North-East rowers move closer to Rio after Europeans selection

Olympic champion Kat Copeland will reprise her promising partnership with Charlotte Taylor after four rowers from the North East were named in the GB Rowing Team for next month’s European Championships. Double Olympian Jess Eddie continues in the women’s eight and fellow Durham rower Will Fletcher will once again race alongside Richard Chambers in the[…]

Access to Water

On March 10th contractors arrived to start work on the first phase of the extension of the club’s landing stage. The Access to Water project is a major undertaking that will continue throughout 2016. Following a protracted planning process involving extensive negotiations with the planning authority and other bodies including the Environment Agency (EA) final[…]

Hope invited to GB Spring Assessment

As well as competing in this year’s Women’s Eights Head of the River Race DARC’s Hope Cessford continues her excellent progress on the pathway towards GB Junior team selection, after the February assessment at Boston being one of only 10 female sweep rowers in the country invited to the GB Spring Assessment at Nottingham. Selection[…]

Further landslip at Pelaw Wood

There has been an additional landslip on the Pelaw Wood site which is due to the natural steepness of the slope. Durham County Council are currently working to stabilise the ground and are carrying out further investigations and analysis of the situation, to allow them to continue to work safely on some areas of the[…]

Learn to Row 2016

Details of this year’s adult and junior learn to row courses are now available. Adult Courses (16+): 8 weeks, £95 (inc. British Rowing handbook & registration, & t-shirt) Fridays 6.30pm – 8.30pm 1st April – 20th May Sundays 4.30pm – 6.30pm 3rd April – 22nd May Fridays 6.30pm – 8.30pm 17th June – 5th August[…]

Donation to Bradford weir repair fund

Being reliant on a weir for rowing themselves Durham rowers are very mindful of the situation in which Bradford rowers find themselves following the recent flood damage that led to the breach and collapse of the weir on the River Aire. They have therefore responded wholeheartedly to Bradford’s plea for help in funding the necessary[…]

Desmond and Frank kept at bay

Sustained high temperatures and unprecedented rainfall during December have taken their toll on the River Wear with flood defences being put into place twice within 3 weeks, the Environment Agency recording levels of around 2.90 metres on December 6th and again on the 26th, compared to the normal river level of around 0.50 metres. This[…]

Hope at the GB Junior trials

Sixteen year old Durham ARC sculler Hope Cessford took the first step in her quest for selection for the Great Britain Junior Squad, finishing 14th out of 87 contenders in the first assessment time trial of the 2015/16 season in a single scull over a 5km course on the River Witham at Boston on November[…]

Great Tyne Row sponsorship funds handed over

By completing the 2015 Great Tyne Row in September members of Durham ARC raised £1000 in sponsorship, which was divided between 3 charities – Clic Sargent (a children’s cancer charity), Grove House (which supports children with physical or learning disabilities), and Durham Trinity School (a special needs state school in Durham). Crew members and supporters[…]

What Roger did next

During his short stay at Durham ARC former recreational rower Roger Bean kept himself busy when he wasn’t rowing by restoring the single scull ‘J. Hopper’ that he acquired in 2012 and kept in Clive Hole’s boathouse. Having moved away from Durham Roger’s restoration project has continued and is now nearing completion. Catch up with[…]

Juniors inspired by champion

Members of DARC’s Juniors squad paid a visit to Durham University’s Oriental Museum last week to meet Olympic champion Kat Copeland and be inspired by her gold medal winning achievements in the lightweight double sculls at London 2012. Kat, who has been presented with a Nissan Qashqai by SG Petch, a Nissan dealership in Durham,[…]

Bill Grant Memorial presentation

At a presentation on September 13th at Durham Amateur Rowing Club four members of the club handed over funds raised in memory of former rowing coach Bill Grant who died in February after suffering a medical episode that led to him falling from his bicycle into the River Wear in Durham whilst coaching a crew[…]

Executive Committee positions

With the Annual General Meeting fast approaching in September members may wish to be aware of the role of the Club’s Executive Committee and its members. Members may like to take the opportunity to nominate candidates for one of the 12 executive positions able to come up for election at the AGM. Job descriptions for[…]

