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.
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.
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.”
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!
2020 has certainly been a different year! From full lockdown to getting back on the water on a restricted capacity, it’s tested skills and confidence.
In line with Scottish Rowing guidance, the period from the end of June through to October has predominantly been in single sculls. This initially posed a challenge for the club as many members hadn’t experienced being in a single up until this point. But with the purchase of some stable singles with floats, that was all to change! 🙂
We asked 4 of our members to recap on their experience and how they have progressed. Below is their comments. We hope this will inspire many more to give it a try in the confidence that their coaches are supporting them every step of the way!
Sean Peter;
“Me, in a single, not a hope in Hell!” That’s what I always said when asked the question. So what changed, well COVID came along a forced a new set of rules on us. The club went out and bought singles with floats to enable us to row, and all credit to Lucy and Heather, they kept gentle nudging me towards the new bright orange singles. Then the day arrived, the day I had been dreading for years, me out in a single! The floats were firmly anchored to the side of the boat, I was shown how to get in and out safely, so off I went. The first thing I did was to test the floats, I wanted to know how much, or little, support they gave me. Immediately I knew there was no way the boat was going to go over, what a relief. I think I spent the best part of 2 hrs on the water that day. Then came the time to take the floats off, was I nervous, definitely! How far will I get from the slip before I am swimming back?
Off I went, I was still on top of the water and keeping every instruction I had just been given in my mind. I made it up to the bridge and back down a couple of times that day and was converted. Since then there has been trips down to the red boy and back, up to the bridge, turning the boat around and some set pieces on the water. This was going great
And then, there I was, swimming in the river. Yep I had my first, and so far only, capsize. So what happened, I don’t really know. I had stopped, then things went in slow motion, apparently it was quick but not for me! I saw 1 blade go under the boat, then the next, then I was in the water. At that moment the training we had in the swimming pool came straight into my mind. I swam and pushed the boat to the side, signaled I was fine, got back in and rowed back to the club. It was a good bit of learning to keep your balance and wits about you the whole time. Since then I have been out in the new heavy weight single down to Inchyra as well and loving the new challenge. We have a fab group of people in this club with a wealth of experience, trusting them helped me take that step into singles and I am loving learning from them and taking on the challenge of the single.
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Fiona Barrowman;
Well, I never thought that I would ever be out single sculling on the River Tay in Perth, but that’s exactly what I managed to achieve during the last few months, with the help of our amazing club coaches Lucy Rogers and Heather McKenzie.Once lockdown was lifted and the club got back up and running, due to Covid-19 restrictions, we could only go out in singles, which I liken to sitting on an oversized matchstick. My first outing was in one of the clubs new bright orange Glide One boats with floats and I absolutely love it! I felt completely safe and the floats gave me the confidence to go out in all weathers and varying conditions. Then the time came to progress, the floats came off, and it all got serious!Sitting in my oversized matchstick, without my trusted floats, certainly made me feel vulnerable, exposed and tense. Initially, I was so petrified that I couldn’t do much other than encourage myself to take a stroke whilst cursing. The coaches were always there with some helpful hints and tips: Heather told me to “relax and smile” and Lucy reminded me to “breathe”, all of which are easier said than done when you’re shaking like a leaf and realise that multitasking isn’t an option through fear!One Wednesday evening session with Lucy was pivotal in my progression: I was put through my paces and taken completely out of my comfort zone and guess what… it worked. I was actually sculling in a single, not with any degree of amazing skill, but I was actually singling and dare I say enjoying it! The support, guidance, encouragement and dedication of our club coaches Lucy and Heather is and has been invaluable to my introduction to singling and I feel very privileged to be part of such an amazing Rowing Club which has so many equally amazing people!
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Elliot Wood;
So the man on the news said we could venture out of our homes again, and someone mentioned that we could get back to rowing, but not any sort of rowing i’m used to. Rowing in those tiny little boats, you know, the ones you see racked in the shed owned by people who know what they are doing. Not really my thing, I’m a big boat kind of person, hiding in the middle of an 8, maybe a 4, or a double if there is really nothing else going, but certainly not a single.The truth is that i was never going to be able to do it, i’m too big, too uncoordinated and i’ll whisper it, but it looked quite hard. Every rower knows someone who has fallen in when they were in a single, and therefore were best avoided.Turns out I didn’t have a choice. It was that or nothing. The arrival of the fleet of orange boats gave me hope. They looked rugged enough that even i couldn’t break them, and most importantly of all, came with stabilisers, a safety net for the hard of talent like me.It turns out that a safety net is just what I needed. From that first outing, I was forced to rethink everything I knew about being out in a single. I could do it, slowly at first and with more than a few wobbles, but even I managed to progress to removing the stabilisers. It was wasn’t so hard after all, admittedly you couldn’t blame your crew mates for the boat being unstable/down on one side etc, but even I managed it. And now everyone in Tay RC knows one more person who has fallen in while they were out in a single, but don’t let that put you off, it’s well worth the effort.
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Margo Peter;
Me row in a single? Never!! Nervous enough in a double. The orange boats arrived and I stood back and watched as others ventured out. I watched from a distance for a few weeks while listening to others gentle encouraging words. Then one day I decided to go for it, I was so nervous I actually felt sick. Very quickly discovered how stable these boats are with floats on and I was off. Really enjoyed my first outing. Been out a couple of times, still using floats and really enjoying it. Great experience to find and understand your faults and help correct them. Not sure I will ever graduate to no floats but who knows, after-all I did also say I’d never go out at all!
