing, although the rain was heavy at times it certainly didn't dampen the enthusiasm of all those that took part.
John Dunse who organised the event said 'Despite the awful weather it was great to see so many new people giving rowing a go. For most it was their first time in a proper rowing boat and the feed back from them has been great. A good number that turned up today have also signed up for Project Rio which is brilliant''.
For anyone who couldn't make the Open Day there is sill time to sign up for Project Rio or even if you just want to have a go at rowing you can contact the club at [email protected] , Twitter@NARC or Facebook . Taster session are available on Thursday evening @ 6.30pm or Sunday morning @ 10am for anyone who missed the Open Day.
Its been a number of years since the club held its last open day and although the weather was awful this time and probably put many people off,it is hoped that there will be another Open day during the year.The club would like to thank all those members who helped out on the day, from coaches, coxes, safety boat crew as without your help this event would not have been able to go ahead.
Project Rio - 19th July 2016
With the Olympics not that far away an initiative by Scottish Rowing called Project Rio, funded by Awards for All is encouraging members of the public to come and try rowing at their local club. Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club are holding an Open Day on Sunday 24th July from 10am - 4pm promoting rowing, with sessions being offered every hour on the hour starting at 10am. The sessions are free and are available for anyone aged 11 - 111yrs, so if you are wanting to try a new sport, make friends , learn a new skill and keep fit come down to the rowing club on Sunday where you will be given expert tuition from qualified coaches and members of the club. There will be opportunities for have -a - go water sessions, going out in a quads,( crew of 4 ) ergo racing and tour of the club where light refreshments will be served. All you need to do is pop down to the club located at Greenlands ( where old swimming pool use to be) sign up and enjoy rowing.
For those that like more of a challenge it will also be an opportunity to sign up for an eight week coached rowing course which will be split into two groups Junior ( under 18 ) Senior ( over 18) where you be coached in a quad ( crew of 4) and at the end of the course you will have the opportunity to compete in a corporate regatta held on the Nith. So if you think you could put a crew together and like competing against others, or just want to have a leisurely row come down to the club on Sunday. Full membership details will be available on the day or you can email [email protected], Twitter@NARC or find us on Facebook .
Hexham Regatta - 4th June 2016
Nithsdale rowers competed at Hexhan Regatta,Tyne Green, on the 4th June rowing over a 700m course, starting down stream on a 2 lane course with a stern stake boat start. With 3 Divisions , 30 clubs taking part and 350 races which meant there was a race every 2mins, 400+ crews and over 1000 competitors it was a busy day all round . In picturesque surroundings weather conditions were perfect with racing starting at 9am with the last race at 5.15. Rowers were able to compete in Single and Double scull, coxless Pairs Quadruple scull, Fours and Eights , Elite, Senior, Int 1, 2 ,3, and Novice. Although Nithsdale crews put on good performances with some beating their PB, it was Gordon Kerr who came away the only winner in the Master Singles. Gordon then teamed up 3 other rowers to win the Masters Quad against Hexham, who had won 4 medals in the same event at World Masters . The following weekend 10th,11th and 12th June,the club went to Strathclyde Country Park and competed in the Scottish Championships, which also included the Scottish School Championships. Rowing over a 2000m multi lane course with a stake boat start weather conditions were blustery throughout the day with short sharp downpours Times trials started on the Friday with the Single Scull event with Andrew Dunse (Castle Douglas High School), John Dunse (Strathclyde Park Rowing Club) Julien Bodart (CUCBC) and Laura Allan (NARC) all qualifying for their finals . On Saturday Julienn Bodart came 5th in his final, Andrew Dunse came 1st and John Dunse came 2nd. Laura Allan competed on Sunday and came 5th in her final. In the WJ15 Single Scull Jasmine Scaife came 5th in heat as did Jessica Ross and Fiona Munro (CUCBC) in the WN Double Scull. Sophie Cruikshank and Elizabeth Mallaby came 3rd in their heat just missing out on a place to the finals lslay Mclsaac and Rowan Wilson ( NARC) came 1st in the heat but just missed out getting a medal in the final in a well fought race. Ruriadh Higgins had a very good race in the OJ14 Single Scull finishing 4th , narrowly missing out on a place in the final. Sunday was another busy day for the rowers starting of with the OInt Double Scull composite crew Julien Bodart (CUCBC) and Graham Duff ( Stirling) came 4th in their heat. WInt coxless Quad composite crew Laura Allan (NARC), Natalie, Elidg, Lindsey (SBC) came 5th in the final, OJ16 Double composite crew Harvey Buchanan (NARC) and Ruaridh (CSRC) came 3rd in the final. WJ15 Double Rowan Wilson and Islay Mclsaac came 3rd in the heat as did the ON coxed four composite crew Julien Bodart (CUCBC) , Colin Ramage, Ian Murgatroyed (NARC) Graham Dunse (St Andrews) cox Jessica Ross in their heat finishing 5th in the final. OJ13 Single Scull Anderson Black came first in his heat and just missed out on the medals by coming 3rd in the final. OJ18 Double , composite Andrew Dunse (NARC) and Michael Troy ( Strathclyde ) came 2nd in final. WN coxed Quad Sophie Cruikshank, Elizabeth Mallaby, Isla Gracie and Jasmine Scaife, cox Harvey Buchanan (NARC) narrowly missed out on the final by coming 3rd in the heat. Ian Murgatroyed came 5th in the final of the OM Single D, Fred Coultard and Foster Ross also came 3rd in the OM Double GH. In the OJ14 Double Anderson Black and Ruraidh Higgins came 3rd in their heat and 6th in the final. In the OM Single GH Gordon Kerr came 1st making it his 460th event win in 58yrs. This was Gordons last domestic race in a Single Scull and will now compete at World Masters. He will still continue to compete in Quads and Doubles. The next regatta the club will compete at will be at Talkin Tarn on 2nd. July.
Tees Regatta - 21st of May 2016
It was a very successful day at Tees Regatta for the rowers of Nithsdale rowing club and CUCBC, with the club coming away with 7 wins. Racing over a 850m fully buoyed course with a stake boat start, and a total of 365 crews who took part. Starting up stream from the Tees Bridge and finishing at River Tees Water Sports Centre it was an eventful regatta to watch.With light showers during the day and a moderate cross wind from the south with occasional gusts it was a spectacular event to watch.
Nithsdale rowers competed against crews from across the North of England and spectators were treated to watching crews competing in Eights, Octuples, coxless fours, quads, pairs, coxed fours, coxed and quads, double and single sculls which also included para- rowing. After successfully winning their heats the crews from Nithsdale then made their mark by taking control of the races they competed in, coming home in first place. The first win for Nithsdale came in the IM3 4x event with Graham, Andrew, John Dunse, Julien Bodart (CUCBC) cox Elizabeth Mallaby against Durham. In the WIM3 4x event Isle Gracie, Sophie Cruickshank, Elizabeth Mallaby, Laura Allan came 1st winning against Queen Elizabeth High School. WJ15 4x Jasmine Scaife, Rowan Wilson lslay Mcisaac, Ellis Middleton, cox Harvey Buchanan came 1st against Tyne and Durham, J14Bx2 Double scull Ruaridh Higgins and Anderson Black came 1st against Chester-le-street and Yarn school. Julien Bodart (CUCBC) won against Talkin Tarn and Bradford in the IM2 single scull. In the J14Bx1 Single scull event Ruaridh Higgins won against Chester-le-street and Talkin Tarn and the last race for Nithsdale was for Jasmine Scaife who came 3rd in the WJ15A 1x Single scull event. The next regatta the club is competing at will be Hexham on 4th June
Members and Invited guests gathered at Nithsdale Amateur Rowing on Saturday 5th November to name 3 new single sculling boats which the club were able to purchase after receiving lottery funding from Sports Scotland. The 3 boats were named after local people who in one way or another have links with the rowing club. The first boat The Snowdens was named after Brian and Ivy Snowden ( pictured ) who have been involved with the club for many years and are great supporters of young people learning to row. Amanda Cobb, Chief Operations Officer from Scottish Rowing named the second boat after the hotel Ingrams where rowers use to meet .Pam Mitchell gave a moving speech on Jane Haining , who had connections with the town and was a supporter of young people and which the 3rd boat was named after. The boats were then taken out on the water by 3 Juniors for the first time.The club has also been awarded funding for renovations on the club house which will start in the New Year.
Rio Regatta - 2nd October 2016
Project Rio, an initiative from Scottish Rowing and funded by Awards for All, was established to encourage people to take up the sport of rowing and after being inspired by Team GB at the Olympics, it all came to fruition at Nithsdale Rowing Club last Saturday. Over 20 people had signed up for an 8 wk course at the rowing club where they were given expert tuition from experienced club members meeting up twice a week and taken through their paces. With clear blue sky, no wind or rain and near perfect river conditions it was the perfect setting for the fun club regatta which saw the Rio crews race against each other on the Nith. Over 20 Scottish clubs had taken up the challenge of Project Rio which not only introduced people to the sport of rowing but also taught new skills and a fun way to keep fit and healthy. Unfortunately due to high winds and rain forecast for the week before ,the event for Project Rio crews had to be cancelled at Sthrathclyde Country Park on the 24th September so last Saturday was the first time that the Rio crews from Dumfries had ever raced against each other on the Nith. After the round robin events it was the crew of Gillian Brydson, Emma Eden, Anne Thompson, Jamie Wilson cox Graham Dunse who were overall winners on the day. All those that took part said they had really enjoyed themselves over the 8 weeks and were keen to keep rowing, they found everyone to be very helpful and friendly and wanted to thank John Dunse who organised the event and did the coaching along with Laura Allan and Paul West.
