4 crews from Tay headed North to Inverness for the Winter Head over the weekend of 4th & 5th March. It’s great to see the club develop and have growing representation at racing events while also being a fun, social gathering for members to get to know each other better too!

A lot of pre-planning went into getting everyone there, so a huge thank you needs to go out to two of our coaches, Heather & Lucy for their continued effort.

So, on to the race reports!

WO4x boat 28…

The Tay Derby

In a year of firsts for Tay Rowing Club, a cold Saturday morning in March at the Inverness Winter Head on the Caledonian canal’s 4.75Km course, saw two TRC coxless quads battle it out in the same category.

We were told to save our competitive jibes for the water but couldn’t help getting into the spirit of the race early on with boat 26 getting their riggers bolted onto Narayan before crew 28 had fully woken up.

We put our jovial wrangles aside to help each other onto the water and each boat set off to meet again at the start. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt about TRC crews at the races we’ve entered so far this year it’s that we like to be at the start early! We eagerly awaited our competitors, boat 27, to make their way to the start so we could suss out the filling in the TRC sandwich that was soon to be making its way down the course.

The banter between our two crews continued to bob around as we waited some more until Rachel, putting her faith in her crew to hold the boat steady, stood to get the perfect selfie shot with all 8 of us. After the smiles for the camera it was race faces back on and the fighting talk started again.

Then we were off with boat 27 soon taking the lead. We would expect nothing less from a composite boat made up of the finest Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University novice rowers but we were pleased to have them out of the way; they weren’t involved in this battle – it was boat 26 that my crew wanted. I would love to pinpoint exactly when we met our match but with all focus on those long, strong strokes, holding a steady rate 26, all I know is that it took longer than we’d hoped to catch them.

Heather excelled again with some impeccable steering skills and we later learnt that boat 26 had an unfortunate altercation with a St. Andrew crew who couldn’t find a way past despite Fiona moving out of their way and giving them clear water to navigate. The extra concentration and responsibility that is placed upon our bow rowers to navigate a race course while also putting in the rowing effort should not be underestimated and both Heather and Fiona did a brilliant job.

Unsurprisingly, the composite boat came in first place with crew 28 just over a minute behind with a well-earned time of sub 20 minutes. This was one of the most enjoyable races I have entered, there was lots of laughter and some great rowing from our women’s squad.

Boat 26 – see you at the next one!

26  TayRC Rachel H., Becky, Theresa, Fiona

27 AU/RGU composite

28 TayRC Lucy, Rachel A., Tara, Heather

WO4x boat 26…

A crisp but dry morning at Inverness Rowing Club, the Narayan(spl?) crew were the first on the water to row up-to the start line.

The crew from Tay RC racing in the W4x category; Harper (stroke), Adams(Captain), Edwards and Barrowman (Bow), feeling confident after several successful sessions on the Tay were apprehensive to get the 4.75k race started.

Only three boats in the W4x category, with another crew from Tay RC the club was well represented on the Caledonian canal.

The crew was the first to set off on in the category we set off on a rolling start keeping the stroke rate low. The race motto quickly became long and strong which was the best way for this crew to take advantage of all the power in the boat.

Aware that there was only one boat between us and the other Tay RC crew we used them as a marker to push off of. As they neared to overtake Adams called for a hard push on the legs and the boat lifted on the water with the main goal being to give the other crew a hard time overtaking us.

Finally reaching the last set of overhead wires the crew tired but still remaining strong hugged the right bank in order to yield to faster boats from the categories that set off behind us.

A crew from St Andrew Boat Club were fast approaching causing Harper and Adams to shout for crew ahead that was heard all the way down the bank, St Andrew refusing to change their racing line quick reactions from Barrowman in bow saw us narrowly avoid a collision.

Tay RC Narayan crew thoroughly enjoyed its visit to Inverness setting a goal breaking time of 22 minutes and 23 seconds down the course and this strong crew are looking forward to seeing what they can achieve at the upcoming sprint races

WNov2x…

Double the fun

Our two coaches, Lucy and Heather, entered the WNov2x category at Inverness regatta on Sunday morning.