Anyone who’s ever been on a club committee can
probably agree that when it comes to organising events, competitions, or even
regular training sessions, sometimes it all comes together and the planning
pays off. There are also times when the running of a club feels like a slight
uphill battle. Individual work commitments, holidays, family, illness and
injury, child care, studying, and just general everyday life can make it a
struggle to keep the club spirit alive. When it comes to rowing; throw in
extreme tides, bad storms, floating debris, rough water, high winds or damaged
equipment and it’s a wonder we can ever pull off a single outing. Now the
amazing weather and flat waters have arrived and there is something brand new
to prevent us from pulling on our all-in-ones.
I was told about the Lockdown League by a
fellow committee and club member. It was a few weeks into the lockdown by this
point and, while I was obviously missing being out on the water, the erg was
becoming my friend again. I had a look at the link and loved how simple it was
to get involved – no registration required or complicated way of logging
information. We have been able to lend a few of our club ergs to TRC members
and there are some keen cyclists and runners amongst us. Best of all, this
challenge seemed to hit the spot with our club members and we really hit the
ground running (and cycling and erging).
Most of us partake in regular exercise for our
own satisfaction or personal fitness goals and it has been great to be able to
put the hard work towards something extra. By clocking our metres it really
feels like we are doing something for our club and, with the addition of the
weekly workouts, I think it has also been a great way to stay motivated. Above
all, it has given me something to post about on our Club Facebook group so it
looks like I am continuing to dedicate some of my newly acquired free time
towards my duties as a committee member.
Tay Rowing Club is one of the smallest and
newest clubs in Scotland (I would say the
smallest and newest but have not fact checked this so do not want to start any
unwanted interclub rivalry). To nestle ourselves firmly in the top 15 from week
1 was a huge achievement for us! We’ve since seen ourselves jump around in the
top 10 and I am immensely proud of everyone who’s been involved. We are very
excited to see if we can hold our place in the lead for the most metres per
member when the revised table comes out next week. We welcome a bit of healthy
competition from the likes of Inverness, Stirling, St Andrew and Castle Semple
who have been battling it out for those medal places over the past month. We’re
pleased to see our local rivals river allies, Dundee University, never
too far away either.
To all the clubs involved, we have thoroughly
enjoyed sharing this with you and look forward to hopefully seeing some of you
for the real thing in the not too distant future. Thank you to Scottish Rowing
for keeping us going and, though it will be a shame when it comes to an end,
hopefully that will mean that things are returning to some kind of normality
for the Rowing Community.
It’s fair to say the last 10 weeks during lockdown have been challenging for most. Let’s face it, we’re used to our freedom and definitely not used to being told to stay in our homes and only venture out once a day for exercise! On top of that, the endless amounts of negative press and focus on this horrendous virus have left many on an emotional rollercoaster!
As we start to slowly ease out of lockdown, following the Scottish Governments 4 phase plan, no doubt new challenges and worries will arise. Just as we were getting used to this “new normal” , the next adjustment phase could also take some getting used to!
Having been void of social interaction, other than a zoom call or two, one of the first things we’ll be keen to do is meet with family and friends … from a distance of course! The next thing might be to get back to our beloved sports / hobbies such as rowing!
As we wait for guidance from Scottish Rowing as to restarting, the Tay Rowing Club Committee are now in planning for getting members back on the water, safely! Risk Assessments, cleaning and distancing rules and session plans are all being considered. We want to make the transition back into the club environment an easy one with the wellbeing of our members in mind.
If you’re feeling anxious about things starting to get relaxed and what risks that might pose, here’s some tips to help you prepare;
Plan to do the things you love –
We have been living in a time like no other, so, naturally, it may take time to get back into the swing of things once lockdown is over.
A simple way to help relieve heightened levels of anxiety is to plan ahead; make a list of the things you want to do again (hopefully rowing is high up there!), friends you want to visit and places you want to go.
Re-establish some former routines –
When things begin to return to ‘normal’, re-establishing familiar former routines can be helpful, but it might also be a good opportunity to reflect on whether you can continue some of the things you’ve been doing differently.
Review your priorities in life –
When it comes to our personal lives, many of us are finding the current pace of life easier to deal with, as we’re less pressured to attend social gatherings, for example. It’s worth reflecting on whether we want things to return to how they were before, or if there’s an opportunity to review our priorities and really think about what makes us happy. Perhaps you’ve got a new fitness regime that you want to continue with, or a new found love for baking! (cakes are always welcome at TRC) 😉
As lockdown restrictions gradually begin to lift, remember that it will take a while for life to get back to ‘normal’ — and it’s OK if you take longer to adjust than others. It’s important that you do things in a timeframe that works for you. Just know that you have the support of others and your wellbeing is the utmost priority!
Being part of a sports club isn’t only about keeping fit and active but also about the social element with people who share the same interest. During lockdown TRC members haven’t just been missing being on the water, but also the interaction with others from the club so we decided to make good use of Zoom and have a lockdown quiz!
The first Tay virtual quiz night held was a success, with lots of interesting (and some difficult) questions being posed while members enjoyed a blether and a glass (or two) of wine. Questions spanned general knowledge, Scotland, geography and of course there had to be a rowing section too! Not sure we’ll be winning any quiz leagues just yet, but it was a fun evening which we hope to repeat sometime soon!
We hope to continue club events throughout the lockdown period while we can’t get out on the lovely river Tay and all club members getting involved and participating in really fantastic.
First rowing race ever for Becs, Rhona and I! Wins? Didn’t come last didn’t hurt ourselves or any one else!
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
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. 