Open Day - 26 July 2016
Nithsdale Amatuer Rowing club held an Open Day on Sunday 24th July, and although the weather conditions weren't very inviting, with heavy showers throughout the morning, which may have put many people off from attending there were many very hearty souls who did turn up. For most it was a sport which was new to them but which they all thoroughly enjoyed. First time rower Annelise Chazec from France said ''It was a good experience, the coaches were very experienced and although there was a lot to take in everything was explained thoroughly''. Alice Parker 15, from Dalbeattie High School was also very enthusiastic, a keen sports person who has tried many sports including other water sports didn't let a bit of rain put her off. Alice said ''Everybody was very friendly and approachable and the event was well organised and i'm definitely coming back'. With over 20 people turning up throughout the event and at least 15 signed up for Project Rio, all managed to get on the water and experience rowing in a quad. With 3 boats available everyone was able to have their turn at rowing, although the rain was heavy at times it certainly didn't dampen the enthusiasm of all those that took part.
John Dunse who organised the event said 'Despite the awful weather it was great to see so many new people giving rowing a go. For most it was their first time in a proper rowing boat and the feed back from them has been great. A good number that turned up today have also signed up for Project Rio which is brilliant''.
For anyone who couldn't make the Open Day there is sill time to sign up for Project Rio or even if you just want to have a go at rowing you can contact the club at [email protected] , Twitter@NARC or Facebook . Taster session are available on Thursday evening @ 6.30pm or Sunday morning @ 10am for anyone who missed the Open Day.
Its been a number of years since the club held its last open day and although the weather was awful this time and probably put many people off,it is hoped that there will be another Open day during the year.The club would like to thank all those members who helped out on the day, from coaches, coxes, safety boat crew as without your help this event would not have been able to go ahead.
Project Rio - 19th July 2016
With the Olympics not that far away an initiative by Scottish Rowing called Project Rio, funded by Awards for All is encouraging members of the public to come and try rowing at their local club. Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club are holding an Open Day on Sunday 24th July from 10am - 4pm promoting rowing, with sessions being offered every hour on the hour starting at 10am. The sessions are free and are available for anyone aged 11 - 111yrs, so if you are wanting to try a new sport, make friends , learn a new skill and keep fit come down to the rowing club on Sunday where you will be given expert tuition from qualified coaches and members of the club. There will be opportunities for have -a - go water sessions, going out in a quads,( crew of 4 ) ergo racing and tour of the club where light refreshments will be served. All you need to do is pop down to the club located at Greenlands ( where old swimming pool use to be) sign up and enjoy rowing.
For those that like more of a challenge it will also be an opportunity to sign up for an eight week coached rowing course which will be split into two groups Junior ( under 18 ) Senior ( over 18) where you be coached in a quad ( crew of 4) and at the end of the course you will have the opportunity to compete in a corporate regatta held on the Nith. So if you think you could put a crew together and like competing against others, or just want to have a leisurely row come down to the club on Sunday. Full membership details will be available on the day or you can email [email protected], Twitter@NARC or find us on Facebook .
Hexham Regatta - 4th June 2016
Nithsdale rowers competed at Hexhan Regatta,Tyne Green, on the 4th June rowing over a 700m course, starting down stream on a 2 lane course with a stern stake boat start. With 3 Divisions , 30 clubs taking part and 350 races which meant there was a race every 2mins, 400+ crews and over 1000 competitors it was a busy day all round . In picturesque surroundings weather conditions were perfect with racing starting at 9am with the last race at 5.15. Rowers were able to compete in Single and Double scull, coxless Pairs Quadruple scull, Fours and Eights , Elite, Senior, Int 1, 2 ,3, and Novice. Although Nithsdale crews put on good performances with some beating their PB, it was Gordon Kerr who came away the only winner in the Master Singles. Gordon then teamed up 3 other rowers to win the Masters Quad against Hexham, who had won 4 medals in the same event at World Masters . The following weekend 10th,11th and 12th June,the club went to Strathclyde Country Park and competed in the Scottish Championships, which also included the Scottish School Championships. Rowing over a 2000m multi lane course with a stake boat start weather conditions were blustery throughout the day with short sharp downpours Times trials started on the Friday with the Single Scull event with Andrew Dunse (Castle Douglas High School), John Dunse (Strathclyde Park Rowing Club) Julien Bodart (CUCBC) and Laura Allan (NARC) all qualifying for their finals . On Saturday Julienn Bodart came 5th in his final, Andrew Dunse came 1st and John Dunse came 2nd. Laura Allan competed on Sunday and came 5th in her final. In the WJ15 Single Scull Jasmine Scaife came 5th in heat as did Jessica Ross and Fiona Munro (CUCBC) in the WN Double Scull. Sophie Cruikshank and Elizabeth Mallaby came 3rd in their heat just missing out on a place to the finals lslay Mclsaac and Rowan Wilson ( NARC) came 1st in the heat but just missed out getting a medal in the final in a well fought race. Ruriadh Higgins had a very good race in the OJ14 Single Scull finishing 4th , narrowly missing out on a place in the final. Sunday was another busy day for the rowers starting of with the OInt Double Scull composite crew Julien Bodart (CUCBC) and Graham Duff ( Stirling) came 4th in their heat. WInt coxless Quad composite crew Laura Allan (NARC), Natalie, Elidg, Lindsey (SBC) came 5th in the final, OJ16 Double composite crew Harvey Buchanan (NARC) and Ruaridh (CSRC) came 3rd in the final. WJ15 Double Rowan Wilson and Islay Mclsaac came 3rd in the heat as did the ON coxed four composite crew Julien Bodart (CUCBC) , Colin Ramage, Ian Murgatroyed (NARC) Graham Dunse (St Andrews) cox Jessica Ross in their heat finishing 5th in the final. OJ13 Single Scull Anderson Black came first in his heat and just missed out on the medals by coming 3rd in the final. OJ18 Double , composite Andrew Dunse (NARC) and Michael Troy ( Strathclyde ) came 2nd in final. WN coxed Quad Sophie Cruikshank, Elizabeth Mallaby, Isla Gracie and Jasmine Scaife, cox Harvey Buchanan (NARC) narrowly missed out on the final by coming 3rd in the heat. Ian Murgatroyed came 5th in the final of the OM Single D, Fred Coultard and Foster Ross also came 3rd in the OM Double GH. In the OJ14 Double Anderson Black and Ruraidh Higgins came 3rd in their heat and 6th in the final. In the OM Single GH Gordon Kerr came 1st making it his 460th event win in 58yrs. This was Gordons last domestic race in a Single Scull and will now compete at World Masters. He will still continue to compete in Quads and Doubles. The next regatta the club will compete at will be at Talkin Tarn on 2nd. July.
Tees Regatta - 21st of May 2016
It was a very successful day at Tees Regatta for the rowers of Nithsdale rowing club and CUCBC, with the club coming away with 7 wins. Racing over a 850m fully buoyed course with a stake boat start, and a total of 365 crews who took part. Starting up stream from the Tees Bridge and finishing at River Tees Water Sports Centre it was an eventful regatta to watch.With light showers during the day and a moderate cross wind from the south with occasional gusts it was a spectacular event to watch.
Nithsdale rowers competed against crews from across the North of England and spectators were treated to watching crews competing in Eights, Octuples, coxless fours, quads, pairs, coxed fours, coxed and quads, double and single sculls which also included para- rowing. After successfully winning their heats the crews from Nithsdale then made their mark by taking control of the races they competed in, coming home in first place. The first win for Nithsdale came in the IM3 4x event with Graham, Andrew, John Dunse, Julien Bodart (CUCBC) cox Elizabeth Mallaby against Durham. In the WIM3 4x event Isle Gracie, Sophie Cruickshank, Elizabeth Mallaby, Laura Allan came 1st winning against Queen Elizabeth High School. WJ15 4x Jasmine Scaife, Rowan Wilson lslay Mcisaac, Ellis Middleton, cox Harvey Buchanan came 1st against Tyne and Durham, J14Bx2 Double scull Ruaridh Higgins and Anderson Black came 1st against Chester-le-street and Yarn school. Julien Bodart (CUCBC) won against Talkin Tarn and Bradford in the IM2 single scull. In the J14Bx1 Single scull event Ruaridh Higgins won against Chester-le-street and Talkin Tarn and the last race for Nithsdale was for Jasmine Scaife who came 3rd in the WJ15A 1x Single scull event. The next regatta the club is competing at will be Hexham on 4th June
Castle Semple Regatta - 14th of May 2016
Nithsdale and CUCBC rowers attended Castle Semple regatta which is the largest single one day regatta held in Scotland, competing over a 1000m multi-landed fully buoyed course. Clubs from across Scotland and the North of England enjoyed the beautiful weather as well as a full days racing with over 130 races throughout the day. Although Nithsdale rowers were not as successful as they were at their home regatta, a good effort was put in by all with all crews making it through to the finals but were pipped at the post at the last minute. Hazel Murray rowing in WR2 Single scull event against 5 other competitors was the only success of the day coming home 1st in her event. The next regatta the club competes in will be Tees Regatta.
