CLUB NEWS

Senior Report

Rowing Update: Coaching, Development & Autumn Plans

Since the rowers meeting on 20th August, we have been busy following up on the proposed actions. There is still much to do, but we wanted to update you on some of the things that we have been doing. Some highlights are listed below however there are lots of other things bubbling away!

• We met with those who put their names forward for coaching and followed that up to clarify qualifications, experience and areas of interest. We are now shaping the next steps – Including coach development to increase strength and depth for the future, immediate support for junior sessions and developing a plan to support weekend senior rowing sessions.

• Our L2R/ development sessions have now finished and our newest members are now integrating into our regular weekly sessions. They’ve received our newly developed competency framework, and over the coming months they’ll hopefully help us to test and redefine it so we can build clearer, more consistent pathways for new rowers.

• We have also had excellent interest in launch driving. Graham has been in touch with everyone who volunteered, and will begin training people up as soon as river levels allow. With more numbers, this will really help our ability to strengthen our safety and coaching cover.

• Following feedback from several members, wanting more training guidance, we have produced three new seasonal coaching programmes that put our coaching philosophy into practice. Each one outlines an integrated weekly programme of Strength and Conditioning, Ergo work and water sessions.

– Autumn (12 weeks) – focused on aerobic build and sharpening skills.  

– Winter (12 weeks) – increasing threshold work; head race prep and starting the transition in training to the shorter race regatta format.

– Spring/Summer – designed to build regatta speed, preparing for regional regattas and major events such as National Champs and maintaining race fitness throughout.

We’ll be posting the first Autumn block very soon, so keep an eye out for details.

Hopefully this has provided you with a good update of what we have been up to. Please do have a chat with the captains if you have any questions.

If you’d like to get involved in coaching, coxing, launch driving or supporting sessions, please speak to one of us as every contribution helps move the club forward.

Senior & Masters Regatta Season – round up in numbers

With the racing season now concluded, here is a summary of how our Senior and Masters rowers fared across the calendar. From local two-day regattas to national events and international representation, crews put in solid performances across sweep and sculling events.

Season Summary in Numbers:

• 10 Regattas attended

• 46 Entries

• 19 Regional Wins

• 3 National Championship Medals (1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze)

• 1 Henley Masters Final

• 4th Place at the World Masters Regatta

Regatta Breakdown:

Crew highlights:

Op Mas D Pairs & Doubles ( George S & Steve/Gareth): George and Steve won Gold in the Op D 2- and George’s composite crew won Silver in the Op D 2x at the national championships. George S also collected wins with either Steve or Gareth at Evesham, Nottingham City, Hereford, Bewdley, and Stourport.

Women’s Masters Double (Bronia & George G): represented the club internationally at the World Rowing Masters Regatta in Bled, finishing 4th. They also reached the final at Henley Masters, won Bronze at the National Championships, and secured wins at Evesham, Nottingham City, Monmouth and Stourport.

Coxed Fours: The Op Mas G 4+ (Dave S, Graham, Clive, Dave R, cox Sheron) had a consistent run, taking wins at Monmouth, Hereford, Ironbridge and Llandaff.

The W Mas C 4+  (Alison, Alice, Ellen, Holly, Cox Rachel) also put together strong races to pick up wins at Monmouth and Llandaff. They also had a fantastic race at Nat Champs missing out on gold in the Intermediate 36+ by just one second.

Doubles & Quads: Andy & Chris took double wins at Nottingham City and Hereford, while their Open 4x also recorded a win at Gloucester with Ali and George A.

Entries by boat class:

• Eights (8+): 2 entries (including a win for the MxMasD 8+ at Bewdley)

• Fours and Quads (4+, 4-, 4x, 4x+): 16 entries

• Pairs & Doubles (2-,2x): 20 entries

• Singles (1x) 9 entries

A huge well done to everyone who competed this summer and represented the club so brilliantly on and off the water! As the regatta season draws to a close, we look forward to building our fitness, refining skills, and settling into winter training as we prepare for the head racing season ahead. Go Ross!

