Summertime

And the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high
Oh your daddy’s rich and your ma is good lookin’
So hush little baby, don’t you cry

Right, that’s your little Sonny and Cher rendition over with for another year (thank god for that). Yes, oarsfolks of Bristol, summer is nearly upon us again. Sunshine is guaranteed this weekend, as both the women and men head off to Dorney Lake for seat racing. Squad coaches will be selecting crews, looking to put City of Bristol RC on the map once again at this year’s summer regattas. There’ll be adrenaline, there’ll be sweat, there’ll be calls of nature in tuppaware, there’ll be kit failure, there’ll be body failure. There will be success. Good luck to everyone racing.

For rowing geeks out there (i.e. anyone reading this), here’s a little something Gurt wrote back in the summer of 2004.

http://www.oarsport.co.uk/training/guide.php?article=crew_selection

Hung, drawn...

Message from Mr Holden who couldn't get his piccie to work:

"I just wanted to extend my thanks to the marshals who worked tirelessly directing the vast flow of boat trailers and spectators to the start line. Here we see a Marshal pointing the way to the “head”.
Tried adding this pic to gurt, alas in vain."

Aww. Gurt always obliges.
Even though I don't get it.

It could be your night...if you play your cards right

Morning oarsfolk of Bristol,
I trust one and all are in good spirits this fine morning? Is anyone else having trouble with blocked sinuses? That creme brulee gets everywhere. It's worse than 4-day old phlegm.
Well, it seems like there was scandal galore on Saturday night, as Bristol's finest oarsfolk scrubbed themselves off and displayed their finest bristols. I am aware of at least 'a few' special comings together, but as always, my discretion will be exemplary, so your secret's safe with me ..... (kind of!)
Many thanks have to go to Emily and Rowena, for organising a fabulous event. And to Chris, our highly entertaining MC who hosted the show. Our captains made marvellous speeches, which showed up the diverse talent and the efforts that so many people make in our great club. Masks were aplenty, including many famous people such as Bruce Forsyth, Peter Andre and Colin Davis. Thank you everyone for making a wonderful evening.

Another good head

With the distinct chance that events over the course of the next 12 hours filling these pages for weeks to come (come on, tell all... you know you want to) it's a good idea to mention that there head that took place earlier today.

A slightly smaller than usual Head of the Avon went off without any hiccups with weather to make an old man's heart glow like a surf boaters arse. Even with a slight shower to make people grumble before the start and several pleasure boats trying to wash scullers down, all boats finished the course safely.
The event was mainly a chance for good old CBRC to spank it along one of the longest courses that anyone round here feels the need to put themselves through, but there were a couple of additions from elsewhere too.

Thanks to the organisers, especially Brian who still seems to want to make his life as hard as possible every year. Cheers luvva.

And so well done all those who decided it would be a good idea to do a stupid amount of rowing this morning. No results as yet, mainly because people are putting party frocks on.
Now where'd I put me pulling pants?

Annual Dinner

Dear love birds, with the upcoming CBRC annual dinner fast approaching, there will no doubt be a few sharks and dark horses out there polishing up their one liners and readying their fancy pants in the ever optimistic hope of some inter- or intra-squad action. Rest assured that the Gurtarazzi will be on hand to take snaps and facilitate wooing. Would any singletons out there like to make yourselves known? DateLush is launched...

This year, the two key pieces of information to remember are: (1) Mud Dock is the venue (or ‘Muddock’ as Emily likes to call it); (2) Haddock is the fish (or ‘Had Dock’ as Emily likes to call it). CBRC’s very own tsetse fly expert has worked tirelessly this year to bring us the prospect of a highly sophisticated night. Yes folks, if you’re lucky, while you’re enjoying your pan fried water vole with cabbage jus, Dr Adams will regale you with her range of amusing anecdotes. Just last night, I heard her whisper over the coxbox to her spellbound crew: “Trypanosomes are the causative agents of many diseases of medical and veterinary importance, including sleeping sickness and nagana in Africa, and Chagas disease in South America. Two, take a stroke”. Incredible.