Nithsdale and CUCBC rowers attended Castle Semple regatta which is the largest single one day regatta held in Scotland, competing over a 1000m multi-landed fully buoyed course. Clubs from across Scotland and the North of England enjoyed the beautiful weather as well as a full days racing with over 130 races throughout the day. Although Nithsdale rowers were not as successful as they were at their home regatta, a good effort was put in by all with all crews making it through to the finals but were pipped at the post at the last minute. Hazel Murray rowing in WR2 Single scull event against 5 other competitors was the only success of the day coming home 1st in her event. The next regatta the club competes in will be Tees Regatta.
Nithsdale Regatta - 30th of April 2015
Rowers from Nithsdale rowing club and CUCBC (Crichton University Campus Boat Club) have had a busy start to the rowing season with crews competing at Strathclyde Park last weekend as well as competing at their home regatta over the Bank Holiday weekend. With the floods a distance memory rowers have been able to take to the water once again and there was a good turn out at the regatta with over 11 clubs attending and over 160 competing crews in 56 events from across Scotland and the North of England taking part, with the mixed double scull event having the most entries. The events ran smoothly with the first race at 8.30am with the first Nithsdale crew on the water at 8.33 and the last event at 5.40pm. As with last years events the weather played its part in the day with rowers battling through sun, wind, rain, sleet and hail but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of all those that took part with some hard fought battles to get past the winning line first.
Nithsdale Rowers came away with 8 first places and 4 second place wins overall starting with John and Graham Dunse coming first in the Mens Double scull, who then teamed up with Julien Bodart and Colin Ramage to take first in the Mens Res 2 coxed (Jessica Ross) quad. The Mens single scull event was won by Julien Bodart from CUCBC, who also came first in the Mens Res 2 four with John Dunse, Colin Ramage and Graham Dunse, cox Jessica Ross. Ian Murgatroyed had success in the Mens Vet single scull coming first as well as coming in first place in the Double scull with Colin Ramage. Andrew Dunse and Michael Troy (Strathclyde) made up a composite crew to come first in the Open Junior 18 double scull. Nithsdale ladies with Isla Gracie, Elizabeth Mallaby, Emma Staniforth, Sophie Cruikshank, and cox Harvey Buchanan came first in the Woman Novice coxed Quad. Laura Allan and Triin Kaal came 2nd in the Women's Res 2 Double Scull, who then teamed up with Emma Staniforth and Hazel Murray to come 2nd in the Women's Res Coxed Quad. Islay McIsaac and Rowan Wilson came 2nd in Womens Junior 15 Double Scull and Jasmine Scaife came 2nd in a very close finish in the Womens Junior 15 Single Scull. Mens Junior 15 Quad Kier Skilling, Mark Telfer, Andrew Black and Ruaridh Higgins, cox Laura Allan came 2nd. Fiona Munro and Jessica Ross (CUCBC) rowing in the Womens Novice Double finished 2nd in their final and Pablo Garcia and Kieran Flood (CUCBC), Mens Novice Double also finished 2nd in their final. Novice Mixed Quad (CUCBC) Pablo Garcia, Kieron Flood,Fiona Munro Jessica Ross, cox Julien Bodart came 2nd in semi final.
Below is a photo of the Mens Res 2 Coxed Quad.
Talkin Tarn Regatta - 4th July 2015
Once again the weather was against the rowers who attended Talkin Tarn Regatta on Saturday 4th July, the oldest established rowing club in Cumbria. Set in Talkin Tarn Country Park the regatta was held on a natural lake surrounded by beautiful countryside. The day started off with heavy rain and thunderstorms and eventually settled into a muggy day with a few showers and strong gusts of wind throughout the day. However this did not dampen the spirits of the Nithsdale rowers who rowed over a 700m 3 lane course and came away victorious with 10 Gold medals between them. With 24 clubs competing and 240 races throughout the day it was an eventful for everyone involved.
In the Cadet/Junior section the WJ14 Quad Rowan Wilson, Islay Malsaac, Jasmine Scaife, Mhairi Hunt, cox Patrick Murray rowed a very strong race from the start and were gaining on their opposition throughout but in the end were beaten by just half a canvas by Queen Elizabeth High School. The girls then raced again in the WJ14 Double Scull, crew B Jasmine Scaife and Mhairi Hunt were beaten in the heats by QEHS. Crew A Rowan Wilson and Islay Malsaac rowed strong throughout their heats and edged away from their opposition Tyne RC and beat them by such a small margin that they did not realise they had won until after they got off the water. It was a very impressive win by the girls and was their first ever win since they started to row last Autumn. Jasmine then rowed in the WJ14 Single Scull put in another strong performance in her heat but due to a clash of blades between all 3 crews Jasmine and another opponent were disqualified.
The boys were on the water next with Luke Armstrong and Luke Caughey rowing in the J14B Double Scull. In the new combination the boys put in a strong powerful performance which saw them easily win their heat and come 2nd in final. Ruaridh Higgins rowing in his first ever J13 Single Scull race put all his hard training to good use and took a commanding lead from the start. With a higher stroke rate he was able to keep his commanding lead throughout the race which saw him finish first and take his first ever win in this event. A composite crew was put together on the day for the J13 Quad comprising of Ruaridh Higgins and Keir Campbell and two boys from Talkin Tarn RC, having never rowed together before the crew put on a good performance and finished second behind a much stronger crew from Tyne United RC. In the J14 Quad with a new combination of Luke Caughey, Luke Armstrong, Keir Skilling, Keir Campbell cox Patrick Murray the boys put on a good performance but were drawn against a far more experienced crew from Chester-le-Street and were unable to match their boat speed. In the J12 Single Scull Anderson Black coped well with the windy conditions in the afternoon but his opponent from Talkin Tarn was taller and heavier which meant he was sitting lower in the water which helped him cope better on the water. Anderson then teamed up with Keir Campbell to row in the J13 Double Scull which saw them cope well the windy conditions to finish 2nd behind Tyne United RC.
In the J18 Double Scull Harvey Buchanan and Ruaridh Smith ( Castle Semple), a new combination for Nat Champs, won their heat against Talkin Tarn but lost out to Graham and Andrew Dunse from Nithsdale who came 1st. Harvey and Ruaridh then rowed in the J16 Double Scull but lost out in the heat to an older and more experience crew from Chester-le-street. In the Intermediate 2 Double Scull Graham and Andrew Dunse came in 1st. Rowing in their age category J15 Double Scull Harvey Buchanan and Ruaridh Smith won their heat against Lancaster School but were narrowly defeated by a Talkin Tarn/ Tyne United crew.
Gordon Kerr, rowing in a Masters F/G Composite crew came 1st and came 2nd in Masters G/H Single Scull. Colin Ramage and Ross Morrison came 1st in Nov Double Scull.
Mark Buchanan rowing in the Master C Single scull comfortably won his heat against Cambois , and finished with a commanding win in the final against Hexham.
Julien Bodart ( CUCBC) rowing in the Intermediate 3 Single Scull came home 1st and rowing in his first regatta in a Single Scull Foster Ross narrowly missed out on making it through to the final. In the Intermediate 3 Quad Julien Bodart,(CUCBC) Gregor Duncan, Graeme Duff, John Heuchan cox Jess Ross came 1st. In the Elite Quad Julien Bodart (CUCBC), Gregor Duncan,Graeme Duff and Graham Dunse came 3rd.
WIM 3 Double Scull crew Laura Allen and Triin Kaal (CUCBC) came 2nd in their heat and Iona Fergusson and Emma Staniforth came 3rd in their heat.
WNov Quad Sophie Cruickshank, Isla Gracie, Elizabeth Mallaby, Jess Ross (CUCBC) cox Oliver came 2nd.
WIM 3 Quad Iona Fergusson, Emma Staniforth, Laura Allen, Triin Kaal ( CUCBC) cox Rowan Wilson came 2nd.
After only one training session the Nithsdale ladies put out a WNov Eight comprising of Iona Fergusson, Alison Dunse, Kathleen Johnson, Emma Staniforth, Ruth Johnson, Lauren Johnstone, Laura Allen Triin Kaal cox Graham Dunse who came in first beating their opposition Durham by 2 boat lengths.
Nithsdale Rowing club will be holding a Club regatta on Saturday 15th August. Its free to watch and will be a good way to find out more about the clubs 150th Anniversary celebrations and Dinner Dance which is being held on 19th September at the Cairndale Hotel.
Picture 1. Womens Junior Double Scull Winners Rowan Wilson and lslay Malsaac
Picture 2. Womens Novice Eights Winners.
150th Anniversary Celebrations - Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club
It was on the 4th September 1865 that 14 local men met in Ingrams' Hotel for the purpose of organising a Regatta Club to compete against each other in rowing boats on the local river. It was agreed that the Nith Regatta Club be formed. It wasn't until 1890 that the name was changed to Nithsdale Rowing Club and membership increased and crews were then able to compete against other clubs. From the original 14 men back in 1865 (women were not allowed to row until the 1920's), the Club now has over 90 members ranging in age from 11 years old to 70 years old. In 2012 the Crichton University Campus BC in Dumfries affiliated with the Club and there is now a active student section with rowers from as far afield as Russia, Belgium, Estonia, Germany and Ireland, as well as students from Scotland and the UK. There is also a very active women, junior and senior section. Members now compete against crews from across the UK and beyond with regattas held most weekends throughout the spring and summer months, throughout Scotland and the North of England. The current President Brian Snowden in the centre of the photograph (seated) is holding a picture of the first 14 members and he is surrounded by some of today's members. To celebrate 150 years rowing on the Nith the Club is holding a Black Tie Dinner Dance on 19th September at the Cairndale Hotel, Dumfries, past and present members, families and friends are invited to join in the celebration.