After a quick pit stop on the way up they were race ready at the start. Tay were in the middle of their category with one boat in front and one behind. After the build and passing the start line “Leather” (Lucy & Heather) went straight in with a power 20 and overtook their first crew within the first 30 strokes. From here it was just a matter of widening the distance between chasing crews.

The course passed by and Lucy set the pace from the stroke seat nice and steady, focusing on pushing with the legs.

Another 2 boats were overtaken, a masters pair and a novice four and the middle section of the course allowed them to lengthen out and enjoy the race.

The corner by the white house marked the start of the end, the final section of the course and a series of overtakes meant there were 3 boats abreast at this point- quite a tricky steering situation.Tay were in the middle at this point, overtaking a TGA pair into clear water whilst fending on a St Andrew BC double.

Tay held on and continued to push to the line, coming in with a course time of 20:19 and a first place in the WNov2x!

Thank you to Inverness Rowing Club for hosting such a well organised event and to Becky (from Tay) and Euan from DUBC for stepping in to sub in our 8!

Until the next one!

Contributor: Rachel Allmand

A grey and grizzly start to the morning at Glasgow Rowing Club brought the news that the 5.3km Head of the River course had been shortened to 3km due to swells on the Clyde making for less than favourable conditions.

The crew from Tay RC racing in the W4- category; Klinkman (stroke), Rogers (Captain), Allmand and Mckenzie (Bow), felt somewhat conflicted at the news having prepared for the long slog, however the opportunity to switch to a flat-out sprint was ultimately well received.

Only two boats in the W4- category, with a crew from Glasgow Academy fielding the other boat on the course. Glasgow Academy set off first from the rolling start, with Tay set off to chase moments later.

Quickly the crew built the stroke rate, with Rogers calling for an immediate push on the legs to get the boat shifting. Bridges fell away with Mckenzie steering the crew from the bow seat through the best lines, slingshotting the four into the fastest water across the bendy course.

The gap between Glasgow Academy and Tay RC closed significantly in the mid-section, however Glasgow Academy mustered a push to reopen the space between the two boats.

Finally, Kings Bridge appeared overhead with it an opportunity to take advantage of a decent straight stretch into the finish line. Rogers called for the rating to be brought up for the final push, with Mckenzie hugging the bank for the best line, driving the boat home for a total time on the course of 9:31.

Three cheers for the Glasgow Academy W4- for putting out a cracking time of 9.01 on the course.

Many thanks to Glasgow Rowing for the warm welcome and well organised day. Tay RC thoroughly enjoyed its visit to the Clyde.

BELLS SPORTS CENTRE, PERTH

(4 February 2023)

At the beginning of this month a few of us from Tay Rowing Club volunteered to attend a one day sports injury first aid course at Bell Sports Centre in Perth.

This course was organised through our membership of Perth and Kinross Accredited Club Excellence Scheme (PACES) and the River Tay Community Sports Hub and allowed us to secure some free spaces for our club members.

The course was delivered by Andy Gow of A.D Training and Development in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and is geared for coaches, team first aiders, club officials and other adults involved with club sport.

I’m glad to report that we all passed with flying colours and would thoroughly recommend this first aid course to other club members.

One of the exciting developments at Tay Rowing Club this year has been the introduction of schools indoor rowing at Bertha Park High School. We were awarded a grant back in 2020 to purchase eight concept 2 rowing machines with the purpose of using them to support junior rowing. Initially these erg’s were loaned to club members for indoor training throughout covid lockdowns and now they have now been moved to Bertha Park High School in order to be used by pupils in a lunchtime club. 

The lunchtime club runs weekly and has seen lots of interest with older and younger pupils alike. The format is very adaptable and can allow for teams of four rowers to one machine so we can accommodate large groups of kids. Scottish rowing has a schools indoor league that allows schools to compete against each other and the long term aim is to get Bertha taking part in this. 

This school rowing club is supported by teachers from the school and also Tay RC members. A big thanks to Fiona and Rachel who have supported the club and volunteered their time to help run the sessions. In the long term the club will be run by the school teachers with Tay RC only needing to visit every now and then. I hope to even create a blueprint of session plans that can be replicated in other state schools in Perth (we already have Perth Grammar School interested!). 