Junior Captains Report

September saw numbers rise again as the summer holidays ended, with new juniors joining us after the July camp. As the month began, schools reopened and our J17s began their journey into Sixth Form and Colleges and a sunny trip to Penarth Regatta was just what was needed. Our juniors enjoyed a great day by the seaside and brought home pots across junior and mixed junior/senior crews.

Worcester Autumn Regatta followed, with five Ross crews putting in strong performances. Daryan Haynes and Hamish Credland opened the day with a QF win in the J14 double, progressing to the semi final against the eventual winners. In the singles, Matilda Byron- Daniels tackled her first WJ15 race with real determination,

while Matilda White raced hard in the WJ17 category.

The J17 double saw Tom Dartnell and Ollie Rossiter take on tough opposition, with Ollie racing up two age groups and the pair delivering a gutsy row. Daryan rounded off the day with a superb semi final win in the J14 single to reach the final.

A brilliant month of racing and commitment from all our juniors – plenty to be proud of as we head into autumn training.

As we move into the start of the Autumn season, a big thank you to Karen for her dedication and commitment to the Junior Squad over the past 5 years. We’re incredibly grateful for everything she has done. And now, as we transition, Gill picks up the baton – or should that be the oar!?

We wish Gill the very best of luck and thank her for stepping into this important role.

World Masters 2026

World Rowing Masters Regatta: Storms, Stunning Scenery, and a Top-Four Finish in Bled!

Lake Bled in Slovenia provided a breathtaking backdrop for our latest adventure as we represented RRC on the international stage at the World Rowing Masters Regatta.

Our boat, Knickerbocker Glory, made the impressive 1,000+ mile journey courtesy of the team at Bewdley Rowing Club, allowing us to arrive early and soak in the location. Bled is every bit as stunning as the pictures suggest. We made the most of the pre-race days, taking in the spectacular view from Bled Castle, which offered a magnificent bird’s-eye perspective of the 8-lane racing course below.

Once Knickerbocker Glory arrived safely on Monday, we hit the water for practice rows on both Monday and Tuesday. Gliding across Lake Bled’s crystal-clear waters was an unforgettable experience in itself and gave us a great chance to find our rhythm.

Race Day Dynamics

Wednesday brought race day and a healthy dose of drama. Mother Nature added to the pre-race tension with severe thunderstorms, delaying our start by an hour. When the weather finally cleared, it left behind a brisk breeze across the 8-lane course. Facing strong international opposition in our very first World Rowing competition, we put together a solid race and crossed the line in 4th place. While we were initially aiming for a top-three finish, a “middle diddle” spot in a field of this caliber is a fantastic benchmark for our debut.

A Festival of Rowing

With our racing wrapped up early, we were able to sit back and enjoy the rest of the regatta, which ran through to Sunday. Thursday saw more horrendous thunderstorms and torrential rain that forced several race cancellations, but when the skies cleared, the quality of the racing was superb. The atmosphere throughout the week was brilliant, and it was a true privilege to be part of such a global rowing event.

Next Stop: Italy!

We are already looking ahead to next year’s event in Varese, Italy, and we want to take the club in force! Whether you are aiming to compete or come along for the support and scenery, we would love to see a strong RRC contingent on the trailer next year.

Thank you to Bewdley RC for helping transport Knickerbocker Glory, and to everyone at home for the support!

RRC enjoyed a fantastic club day by the seaside at Penarth Regatta, with 20 senior, junior and mixed crews competing throughout the event. The club spirit was in full force as crews supported and cheered one another on, enjoying much more water than we have been used to!

Ross celebrated an impressive five wins:

• Ladies 4x: Ellen, Fran, Lisa and Buffy, coxed by Mike

• Men’s 4x: George A, Tom, Daryan and Ollie Rossiter coxed by Lily

• Mixed 4x: Karen, Connor, Faith and Mike, coxed by Issy

• Mixed 4+: Fran, Anthony, Gareth and Ellen, coxed by Lily

• Junior double: Matilda and Ethan

A brilliant day of racing, teamwork and club spirit – congratulations to everyone who competed and supported!

RRC Socials – Dates for your diaries

Ross Rowing Club – Founded 1875

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