FILLING “THE 9th SEAT” If the rowers are the “brawn” of the boat, then the cox is,”the brains”. The cox is a crucial seat in the boat, not just a seat to be filled by someone dragged off the bank! As much as the physical and mental skills of the rowers, makes a difference come race[…]
Euro Masters provide fitting finale to great season for Gill. The Euro Masters, held in Munich from 25th to 27th July, proved to be a great event for the last regatta of the season for Gill Prescott. It had been a really good season for Gill, starting with a new indoor world record back in[…]
J18’s win GOLD at National Junior Championships At the National Junior Rowing Championships of Great Britain on 19th and 20th July 2014, held at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham, Durham Amateur Rowing Club Junior Boys under 18 eight beat off competition from all the Thames-based clubs, to take the GOLD MEDAL in the Blue[…]
J18 Womens Junior Quad It was a pleasure to watch this classy quad compete over the long course, over the Durham Regatta week-end – Jessica Harris, Lauren Mcmillan, Carina Sowerby, Katie McDaid. They won Wj184x- on the Saturday, with some great action photos of their racing expertise … and later, the crowd were left open-mouthed[…]
DURHAM REGATTA 14th and 15th June 2014 – Record entry and new-look Championship events picture courtesy of Alan Sharp Coming soon – RACING NEWS – DARC AT DURHAM – GET YOUR RACE STORY TO ajaggard@btinternet.com NOW for inclusion .. The 181st Corepeople Durham Regatta was another resounding success with superb racing and enjoyment all round. The weather[…]
A crew of eight under-16 girls from Durham Amateur Rowing Club took national honours last weekend at the National Schools Regatta held at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham. The crew of Hannah Iqbal, Charlotte Jackson, Corinne Hatton, Sarah Coleman, Alex McMullen, Ellen Blowey, Georgia McMillan, Laura Phillips and Cox Rebecca Jackson finished in[…]
Durham Regatta have agreed to make available a pool of funds of £7500 per year, for at least the two year period commencing 1 January 2014. This amount will be used to fund grants of up to £1,000 to organisations involved in the development and promotion of the sport of rowing on the River Wear[…]
Jacki Patrickson is DARC’s coaching co-ordinator. A civil engineer and mother of two, her first job as a graduate, was spent building roads and bridges around Durham (I have it on good authority that she is particularly fond of culverts). Four years ago she moved back to Durham and started working freelance, providing interim management,[…]
Mark is a former Chester-le-Street member, and joined DARC nearly 2 years ago. He was in the Royal Navy, and was a Sales Manager for Debenhams. He qualified as a UKCC level 2 rowing coach 2 ½ years ago and then became a Community Rowing Coach. Now he combines his role as a Foster Carer[…]
The Rec rowers did a magnificant job yesterday, Monday 10th Feb, to give the gym a deep clean, and the Junior section pitched in to put all the equipment back in place, before their training session. Twenty plus rec rowers spent over two hours on the cleaning make-over with their characteristic enthusiasm. Virtually all the[…]
Talking to DARC profiler, Sarah Wheater, I took the opportunity to find out about the CHECK-CLEAN-DRY campaign. Andy: Sarah, it sounds like a dry cleaning company, what’s it all about? Sarah: It’s actually about stopping the spread of alien species Kind permission of The Environment Agency Andy: I’m guessing you’re not talking about rowers from[…]
Sarah Wheater is an environmental scientist and novice rower. Originally from South Yorkshire, she moved to Durham in September 2012. How did you get into rowing? Through the sports and social club at work. I had a friend in Warrington who was helping organise a Learn to Row course and they needed an extra body[…]
It’s another of those volunteer jobs that goes largely unnoticed – river clearing .. John Appleby and Derek Gordon in a safety launch last year, most of the daylight hours, providing safety cover, in freezing conditions, whilst the Council, cleared a massive tree from the river and the landslip in Pelaw Woods. January 2014 –[…]
It’s like one of those maths problems. How many cups of coffee does it take at 50p a cup (less cost of the makings, not forgetting the biscuits) to raise £2500 in a year. Answer … A lot. The rec rowers have just handed over this money, as their contribution to club funds, from both[…]
John Riach rowed many years ago, at the Royal Grammar in Newcastle, and took part in the first Durham Head in 1959 in a ‘maiden’ crew (for all you millenials, that’s the old term for ‘novice’). A civil engineer, John worked all over the country until his retirement a few years ago. Andy: John, I’ve[…]