Indoor rowing is great to get pupils involved and interested in rowing but the next step is to facilitate school rowing on the water at Tay RC by method of “come and try” sessions. There is still a long way to go before we have a junior rowing section at Tay but this is an encouraging step forward. 

Race Report – 5th February 2023

It was a bright but cold start to the morning in Aberdeen as Tay RC commenced boat re-building ahead of the Aberdeen 8s Head of the River Race. Crews assembled from all of Aberdeen’s boat clubs; Aberdeen BC, Aberdeen University BC, Robert Gordon University BC and  Aberdeen Schools BC, with Tay being the only visiting club. Thankfully, the welcome was as warm as the lovely ABC clubhouse.

Tay RC fielded a mixed 8 comprising of Klinkman (stroke), Roger, Barrowman, Hughes, Smith, Millns, Allmand and Scott (bow) and coxed by Harper.

Before long the Marshal called upon Tay RC (Boat Number 95) to commence approach to the start line in preparation for a rolling start. As the boat found its line towards Victoria Bridge the blast of the whistle came – they were off!

Cox called for pressure on the legs to switch the crew into race pace and the boat started shifting its way down the Dee. The first corner fell away quickly, with Tay pushing their advantage to their preferred line under the QE and Suspension Bridges.

A mixed AUBC / RGUBC crew from 2 boats back blasted through the field taking both Tay and a fellow AUBC / RGUBC mixed boat through the second bridge. Tay remained composed and worked to keep the overtaking crew within touch, but a headwind picked up ferociously on the course bringing choppy waters and challenging rowing.

Tay worked not to concede too much water, with Harper driving the crew on through the final stretch to the finish line and Klinkman setting a quick stroke rate to keep the boat grafting. Alas some confusion as to the exact location of the finish line made it not quite the pageant finish Tay would have preferred but a solid effort given by all for a total time of 16.16 on the course and a third place finish!

Special mentions should certainly go to Harper for coxing her first competitive race and Hughes on his first race outing.

Heartfelt thanks to Aberdeen Boat Club for organising a cracking day out on the Dee – thanks for having Tay RC.

Having recently moved up to the Tayside area from down south, I decided to return to rowing after 6 years off the water as a way to meet new people locally and stay fit.

I was nervous, having not touched a blade for a while, but thankfully rowing can be a bit like riding a bike. You never quite forget! However what I’ve found in Tay RC is so much more than an opportunity to get out on the river…

From my first time down the club, the coaches and members have all been so welcoming and made me feel right at home. Here is a club where everyone is really invested in its future; getting involved in the big plans the club has for racing, building a new clubhouse and developing its junior rowing programme.

The club is a good mix of experienced rowers and those who have come through the Tay’s own Learn 2 Row course. This brings a nice range of experience, from those experiencing the excitement of their first ever race to those who might not have felt the buzz of race day since university, with a good number of senior crew thrown in to keep us all level.

Its great to see the club turn its attention to racing this year, with coaches Lucy and Heather putting a real focus on getting crews together and out to events – nothing quite beats the thrill of a race and I for one am looking forwards to sharing more of that with my fellow members.

Off the water, the club is also developing a junior rowing programme to offer school kids in the area an opportunity to try rowing before getting out on the water. As the mother of a future Team GB Rower (well, I can dream…) I’ve been grateful to be able to get involved with the programme and help coaches take our beloved sport out to the young folk. There’s nothing quite like seeing their enthusiasm and excitement when it all starts to click.

Back at the club, the President and Vice President, Chris and Barbara have grand designs on a state of the art clubhouse that will really put Tay RC on the map and take advantage of all the Tay river has to offer. It really is a cracking river to row on, wide and fast, with our own resident seal who acts as the club’s de facto mascot. The opportunity for the future of Tay RC as a centre of excellence for rowing in Scotland is huge.  

I feel like I’ve joined the club at such an exciting time – there’s a real buzz about the place as the members really do have ownership of Tay RC in a way that’s sometimes lost in bigger, more established rowing clubs. There is a lot of space for people to really get involved in helping their club reach its goals if that appeals – and equally, if folks just want to come down and row – there’s plenty of room for that too.