Scottish Championships - 13/14 May 2015
Nithsdale Rowing club, along with students from CUCBC took part in the 2 day Scottish Championship and Schools Regatta held at Strathclyde Country Park over the weekend of 13th-14th of June. With events held at Junior, School, Senior, Novice and Veteran Championship level rowed over over a 1000m /2000m course, rowing in Eights, Fours, Quads, Pairs, Double and Single Scull, it was a spectacular event to watch. The event was open to any member of a Scottish Club and those that were eligible to row for Scotland under Home International Regatta Rules. On Saturday, although the wind wasn't as blustery as in previous regattas it was dull, cold and with a threat of rain all day, the weather hadn't improved by Sunday and with rain and a cold breeze lingering most of the day, it still proved a fruitful day for the Nithsdale/CUCBC rowers.
The first event on Saturday was a time trial in the Open Scull event, representing CUCBC Julien Bodart and Andrew Dunse representing Nithsdale rowing 2000m, both qualified for the final and came 5th in Final G and 1st in Final H respectively. The 2nd gold of the day went to Harvey Buchanan (Nithsdale) rowing 1000m in the Open Junior 15 Single Scull Schoolboy event, representing Wallace Hall Academy. The 3rd gold came in the form of a composite crew in the Open Novice Quad, representing Nithsdale and CUCBC Colin Ramage (NARC), Graham Dunse (Nithsdale), Ross Morrison and Harry Clingan (CUCBC) cox Andrew Dunse (Nithsdale) rowed 1000m in a straight final and came a well deserved 1st .The ladies were next on the water and representing Nithsdale, Laura Allan and Elspeth Purdie rowing in the Women's Intermediate Double Scull, 2000m and Triin Kaal (CUCBC) and Hazel Murray (Nithsdale) rowing in the same event both qualified for the final. In the final Triin Kaal (CUCBC) and Hazel Murray (Nithsale) came 4th by half a boat length and Laura Allan and Elspeth Purdie came 6th. Rowing in a straight 2000m final in the Women's Junior 16 Double Scull and representing Nithsdale Kathleen Johnson and Lauren Johnstone came 5th. Rowing in the Womens Novice Double Scull,1000m Triin Kaal (CUCBC) and Laura Allen (Nithsdale) came 2nd in their heat and finished 4th in final, missing 3rd place by half a boat length. Representing Nithsdale Gordon Kerr, along with members from 3 other clubs came 1st in the Veteran Quad rowing 1000m. It was also another gold for Harvey Buchanan (Nithsdale) and AngusThomson (Inverness) who got gold rowing 1000m in the Open Junior 15 Double Scull event.
It was another early start on Sunday for the Nithsdale ladies. First on the water Hazel Murray (Nithsdale) who took part in a time trial which saw her qualify for the semi final and finishing 2nd in the D final. Hazel was also racing in the Women's Junior 18 Double Scull, rowing 2000m with partner Claire O'Tool (Strathclyde) and came 3rd in the final.The next race once again saw the two Nithsdale/CUCBC ladies crews rowing 1000m in the Women's Novice Quad event compete against each other to get through to the final, although in different heats it was the crew with Laura Allan (Nithsdale), Triin Kaal (CUCBC), Lauren Johnstone, Kathleen Johnstone (Nithsdale) cox Harvey Buchanan who came first in their heat and second in the final gaining a silver medal. The men's crew were on the water next, but due to a crew dropping out it now meant only two crews could make it through to the final. Unfortunately, this meant that the crew comprising of Julien Bodart (CUCBC) John Heuchan (Heriot-Watt Univeristy BC) Graeme Duff (Nithsdale) Gregor Duncan (Stirling RC) cox Andrew Dunse (Nithsdale) just missed out on making it through to the final even though they had a faster time than the crews in the second heat. The Open Junior 15 composite quad rowing 1000m , Angus Thomson,(Inverness), Harvey Buchanan(Nithsdale), Louise Millar, Ruairidh Smith and cox Niamh McClure came 2nd in their final. Mark Buchanan (Nithsdale) rowing 1000m in Veteran Single Scull took a commanding lead and took gold. Rowing in the Open Intermediate Double Scull 2000 m Julien Bodart (CUCBC) and John Heuchan (Heriot-Watt University BC) came 3rd in the final and Angus Thomson (Inverness) Harvey Buchanan (Nithsdale) came 6th in the same event.
Castle Semple Regatta - 30 May 2015
11 Crews from Nithsdale Rowing Club took part in the largest one day regatta held on Castle Semple Loch near Loch Winnoch on Saturday 30th May. With 130 races taking place, one every 4 minutes, racing started at 8.30am. Over a six lane 1000 metre course, racing against crews from across Scotland and the North of England, it was the place to be on Saturday.Once again the weather was a force to contend with, with the rowers having to row into a strong head wind which made it very difficult for some crews, even causing some to capsize. In very blustery but dry conditions the composite crew of Julien Bodart ( CUCBC) and John Heuchen ( Heriot Watt University) came 3rd in their Men's double final. The Women's quad composite crew Triin Kaal ( CUCBC) Emma Staniford,Elspeth Purdie Laura Allan cox Iona Fregusson ( Nithsdale ) came 2nd in their final.
Julien Bodart (CUCBC) rowing in a single scull came 3rd in his heat. One win of the day came from the Men's Novice Quad composite crew of Andrew Dunce ( NIthsdale) Harry Clingan ( CUCBC) Graham Dunce ( NIthsdale) Ross Morrison (CUCBC) and cox Mathew Leslie (CUCBC), this was a fantastic achievement for the crew as the CUCBC members are all freshers and only their second time racing. Triin Kaal (CUCBC) and Laura Allan (NIthsdale) rowing in a double scull came 3rd in their heat and 3rd in final. The student composite crew of John Heuchen (Heriot Watt) Graham Duff ( Stirling) Gregor Duncan (Stirling), Julien Bodart (CUCBC) and cox Mathew Leslie (CUCBC) also came 1st in the Men's Quad. The Women's Quad composite crew Jessica Ross (CUCBC) Becky Adams(Nithsdale) Sophie Cruickshank (NIthsdale) Elizabeth Mallaby (Nithsdale), cox Julien Bodart (CUCBC) qualified for the final and came in 5th overall, again this was a good result for the girls as this was only the second time they had competed as a crew and coped well with the difficult conditions.The Women's Novice Quad (Nithsdale)comprising of Kathleen Johnson, Lauren Johnstone, Iona Fergusson , Isle Gracie cox Luke Caughey came 4th in their heat , just missing out on a place in the final.In Heat 1 of the Women's double scull Katheen Johnson and Lauren Johnstone (Nithsdale)came in 4th, in Heat 2 of the same category Emma Staniford and Iona Fergusson ( Nithsdale) also came 4th which meant both crews just missed out on the final. Mark Buchanan ( Nithsdale) finished 3rd in the Single scull race but due to ages and number of wins he had to give his opponents a 16 sec lead. Rowan Wilson,lslay McIsaac,Mharir Hunt, Jessica Scaife did really well and came second in their J15 Quad and the boys Luke Caughey,Luke Armstrong,Ruaridh Higgins and Mark Telfer took competed in the Mens R2 Quad.Harvey Buchanan competed in the J14 single scull,J14 double scull and a J14 quad composite crew.
The best race of the day though belonged to Anderson Black (Nithsdale),who attends Amisfield Primary, competing in his first race in the J12 scull Beginners Event. Battling against strong winds Anderson who is only 11yrs old beat his nearest rivals from Loch Lomond and Strathclyde Park by at least 8 lengths.
11 Crews from Nithsdale Rowing Club took part in the largest one day regatta held on Castle Semple Loch near Loch Winnoch on Saturday 30th May. With 130 races taking place, one every 4 minutes, racing started at 8.30am. Over a six lane 1000 metre course, racing against crews from across Scotland and the North of England, it was the place to be on Saturday.Once again the weather was a force to contend with, with the rowers having to row into a strong head wind which made it very difficult for some crews, even causing some to capsize. In very blustery but dry conditions the composite crew of Julien Bodart ( CUCBC) and John Heuchen ( Heriot Watt University) came 3rd in their Men's double final. The Women's quad composite crew Triin Kaal ( CUCBC) Emma Staniford,Elspeth Purdie Laura Allan cox Iona Fregusson ( Nithsdale ) came 2nd in their final.
Julien Bodart (CUCBC) rowing in a single scull came 3rd in his heat. One win of the day came from the Men's Novice Quad composite crew of Andrew Dunce ( NIthsdale) Harry Clingan ( CUCBC) Graham Dunce ( NIthsdale) Ross Morrison (CUCBC) and cox Mathew Leslie (CUCBC), this was a fantastic achievement for the crew as the CUCBC members are all freshers and only their second time racing. Triin Kaal (CUCBC) and Laura Allan (NIthsdale) rowing in a double scull came 3rd in their heat and 3rd in final. The student composite crew of John Heuchen (Heriot Watt) Graham Duff ( Stirling) Gregor Duncan (Stirling), Julien Bodart (CUCBC) and cox Mathew Leslie (CUCBC) also came 1st in the Men's Quad. The Women's Quad composite crew Jessica Ross (CUCBC) Becky Adams(Nithsdale) Sophie Cruickshank (NIthsdale) Elizabeth Mallaby (Nithsdale), cox Julien Bodart (CUCBC) qualified for the final and came in 5th overall, again this was a good result for the girls as this was only the second time they had competed as a crew and coped well with the difficult conditions.The Women's Novice Quad (Nithsdale)comprising of Kathleen Johnson, Lauren Johnstone, Iona Fergusson , Isle Gracie cox Luke Caughey came 4th in their heat , just missing out on a place in the final.In Heat 1 of the Women's double scull Katheen Johnson and Lauren Johnstone (Nithsdale)came in 4th, in Heat 2 of the same category Emma Staniford and Iona Fergusson ( Nithsdale) also came 4th which meant both crews just missed out on the final. Mark Buchanan ( Nithsdale) finished 3rd in the Single scull race but due to ages and number of wins he had to give his opponents a 16 sec lead. Rowan Wilson,lslay McIsaac,Mharir Hunt, Jessica Scaife did really well and came second in their J15 Quad and the boys Luke Caughey,Luke Armstrong,Ruaridh Higgins and Mark Telfer took competed in the Mens R2 Quad.Harvey Buchanan competed in the J14 single scull,J14 double scull and a J14 quad composite crew.