End to end cycle ride underway

Four members of Durham Amateur Rowing Club are undertaking a 1000 mile cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats in memory of former Club member and coach Bill Grant who died in February 2015 as a result of a medical episode which led to him falling from his bicycle into the River Wear. Elliot[…]

Explorers visit to Yarm

On July 14th new ground was broken when, at the invitation of Tees Rowing Club, a group of 14 daytime and masters rowers from Durham ARC joined Tees RC to row the 18 mile round trip along the River Tees from Stockton to Yarm and back, a venture first proposed in 2011. Along with other[…]

New umpires appointed

The Northern Rowing Council recently put out an appeal for more umpires, with Durham Regatta offering added incentives. Three members took up the challenge and passed their final exams in June to become qualified umpires. The new recruits, Peter Stavers, Brenda Middlemiss (soon to become Mrs Stavers) and Steve Farrow officiated for the first time[…]

Senior Women recruitment

DARC’s Senior Women’s Squad is seeking new members. It’s Summer and Debbie has just sent out her e-mail giving exit routes from Learn to Row courses, others are moving into the region from elsewhere and some who are eligible may be considering moving squads. Please don’t delay if thinking of joining us, we use the[…]

DARC rowers prepare for re-enactment races

As well as the usual packed programme of competitive racing over the weekend of 13th/14th June this year’s Durham Regatta will include special events to celebrate the bi-centenary of victory at the Battle of Waterloo and its links to the Regatta. These will include a 1 hour celebration between 1.30 and 2.30pm on Saturday 13th[…]

Descendants of Harry Clasper wanted

A reunion of the Clasper family is planned for Saturday, May 30, from Noon until 2pm at South Shields Library in Georg Square (South Shields Town Centre). Relatives of Harry Clasper, the famous Geordie rower, are being invited to a family re-union in South Shields to celebrate a play that commemorates the 170th anniversary of[…]

Launch of Harry Clasper

On May 4th, Bank Holiday Monday, DARC entertained British Rowing Chairman Annamarie Phelps as part of her tour of rowing clubs in the Northern Region prior to attending the launch at Derwenthaugh Marina of the St Ayles skiff ‘Harry Clasper’, built over the winter by members of the newly formed Gateshead Community Rowing Club. The[…]

Nottingham Explorers visit

On Tuesday April 28th the daytime rowers entertained a group of 6 recreational rowers from Nottingham Rowing Club, known as the Nottingham Explorers, who had asked to visit us. They are an expanding group of experienced tourers who have already rowed at exotic places such as Amsterdam and Venice and are always on the lookout[…]

Bag packers top a grand!

The Club has undertaken some sterling fundraising efforts over recent months. The Juniors squad takes part regularly in bag-packing days at local supermarkets as a means of raising vital funds. Members of other squads also join in to act as packers and supervisors. The session on February 21st at Morrisons, Doxford Park raised £933 while[…]

Boat Race Ball

History was made on April 11th 2015 with the Women’s University Boat Race for the first time being staged on the same Tideway course and on the same day as the Men’s race, both being televised live by the BBC. DARC decided it would be a good idea to follow suit, breaking new ground of[…]

Memorial Service for Bill Grant

Message from Bill Grant’s son Richard regarding arrangements for Bill’s memorial service I’d like to let you know a memorial service will be held for my father at 2pm on Friday 13th March, at All Saint’s Church in Cleadon. Please do circulate this among all who would be interested. All who would like to attend[…]

5 Star Food Hygiene Rating

Following the latest inspection by the Food Safety Officer in February 2015 the club’s kitchen facility now has the highest level with a 5 Star Food Hygiene Rating. Thanks to Gene, Nicola, Clare, Marian and others for their hard work.

Cox development programme at DARC

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[…]

Warm hospitality inspirational for Brenda

How the warm hospitality of DARC inspired a West Country resident to take up Rowing My twin sister, Joyce, was born feet first with a smile on her face and her foot firmly on my backside pushing me to get on with the business of living. She’s been like that ever since – amazingly fit,[…]