The juniors spent 3 hours bag packing at Sainsbury’s at Pity Me on the night of 30th December – a fairly quiet night as shopping numbers go, but the amount raised was a whopping £601.54. The junior Christmas Breakfast raised £76 The junior Christmas fayre raised £570 for the Phillipine Disaster Appeal ( increased to £1070 on[…]
The Christmas Fayre was a great success ( it would have been nice if more club members had called in for a free coffee and mince pie) but we raised £571 on the day and as a result of a £for£ charity match from my employer (Lloyds Bank) the final total going to the Disasters Emergency[…]
I am sorry to have to inform you that Roly Metcalfe, a long standing member of DARC, passed away peacefully on Friday, after a short illness. Roly was a member of DARC for many years, indeed he was one of the Vets who introduced me to rowing over 20 years ago, coxing his crew at[…]
Mick Downworth, of the Mens Development Squad, is an outreach worker for forces Veterans and their families in Gateshead. So, last thursday 28th November, Mick had arranged a day out, at the club, for this ‘Gateshead Veterans Hub’. Some of the veterans had suffered injuries and disabilities and have served in places such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo,[…]
D.A.R.C. crews were greeted by some shocking weather when they arrived on the Tyne, for the popular Rutherford Head on 30th November Instead of the apocryphal gale force winds, snow blizzards and ‘sinking’ river conditions there was … a gentle breeze, sunshine, and a calm river. Facing the shame of bar conversations that were less[…]
The Christmas Fayre was a great success ( it would have been nice if more club members had called in for a free coffee and mince pie) but we raised £571 on the day and as a result of a £for£ charity match from my employer (Lloyds Bank) the final total going to the Disasters Emergency[…]
The full report of the DARC SATISFACTION SURVEY – Report and Plans for Action is out today. Over two thirds of the 117 respondents rated their satisfaction with their membership of DARC, as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’. There were many positives about the facilities, about the general friendliness of members, and for the excellent coaching,[…]
Carol participated in the British Para Rowing Camp 2013, held at the London Regatta Centre on Royal Albert Dock. last week-end. Carol, the first Para rower in D.A.R.C. has been classified as LTA VI (legs, trunks and arms – visually impaired) by British Rowing classifiers. Carol suffered a traumatic brain head injury in a car[…]
Wins for ‘E’ eight and ‘F’ four, “Apple-boy” bags four golds, but Gill claims five … whilst the WAGS lunch and shop Milano Seventeen DARC oarsmen and oarswomen travelled to Varese in Northern Italy for the World Masters Rowing Chamionships. Over 600 races spread over 4 days with competitors from 28 year olds to 85 year olds from all[…]
.. Durham women victorious despite ‘scran’ drug test After a successful season, moving from ‘Explore’ and the Sunday League into mainstream regattas, Durham Women “Optimists” Gabrielle, Clare, June, Susan and Helen entered the Great Tyne Row (now in its 3rd year) – 25 gruelling kilometres from Newburn to Tynemouth. The race has to be completed[…]
Mark Bell and Deborah Newcombe describe some innovations for this year’s DURHAM PRIMARY regatta on 28th September … Andy: What exactly is a PRIMARY regatta? Mark: There is some confusion around .. a Primary Regatta is aimed at newcomers to the sport .. in their 1st year to 18 months of rowing .. and for[…]
D.A.R.C. and team arena have formed a partnership to design and run corporate and team events at the club. The club has run occasional corporate and team events over the years in response to requests, and myself and a few other regulars, have usually been involved. The idea now is to try to build a[…]
Latest from the National Championships – Alan Granlund describes a silver medal and some ‘oh so close’ photo finishes .. SILVER Medal for Aidan Rushforth in MJ141x Aidan coached by his father Peter with guidance from Bill Parker, is unbeaten so far this season, and rowed very well in a field of 30 scullers to take a very deserved[…]
DARC Masters travelled down to Henley. Held each year a week after Royal Henley,the Henley Masters regatta takes place on the first 1000 metres of the iconic Henley course, with the start by Temple Island and the intimidating ‘booms’ Solid performance by F 8 The ‘F’ eight, short of a couple of regulars through injury[…]
The Prince Bishop Fundraising Cruise 16th May A big thank you to all who supported the cruise and to Lynn and the Womens’ squad for their organisation. All 100 tickets were sold and the raffle and various donations raised £300, so the total raised £1300 for the new boats fund. The food was excellent and[…]