The best race of the day though belonged to Anderson Black (Nithsdale),who attends Amisfield Primary, competing in his first race in the J12 scull Beginners Event. Battling against strong winds Anderson who is only 11yrs old beat his nearest rivals from Loch Lomond and Strathclyde Park by at least 8 lengths.
Tees Regatta - 16 May 2015
Last Saturday crews from Nithsdale Rowing Club and Crichton University (CUCBC) made the long early morning journey to Tess Regatta, Newcastle. Rowing on a 850m four lane course, starting upstream from the Tees Barrage and finishing outside the River Tees Water sports Centre, with over 339 crews and approximately 20 clubs taking part it was a busy and an eventful day for all.
The first race of the day was the Nithsdale/ CUCBC composite women's Intermediate 3 double scull, Triin Kaal and Laura Allan, they came third in their semi final and just missed out on making it through to the final. Next on the water was J14B 4x Nithsdale/ St. Joesph college composite crew, comprising of Rowan Wilson, IsIay McIsaac, Mhairi Hunt,Ellis Middleton, cox Patrick Murray. They had a tough draw in lane one and had to contend with the worst of the conditions with very strong winds making the water very choppy and difficult to row, being their second outing as a crew they put on a good performance considering they were up against more experienced crews.The girls did really well and finished third in their heat but unfortunately did not qualify for the final.
The boys took to the water next in the J14B 4x category , Luke Armstrong, Luke Caughey, Ruaridh Higgins, Mark Telfer, cox Harvey Buchanan. Battling against the strong weather conditions they appeared to get into some difficulties at one point but managed to pull through and put on a strong performance towards the end of the race and were closing in on the leading crews.
Due to the adverse weather conditions Luke Armstrong and Luke Caughey almost had to withdraw from the J14B double scull event but changed their minds at the last minute and bravely took to the water and were the only boys double in the cadet team who, braved the conditions as the other 3 double sculls withdrew due to the strong winds. They put on a strong performance coping well with the rough water and head on wind and finished second in their heat and qualified for the semi finals. Being drawn in the most difficult lane, Lane 1 the boys put on a powerful display and were competitive until the closing stages when the weather got the better of the boys and struggled to keep relaxed in a strong head wind. They eventually finished third and just missed out on qualifying for final.
The Intermediate 3 double scull, brothers Andrew Dunse and Graham Dunse did make it onto the water and came second in their final.
The women's novice coxed quad Nithsdale/CUCBC composite crew comprising of Jess Ross, Becky Adams, Elizabeth Mallaby, Sophie Cruickshank, cox Julien Bodart came third in their semi final and just missed out on making it to the final. Harvey Buchanan rowing in a single scull in the J15A category came in 3rd. In the Intermediate 3 single scull section Julien Bodart representing CUCBC came first. There were two crews representing Nithsdale in the Women's Intermediate 1 double scull section, Sophie Cruickshank and Elizabeth Mallaby came in 3rd place and in 1st place was Emma Staniforth and Iona Fergusson. The last race of the day and another win for the club came in the form of the Intermediate 3 coxless composite quad Nithsdale/ CUCBC comprising of Jullen Bodart, Mark Buchanan, Harvey Buchanan, Graham Dunse.
Although it was along day and the weather conditions were challenging at times, for many of the cadets/juniors it was their only second time taking part at a regatta and they all enjoyed themselves and will be taking part in the next regatta at Castle Semple on May 30th.
Photo: Women's Novice Double Scull winners Iona Fergusson and Emma Staniforth celebrating their first win.
Last Saturday crews from Nithsdale Rowing Club and Crichton University (CUCBC) made the long early morning journey to Tess Regatta, Newcastle. Rowing on a 850m four lane course, starting upstream from the Tees Barrage and finishing outside the River Tees Water sports Centre, with over 339 crews and approximately 20 clubs taking part it was a busy and an eventful day for all.
The first race of the day was the Nithsdale/ CUCBC composite women's Intermediate 3 double scull, Triin Kaal and Laura Allan, they came third in their semi final and just missed out on making it through to the final. Next on the water was J14B 4x Nithsdale/ St. Joesph college composite crew, comprising of Rowan Wilson, IsIay McIsaac, Mhairi Hunt,Ellis Middleton, cox Patrick Murray. They had a tough draw in lane one and had to contend with the worst of the conditions with very strong winds making the water very choppy and difficult to row, being their second outing as a crew they put on a good performance considering they were up against more experienced crews.The girls did really well and finished third in their heat but unfortunately did not qualify for the final.
The boys took to the water next in the J14B 4x category , Luke Armstrong, Luke Caughey, Ruaridh Higgins, Mark Telfer, cox Harvey Buchanan. Battling against the strong weather conditions they appeared to get into some difficulties at one point but managed to pull through and put on a strong performance towards the end of the race and were closing in on the leading crews.
Due to the adverse weather conditions Luke Armstrong and Luke Caughey almost had to withdraw from the J14B double scull event but changed their minds at the last minute and bravely took to the water and were the only boys double in the cadet team who, braved the conditions as the other 3 double sculls withdrew due to the strong winds. They put on a strong performance coping well with the rough water and head on wind and finished second in their heat and qualified for the semi finals. Being drawn in the most difficult lane, Lane 1 the boys put on a powerful display and were competitive until the closing stages when the weather got the better of the boys and struggled to keep relaxed in a strong head wind. They eventually finished third and just missed out on qualifying for final.
The Intermediate 3 double scull, brothers Andrew Dunse and Graham Dunse did make it onto the water and came second in their final.
The women's novice coxed quad Nithsdale/CUCBC composite crew comprising of Jess Ross, Becky Adams, Elizabeth Mallaby, Sophie Cruickshank, cox Julien Bodart came third in their semi final and just missed out on making it to the final. Harvey Buchanan rowing in a single scull in the J15A category came in 3rd. In the Intermediate 3 single scull section Julien Bodart representing CUCBC came first. There were two crews representing Nithsdale in the Women's Intermediate 1 double scull section, Sophie Cruickshank and Elizabeth Mallaby came in 3rd place and in 1st place was Emma Staniforth and Iona Fergusson. The last race of the day and another win for the club came in the form of the Intermediate 3 coxless composite quad Nithsdale/ CUCBC comprising of Jullen Bodart, Mark Buchanan, Harvey Buchanan, Graham Dunse.
Although it was along day and the weather conditions were challenging at times, for many of the cadets/juniors it was their only second time taking part at a regatta and they all enjoyed themselves and will be taking part in the next regatta at Castle Semple on May 30th.
Photo: Women's Novice Double Scull winners Iona Fergusson and Emma Staniforth celebrating their first win.
Nithsdale Annual Regatta - Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Club (April 2015)
On the weekend of the 25th & 26th April crews from Nithsdale Rowing club took part in the 2 day event at Strathclyde Park regatta. With over 34 clubs competing from Scotland, England to Belfast, ranging from schools to Universities, novices to seniors, it was a busy weekend for all those who took part. Strathclyde Park was the venue for the 2014 Commonwealth games and with the course back to its full 2,000m glory the event was able to offer racing at this distance as well as 1,000m. Although the weather conditions were perfect then it was a slightly different story this time, with very blustery weather conditions. At times it was hard to row in and, although the tailing wind gave some light relief to the rowers, with a biting wind and flurries of rain and hail it meant trying to keep warm in a very exposed area which was challenging. The park will also be hosts to the Scottish Rowing Championships on 13th/14th June, British Junior Rowing Championships 18th/19th July as well as the Home International Regatta on 25th July.
Both racing days started early with heats starting at 9am on Saturday and 8.30am on Sunday. The first crew to race on Saturday in heat 1 at 9am was Julien Bodart and John Heuchen rowing a double scull, representing the Crichton University Campus BC /Heriot-Watt University BC. They won the heat and came 1st in final. Next on the water, rowing in their 2nd regatta and representing Nithsdale competing in the Women's Junior under 16 double scull was Lauren Johnstone and Kathleen Johnson, who just missed out on making the final.The first quad of the day representing Nithsdale/Crichton University Campus BC was Laura Allan, Trin Kaal, Hazel Murray and Elspeth Purdie who came 2nd in a straight final. Hazel Murray then competed in the Women's Junior under 18 , rowing a single scull making it through to the final and finishing 5th overall. Also competing was Open Mixed Novice Quad which was the first senior crew to be representing the club in ten years and was composed of Iona Fergusson, Emma Staniforth, Foster Ross and Harry Clingan with cox Graham Dunse coming 3rd in a straight final.