Tay RC: you come for the rowing, you stay for the club.

Photo credits: Graham Robb Photos

written by TRC member Andrea Wilson

A lot of firsts this weekend! Tay Rowing Club was at Inverness rowing club’s first event since lockdown with about 150 other boats on the amazing #caladoniancanal

First rowing race ever for Becs, Rhona and I! Wins? Didn’t come last didn’t hurt ourselves or any one else!

First race coxing for Lucy! Wins? See answer above! First time all of us had been in a boat together ever! Why? Training for anything in a team is challenging to co-ordinate and we did the best we could fitting round everyone’s busy work, home life and injuries. Thank you Shenja for the last minute stand in

First time rigging and derigging a boat. You get the idea a lot of learning and challenges going on.

It was cold, it rained, it was sunny (standard in November), we got pushed in to the side of the canal by an over enthusiastic double and we had an absolute blast.

Will we do it again? A resounding Hells yeah!   To anyone out there reading this who is thinking about getting outside and challenging themselves, DO IT!  Whether it’s rowing, kayaking, hillwalking (but mostly rowing) take that step, go outside engage with exercise and free your #innerathlete! It’s in all of us.

#letsgooutside #whatsyouratlantic #visitscotland #explorescotland #fitateverysize #tisominiadventure #weekendadventure #womeninrowing #womenarenotsmallmen

Want to know what’s been going on at Tay Rowing Club? Why not check out our latest club newsletter!

Like all clubs, we’ve got members from a variety of backgrounds with a tonne of knowledge in their specialised field. So for our latest blog, we’ve asked a couple of our medical professionals to give us some good tips for you all on how to boost your immune system going into the winter! Here’s what they had to say…

Stewart says: “As winter approaches and infections become more common it is important to boost your immune system.  The best way to do this is a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables. In particular citrus fruit, green vegetables, onion and garlic are beneficial. One important ingredient is zinc which is richest in seafood and many nuts. Stay warm before and after exercise.”

Aaron says: “As we come into winter with increasing restrictions in place it’s so important to continue to get outside and exercise. To keep your immune system strong whilst exercising over winter be sure to carb up a couple of hours prior to exercising and snacking during longer bouts. To continue to improve your fitness despite the challenges winter brings try and maintain a consistent quality exercise schedule and sleep pattern, keeping up with this day to day will help you meet your goals. The benefits exercise brings to your mental health also cannot be overstated enough. Getting out in the fresh air and moving increases release of the brains neurotransmitters which make you feel good and provide a state of positive well being. This is important at any time in life, but whilst we are limited in what we can do with Covid-19 it’s important to use these opportunities to their fullest, and whilst we are bias we feel rowing is a great way to do this. Regular sessions will improve your neuronal activity resulting in increased concentration and memory. The key message for us is to continue rowing during winter (even if we need to wrap up a bit more than usual!) and keep to the current guidelines to decrease transmission of Covid-19 which the club are promoting at every session.”

Stay healthy! Happy rowing!

With the days beginning to grow colder lately, it’s important to remind ourselves that rowing in winter can be very different from the summer conditions we have gotten used to. The cold winter weather increases the risk of hypothermia, but we can advert this by focusing on being prepared and wearing sufficient clothing. Several thin layers of clothing, preferably with a waterproof garment on top, hats or earmuffs, thick leggings and waterproof socks are all good options for clothing.

Coxswains, especially, need to ensure warmth around the head, neck, lower back and extremities. Clothing should ideally be wind and waterproof but avoid undue bulk.

As well as wearing appropriate clothes for partaking in rowing, it’s important to have spare clothes to change into in the event of a capsize (no matter how unexpected that may be!). Keeping a spare bag of warm, dry clothes to change into in your car is a good idea to be prepared for all eventualities this winter.

Although cold weather rowing requires more preparation and thought, I hope I haven’t put anyone off it. The crisp, frosty Saturday morning’s where the mist rises of the glassy flat river are definitely worth it!