Sunday started early for Graham Dunse who was competing in the Open Junior under 18 single scull, making it through to the final and coming 6th overall. Next up on the water and competing against each other were Hazel Murray (Nithsdale) and Triin Kaal (Crichton) in a double scull, alongside Laura Allan and Elspeth Purdie (Nithsdale). It was a close race between the girls who qualified 1st and 2nd in the heat and came 2nd and 4th in their final. The crew Ruth Johnson, Iona Fergusson, Emma Staniforth, Alison Dunse, with cox Graham Dunse was the second senior crew of the weekend. They rowed over a distance of a 1,000 meters and came 5th in their heat. The captain of the club Mark Buchanan then competed in Open Veterans single scull and came 1st in a straight final.The last race of the day belonged to Harvey Buchanan racing 1,000m in single scull and finished 3rd in a straight final.
Senior and Students training takes place Sunday 10-12, Monday 5.30-7.30 Tue to Thursday 5.30- 7.30 Saturday additional sessions
Junior training takes place Saturday 9-12, Tuesday 6-7.30, Wednesday and Thursday 5-7.30 additional sessions
Anyone who is interested in learning how to row or to be a cox can email the club at [email protected] or pop down at the above times.
The next regatta the club will competing at will be Tees on the 16th May and Castle Semple on 30th May.
Below are the photos of two crews racing that weekend. On the left is the Vet Single Scull Mark Buchanan and on the right the WRes2 4x+ with Laura, Triin, Hazel and Elspeth.
World Masters Rowing Regatta (September 2013)
During the 1st week of September local sculler Gordon Kerr took part in the World Masters. An event that has been a year in planning: training, hotels, boats and travel. Masters racing is for rowers from the age of 27yrs upwards; the oldest taking part was 94yrs. Gordon has been racing for 55yrs and has a few years to catch up with the impressive 94yr old. Gordon’s son Steven and Ian Wilson of St. Andrew organised the transport of boats from all over Scotland and the North of England - 24 boats in total leaving from Newcastle on the ferry to Amsterdam then onward, in a 2 day journey, through Germany, Switzerland and into Italy, to the picturesque town of Varese just outside Milan. This is their 3rd long haul having previously travelled to Vienna and Poznan all of a similar distance. Gordon travelled out on the 3rd Sept. with temperatures reaching 35°C. As well as having to contend with the high temperatures, there was no wind for 3 days. Moreover, the elevation was 3,700ft which makes it even more difficult to train and race. Racing started on the Thursday. Gordon’s first race was on the Friday against rowers from Scotland, Italy, Croatia, Germany, Australia and Brazil. Gordon managed to win the race after finishing two lengths ahead of the second sculler. Saturday marked the first race in a quad. Sunday was the day for mixed events, first up was the mixed double partnered by Gill Prescott from Durham, again it was a good row and came in 3rd. Following on to a mixed quad with Gill, Steven and Ailie Ord of Strathclyde Park which again came 3rd. The last race was another quad race in a different age group with John Appleby of Durham stepping in. Well done to all the competitors and especially to our Nithsdale athlete for representing Scotland at the World Masters.
A Medal Haul to be Proud Of (June 2013)
The rowers from Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club made the trip up the M74 to Strathclyde Park for the Scottish Rowing Championships. They were fielding their largest entry for a number of years and welcomed the newly formed Crichton University Boat Club to their happy band.
The conditions on the Saturday were truly awful and as a river based club the Nithsdale rowers were apprehensive of the open water conditions. George McCall was first up in the Novice single. George qualified easily for the semi-final but did not progress to the final. A decent result for George in his maiden season after a long absence from rowing.
The Women’s novice quad of Sophie, Jess, Mel, Natalie and Graeme Dunse (cox) qualified for their final and finished a very creditable fourth. There is much to come from this novice crew and it was great to see a competitive adult boat on the water representing the club.
Andrew Dunse was out in J14 single were he finished in the silver medal position to Ryan Morrison. Andrew and Ryan then teamed up in the double boat and demolished the field for a gold medal. So it was a good haul for Andrew.
Ewen Davidson and Jac Caughey were rowing in the highly competitive J15 double. The boys sculled superbly to take the gold medal. A great birthday present for Jac’s Mum!
The conditions on the lake started getting very gusty and all the crews were rowing the same 1500m course. Normally the J15’s and under only row 1000m so Luke Caughey and Grant Wilson had it all to do in the J12 Double. In a close race the boys were very composed. They rowed a superb race over the longer distance to take the Gold Medal.
Hazel Murray, competing as Dalbeattie High School, took a solid silver medal in the J15 Single scull. Hazel coped well with the conditions and after having worked hard all season more than deserved her medal.
In the Novice Men’s Double James Donnelly and Grant Wilson rowed well but failed to qualify for the final. All credit to them for rowing in the conditions. George and Julien also failed to qualify.
In the J16 double Angus Bruce and Graeme Dunse rowed technically very well but lacked power against some huge crews.
In the open J13 double Lauren Johnstone and Harvey Buchanan were victims of some bad luck when a boat in the previous race capsized and there race was called as a result at the 750m mark. Lauren and Harvey were lying second and had the other crew in their sights and really felt they would have been successful over the full distance
Gordon Kerr was out in a composite four. He and his compadres took a well deserved Gold to add to his collection.
Sunday dawned a better day with less wind and a little sunshine and a good days racing was in prospect.
The Woman’s Novice Four of Rebecca, Iona, Nat M, and Sophie coxed by Luke Caughey had a really nice row in their heat but just missed out on the final. A good result for a new crew in their first year.
The same girls with the addition of Nat L, Jess, Mel and Elspeth, coxed by George McCall were out in a Nithsdale/Crichton University Boat Club eight. It has been many years since Nithsdale boated an eight at the Scottish Championships and it is a sign of where the club is at that they can now do this. The crew had an excellent row and finished in a very strong fourth in a very fast field. Well done to all the girls and even George!
Nithsdale had two boats in the Intermediate Men’s competition. Graham and Angus, and Ewen and Jac. Graham and Angus qualified for the final but after the exertions of the Saturday Ewen and Jac were probably still exhausted and failed to go any further. In the final only two seconds covered third fourth and fifth and the Nithsdale crew finished fourth. It was a cracking race and the lads did very well against adult crews.
In the Veteran Single Gordon Kerr was the class of the field and swept to victory. His house must be creaking under the weight of the medals he has won over the years!
In the woman’s J15 double Hazel Murray and Elspeth Purdie qualified well for the final. In the final the girls powered to a strong silver medal in a very fast fleet. A great performance in a large well contested age group.
Lauren Johnstone and Fiona Bruce were out in a J13 quad with two girls from Castle Semple and Glasgow Rowing club. They were coxed by Andrew Dunse. There comeption were a well drilled boat from Aberdeen Schools. Bearing in mind this was the first time this crew had met they did very well to push the Aberdeen boat right to the line and if the race had been a full 2000m they would have had a god chance of catching them. This crew has real potential had this age group and should try and reform for another crack at the ASRA boat.
Lauren and Fiona had a quick turnaround to go out in their J13 double. They had a good race but where a little off the pace finishing a creditable fourth. You have to ask why in a two day regatta the girl’s J13 Quad and J13 doubles were scheduled so closely together. The girls were also rowing over 1500m so in an hour had rowed over 6000m with 3000m at race pace.
The very last race of the weekend was the Men’s Novice Four of George “the pilot” McCall, Julien “the Famous Belgian oarsman” Bodart, Robbie “the phlegm” Huxtable and John “any chance of a lift” Heuchan, coxed by Sophie Brett. In a very strong field of seven boats the Nithsdale crew, with a barnstorming finish, powered to second and a well deserved silver medal.
All Nithsdale rowers can be very proud of their performances at the premier Scottish Regatta. They took some silver, and indeed some gold, but more importantly made their mark on the event as a whole and were recognised as a club on the up. It was also nice to see the Crichton University Boat Club competing in their own colours and doing well on the national stage. Which for a newly established and thriving club all concerned should be very proud.
During the 1st week of September local sculler Gordon Kerr took part in the World Masters. An event that has been a year in planning: training, hotels, boats and travel. Masters racing is for rowers from the age of 27yrs upwards; the oldest taking part was 94yrs. Gordon has been racing for 55yrs and has a few years to catch up with the impressive 94yr old. Gordon’s son Steven and Ian Wilson of St. Andrew organised the transport of boats from all over Scotland and the North of England - 24 boats in total leaving from Newcastle on the ferry to Amsterdam then onward, in a 2 day journey, through Germany, Switzerland and into Italy, to the picturesque town of Varese just outside Milan. This is their 3rd long haul having previously travelled to Vienna and Poznan all of a similar distance. Gordon travelled out on the 3rd Sept. with temperatures reaching 35°C. As well as having to contend with the high temperatures, there was no wind for 3 days. Moreover, the elevation was 3,700ft which makes it even more difficult to train and race. Racing started on the Thursday. Gordon’s first race was on the Friday against rowers from Scotland, Italy, Croatia, Germany, Australia and Brazil. Gordon managed to win the race after finishing two lengths ahead of the second sculler. Saturday marked the first race in a quad. Sunday was the day for mixed events, first up was the mixed double partnered by Gill Prescott from Durham, again it was a good row and came in 3rd. Following on to a mixed quad with Gill, Steven and Ailie Ord of Strathclyde Park which again came 3rd. The last race was another quad race in a different age group with John Appleby of Durham stepping in. Well done to all the competitors and especially to our Nithsdale athlete for representing Scotland at the World Masters.
A Medal Haul to be Proud Of (June 2013)
The rowers from Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club made the trip up the M74 to Strathclyde Park for the Scottish Rowing Championships. They were fielding their largest entry for a number of years and welcomed the newly formed Crichton University Boat Club to their happy band.
The conditions on the Saturday were truly awful and as a river based club the Nithsdale rowers were apprehensive of the open water conditions. George McCall was first up in the Novice single. George qualified easily for the semi-final but did not progress to the final. A decent result for George in his maiden season after a long absence from rowing.
The Women’s novice quad of Sophie, Jess, Mel, Natalie and Graeme Dunse (cox) qualified for their final and finished a very creditable fourth. There is much to come from this novice crew and it was great to see a competitive adult boat on the water representing the club.
Andrew Dunse was out in J14 single were he finished in the silver medal position to Ryan Morrison. Andrew and Ryan then teamed up in the double boat and demolished the field for a gold medal. So it was a good haul for Andrew.
Ewen Davidson and Jac Caughey were rowing in the highly competitive J15 double. The boys sculled superbly to take the gold medal. A great birthday present for Jac’s Mum!
The conditions on the lake started getting very gusty and all the crews were rowing the same 1500m course. Normally the J15’s and under only row 1000m so Luke Caughey and Grant Wilson had it all to do in the J12 Double. In a close race the boys were very composed. They rowed a superb race over the longer distance to take the Gold Medal.
Hazel Murray, competing as Dalbeattie High School, took a solid silver medal in the J15 Single scull. Hazel coped well with the conditions and after having worked hard all season more than deserved her medal.
In the Novice Men’s Double James Donnelly and Grant Wilson rowed well but failed to qualify for the final. All credit to them for rowing in the conditions. George and Julien also failed to qualify.
In the J16 double Angus Bruce and Graeme Dunse rowed technically very well but lacked power against some huge crews.
In the open J13 double Lauren Johnstone and Harvey Buchanan were victims of some bad luck when a boat in the previous race capsized and there race was called as a result at the 750m mark. Lauren and Harvey were lying second and had the other crew in their sights and really felt they would have been successful over the full distance
Gordon Kerr was out in a composite four. He and his compadres took a well deserved Gold to add to his collection.
Sunday dawned a better day with less wind and a little sunshine and a good days racing was in prospect.
The Woman’s Novice Four of Rebecca, Iona, Nat M, and Sophie coxed by Luke Caughey had a really nice row in their heat but just missed out on the final. A good result for a new crew in their first year.
The same girls with the addition of Nat L, Jess, Mel and Elspeth, coxed by George McCall were out in a Nithsdale/Crichton University Boat Club eight. It has been many years since Nithsdale boated an eight at the Scottish Championships and it is a sign of where the club is at that they can now do this. The crew had an excellent row and finished in a very strong fourth in a very fast field. Well done to all the girls and even George!
Nithsdale had two boats in the Intermediate Men’s competition. Graham and Angus, and Ewen and Jac. Graham and Angus qualified for the final but after the exertions of the Saturday Ewen and Jac were probably still exhausted and failed to go any further. In the final only two seconds covered third fourth and fifth and the Nithsdale crew finished fourth. It was a cracking race and the lads did very well against adult crews.
In the Veteran Single Gordon Kerr was the class of the field and swept to victory. His house must be creaking under the weight of the medals he has won over the years!
In the woman’s J15 double Hazel Murray and Elspeth Purdie qualified well for the final. In the final the girls powered to a strong silver medal in a very fast fleet. A great performance in a large well contested age group.
Lauren Johnstone and Fiona Bruce were out in a J13 quad with two girls from Castle Semple and Glasgow Rowing club. They were coxed by Andrew Dunse. There comeption were a well drilled boat from Aberdeen Schools. Bearing in mind this was the first time this crew had met they did very well to push the Aberdeen boat right to the line and if the race had been a full 2000m they would have had a god chance of catching them. This crew has real potential had this age group and should try and reform for another crack at the ASRA boat.
Lauren and Fiona had a quick turnaround to go out in their J13 double. They had a good race but where a little off the pace finishing a creditable fourth. You have to ask why in a two day regatta the girl’s J13 Quad and J13 doubles were scheduled so closely together. The girls were also rowing over 1500m so in an hour had rowed over 6000m with 3000m at race pace.
The very last race of the weekend was the Men’s Novice Four of George “the pilot” McCall, Julien “the Famous Belgian oarsman” Bodart, Robbie “the phlegm” Huxtable and John “any chance of a lift” Heuchan, coxed by Sophie Brett. In a very strong field of seven boats the Nithsdale crew, with a barnstorming finish, powered to second and a well deserved silver medal.
All Nithsdale rowers can be very proud of their performances at the premier Scottish Regatta. They took some silver, and indeed some gold, but more importantly made their mark on the event as a whole and were recognised as a club on the up. It was also nice to see the Crichton University Boat Club competing in their own colours and doing well on the national stage. Which for a newly established and thriving club all concerned should be very proud.
Hexham Regatta (June 2013)
On Saturday the 1st of June, Gordon Kerr of Nithsdale ARC travelled to Hexham to take part in 3 different sculling events. The weather started off a little chilly and dull but as the day progressed the weather improved with the sun eventually showing its face. This time he took part in the Masters G single scull, Masters F double scull and Masters F quad scull. In the first event it was the double scull with mixed partner Gill Prescott from Durham. The final was a race against a much younger crew from Durham, Gordon and Gill ran out comfortable winners.The race in the single was much harder in the final with him having to work hard up to the 3/4 distance, never having raced the opponent from Tyne, the plan was to get off to a quick start and read the race as it progressed, eventual outcome was a win by 2 lengths. The last event was the quad scull which had no practice but contained large amounts of experience , medal winners from Henley, internationals, World Masters winners and the World record holder for the ergo ( rowing machine). In both races the crew declined the handicap advantages and sculler off level, in the semi and in the final the crew ran out easy winners. Next week Gordon is to take part in the single scull at Durham City’s main regatta of the season.
Durham Regatta (June 2013)
Sculler at Gordon Kerr flew the flag for age and experience with 2 wins at Durham regatta. He was the favorite for the event and won the Masters single scull on day one in cold wet and windy conditions. Gordon rowed in the mixed Elite double sculls partnered with Gill Prescott of Durham. Both have won World masters medals in the last two years and will travel to Italy later in the year to take part in another World masters event. With no masters event at the regatta they entered the Elite race as part of their preparations. In the first heat they were hard pressed by a Durham crew who looked a little shocked at being beaten. In the semi final it was an easier race against a Hexham crew and ran out as easier winners. In the final they were up against the favorites for the event. Gordon and Gill got off to a quick start and moved ahead. However over the length of the course the other crew inched back bit by bit until they were level with 100yds to go. A lift was asked for and the older pair moved out to a half length win. The combined age of the Durham crew was around 50yrs whilst the combined age of the Durham/Nithsdale crew was 122yrs.
Great results on the Wear (April 2013)
The Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club Juniors made the annual pilgrimage to Chester le Street to compete on the tricky course on the river Wear. This is a the largest one day regatta in the North of England and is contested on the very technical River Wear, where steering is everything. There were collisions aplenty as the regatta progressed in the sunny but windy conditions.
All the Nithsdale crews had to contest heats and some semi-finals so any wins were hard fought.
Hazel Murray and Elspeth Purdie were out in the J15 double. They won there first heat against a strong boat from Tyne Rowing Club. Then they had a home semi against the home club, before winning their final against another Tyne boat. Hazel was also out in the J15 single scull and won through her heat to contest the final against the Talkin Tarn sculler. Hazel won by a comfortable two lengths.
As the large crowd enjoyed the spring sunshine Luke Caughey and Grant Wilson were on the water in the J12 Double. They won their heat against the Chester-Le-Street boat. In the final they faced the stronger Chester le Street A crew. They boys pushed hard and won by three quarter’s of a length. Grant and Luke are in there first season racing and are unbeaten so far. Keep up the good work lads.
Andrew Dunse and Harvey Buchanan were racing in the J14 Double Scull and won there heat against a home crew. And in the final beat the much fancied Chester le Street A crew. The boy’s had the race under control from the start and cruised in with two lengths to spare. Andrew was out later in the J14 single. He won his heat and cruised through the final to complete the clean sweep. Andrew is really in the zone and must be pushing for a clean sweep this season. Harvey was out in the J13 single seat boat and won his heat against Talkin Tarn. In the final he sculled superbly to victory against the other Talkin Tarn boat. Well done to both boys.
In the older age groups Jac Caughey and Ewen Davidson were won their heat against Tyne United. In the final the boys were imperious and destroyed a Tyne Rowing Club crew to win by ten lengths. Just to underline this result Jac and Ewen were competing up an age group as both boys are only fifteen.
John Heuchan from Castle Douglas was racing in the highly competitive J17 single scull. John won his heat against a St Leonard’s School Sculler, his semi against a boat from Bradford Rowing Club and his final against a sculler from Warrington. So you could say he took on the North of England and won!
It was a successful day for Nithsdale and the rowers and coaches must be delighted. It proves hard work pays off. The season rumbles on and the club are competing at Strathclyde Park this weekend. After the good start to the season they must looking forward with some hope for success.
Gold Rush on the Nith (April 2013)
Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club were delighted to welcome 11 other clubs to the Nith on Saturday for the annual regatta, sponsored by Ciceley Commercials. On a splendid April day all the crews were delighted to be out on the water after a long winter and some excellent racing was enjoyed by all the spectators. A number of the rowers who had never been to the Nith before commented on what a beautiful river it is and the quality of the facilities available. In the early heats the Nithsdale crews managed to progress to the later stages and this was a trend that was to continue through out the day. Luke Caughey and Grant Wilson were early winners in the Under 12 double scull , the first time the boys have raced together, and were deserved medal winners.
In the mixed double Fred Coulthard and his daughter Jill McIvor managed to win two heats to end up in a final against the other Nithsdale crew of George McCall and Sophie Brett. It was a case of a race too far for Fred and Jill who finished a valiant second. Sophie had further success with her crew in the novice mixed quad, and was to pick up another two medals in her debut regatta. George also won in a single scull, an eight and twice as cox! A good days work for George. After the interval Nithsdale were in a rush of finals but unfortunately these all resulted in strong second places. It was good to see three different Nithsdale adult crews competing well in finals and looking like they had more to come.
In the girls J18 Four Beth Johnstone, Chloe Davidson, Hazel Murray and Elspeth Purdie, coxed by Rebecca Smith were out against a strong crew from St Andrews Boat Club. In a first race for this crew sweep rowing the girls powered to victory. Later in the day the same crew, only with Elizabeth Haigh substituting for Chloe, the girls won in the J16 Quad. Which really underlines the girls excellent performance at the under18 level.
Andrew Dunse won his J14 single. Harvey Buchanan, Andrew Dunse, Andrew Morris, and Grant Wilson coxed by Luke Caughey won in the J14 Quad an excellent result for the boy’s. Fred and Gordon Kerr were out in the Veterans singles. Fred was beaten in his heat but Gordon kept up the winning ways by gliding to victory in the final.
Lauren Johnstone and Fiona Bruce were out in the J14 Double sculls and won there heat against Castle Semple B and beat Castle Semple A in the final for another debut win for a very promising crew. In the ladies novice quad the Nithsdale/ Crichton Campus Boat Club powered to victory in their first regatta. Nithsdale also won in the men’s novice eight but had the misfortune of becoming beached on a tree trunk just over the finish line, much to the hilarity of the watching crowds. It was a real treat to see eights racing again on the Nith for the first time in many a year. In the last race of the day the Nithsdale boys J18 Quad had a fantastic race against the Chester le Street crew who admittedly were all girls. But well done all the same and fair play for the girls for providing opposition. It was an excellent days racing and the success of the day was down to many people and the efforts of the whole club. Special thanks to Christine West, the ladies in the kitchen and all the umpires. The season moves on and this week the club makes the long trek to Chester le Street to race on the tight course on the River Wear.
On Saturday the 1st of June, Gordon Kerr of Nithsdale ARC travelled to Hexham to take part in 3 different sculling events. The weather started off a little chilly and dull but as the day progressed the weather improved with the sun eventually showing its face. This time he took part in the Masters G single scull, Masters F double scull and Masters F quad scull. In the first event it was the double scull with mixed partner Gill Prescott from Durham. The final was a race against a much younger crew from Durham, Gordon and Gill ran out comfortable winners.The race in the single was much harder in the final with him having to work hard up to the 3/4 distance, never having raced the opponent from Tyne, the plan was to get off to a quick start and read the race as it progressed, eventual outcome was a win by 2 lengths. The last event was the quad scull which had no practice but contained large amounts of experience , medal winners from Henley, internationals, World Masters winners and the World record holder for the ergo ( rowing machine). In both races the crew declined the handicap advantages and sculler off level, in the semi and in the final the crew ran out easy winners. Next week Gordon is to take part in the single scull at Durham City’s main regatta of the season.
Durham Regatta (June 2013)
Sculler at Gordon Kerr flew the flag for age and experience with 2 wins at Durham regatta. He was the favorite for the event and won the Masters single scull on day one in cold wet and windy conditions. Gordon rowed in the mixed Elite double sculls partnered with Gill Prescott of Durham. Both have won World masters medals in the last two years and will travel to Italy later in the year to take part in another World masters event. With no masters event at the regatta they entered the Elite race as part of their preparations. In the first heat they were hard pressed by a Durham crew who looked a little shocked at being beaten. In the semi final it was an easier race against a Hexham crew and ran out as easier winners. In the final they were up against the favorites for the event. Gordon and Gill got off to a quick start and moved ahead. However over the length of the course the other crew inched back bit by bit until they were level with 100yds to go. A lift was asked for and the older pair moved out to a half length win. The combined age of the Durham crew was around 50yrs whilst the combined age of the Durham/Nithsdale crew was 122yrs.
Great results on the Wear (April 2013)
The Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club Juniors made the annual pilgrimage to Chester le Street to compete on the tricky course on the river Wear. This is a the largest one day regatta in the North of England and is contested on the very technical River Wear, where steering is everything. There were collisions aplenty as the regatta progressed in the sunny but windy conditions.
All the Nithsdale crews had to contest heats and some semi-finals so any wins were hard fought.
Hazel Murray and Elspeth Purdie were out in the J15 double. They won there first heat against a strong boat from Tyne Rowing Club. Then they had a home semi against the home club, before winning their final against another Tyne boat. Hazel was also out in the J15 single scull and won through her heat to contest the final against the Talkin Tarn sculler. Hazel won by a comfortable two lengths.
As the large crowd enjoyed the spring sunshine Luke Caughey and Grant Wilson were on the water in the J12 Double. They won their heat against the Chester-Le-Street boat. In the final they faced the stronger Chester le Street A crew. They boys pushed hard and won by three quarter’s of a length. Grant and Luke are in there first season racing and are unbeaten so far. Keep up the good work lads.
Andrew Dunse and Harvey Buchanan were racing in the J14 Double Scull and won there heat against a home crew. And in the final beat the much fancied Chester le Street A crew. The boy’s had the race under control from the start and cruised in with two lengths to spare. Andrew was out later in the J14 single. He won his heat and cruised through the final to complete the clean sweep. Andrew is really in the zone and must be pushing for a clean sweep this season. Harvey was out in the J13 single seat boat and won his heat against Talkin Tarn. In the final he sculled superbly to victory against the other Talkin Tarn boat. Well done to both boys.
In the older age groups Jac Caughey and Ewen Davidson were won their heat against Tyne United. In the final the boys were imperious and destroyed a Tyne Rowing Club crew to win by ten lengths. Just to underline this result Jac and Ewen were competing up an age group as both boys are only fifteen.
John Heuchan from Castle Douglas was racing in the highly competitive J17 single scull. John won his heat against a St Leonard’s School Sculler, his semi against a boat from Bradford Rowing Club and his final against a sculler from Warrington. So you could say he took on the North of England and won!
It was a successful day for Nithsdale and the rowers and coaches must be delighted. It proves hard work pays off. The season rumbles on and the club are competing at Strathclyde Park this weekend. After the good start to the season they must looking forward with some hope for success.
Gold Rush on the Nith (April 2013)
Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club were delighted to welcome 11 other clubs to the Nith on Saturday for the annual regatta, sponsored by Ciceley Commercials. On a splendid April day all the crews were delighted to be out on the water after a long winter and some excellent racing was enjoyed by all the spectators. A number of the rowers who had never been to the Nith before commented on what a beautiful river it is and the quality of the facilities available. In the early heats the Nithsdale crews managed to progress to the later stages and this was a trend that was to continue through out the day. Luke Caughey and Grant Wilson were early winners in the Under 12 double scull , the first time the boys have raced together, and were deserved medal winners.
In the mixed double Fred Coulthard and his daughter Jill McIvor managed to win two heats to end up in a final against the other Nithsdale crew of George McCall and Sophie Brett. It was a case of a race too far for Fred and Jill who finished a valiant second. Sophie had further success with her crew in the novice mixed quad, and was to pick up another two medals in her debut regatta. George also won in a single scull, an eight and twice as cox! A good days work for George. After the interval Nithsdale were in a rush of finals but unfortunately these all resulted in strong second places. It was good to see three different Nithsdale adult crews competing well in finals and looking like they had more to come.
In the girls J18 Four Beth Johnstone, Chloe Davidson, Hazel Murray and Elspeth Purdie, coxed by Rebecca Smith were out against a strong crew from St Andrews Boat Club. In a first race for this crew sweep rowing the girls powered to victory. Later in the day the same crew, only with Elizabeth Haigh substituting for Chloe, the girls won in the J16 Quad. Which really underlines the girls excellent performance at the under18 level.
Andrew Dunse won his J14 single. Harvey Buchanan, Andrew Dunse, Andrew Morris, and Grant Wilson coxed by Luke Caughey won in the J14 Quad an excellent result for the boy’s. Fred and Gordon Kerr were out in the Veterans singles. Fred was beaten in his heat but Gordon kept up the winning ways by gliding to victory in the final.
Lauren Johnstone and Fiona Bruce were out in the J14 Double sculls and won there heat against Castle Semple B and beat Castle Semple A in the final for another debut win for a very promising crew. In the ladies novice quad the Nithsdale/ Crichton Campus Boat Club powered to victory in their first regatta. Nithsdale also won in the men’s novice eight but had the misfortune of becoming beached on a tree trunk just over the finish line, much to the hilarity of the watching crowds. It was a real treat to see eights racing again on the Nith for the first time in many a year. In the last race of the day the Nithsdale boys J18 Quad had a fantastic race against the Chester le Street crew who admittedly were all girls. But well done all the same and fair play for the girls for providing opposition. It was an excellent days racing and the success of the day was down to many people and the efforts of the whole club. Special thanks to Christine West, the ladies in the kitchen and all the umpires. The season moves on and this week the club makes the long trek to Chester le Street to race on the tight course on the River Wear.