Comedy painting

Full report available on the BBC website.

The Women's Eights Head of the River Race 2009

Greetings oarsmen and oarswomen of CBRC!
 
Randy Lush here opening the Bet Lush services for the Head of the River (albeit not the real one but the Women’s version).
If you’re wondering if cousin Gurt has definitely left our docks in search of rougher ciders with the inseparable Gurtrude, I can reassure you that he is still with us: last time Reet and I popped around for a cuppa, Gurt didn’t stop complaining about this thing called Facebook and how it has stolen all his friends (any ideas what he was talking about?).
 
This year’s WEHORR sees 3 bellicose crews from Bristol trying to ruin the party to the London crews.
 
Crew 55: Emma M, Jihan, Bekki, Ellie, Caroline R, Lauren, Hazel, Katy, cox: Diego
After a storming performance at Worcester (where they left their opposition trailing by more than a minute), the day after they lost their shine in home territory coming behind UWE and being beaten by the second eight. Too presumptuous? Too complacent?
The question is: will the intensive training endured by the first women’s crew during the winter finally pay off?
Judging from the last results, they are definitely the underdogs.
Bet Lush Odds 4:1
 
Crew 76: Frances, Caroline B, Lucy I, Emma D, Naomi, Emily, Jo, Zoe, cox: Kathryn
This crew is HOT HOT HOT!
A well mixed bunch of experiences, this crew is our hot tip for the day.
They were the first women’s crew at Bristol home race, coming in front of what it was once called the first eight. They then went to Avon County to rule those waters too. Coxed by the competent Kathryn, will they upset the squad’s establishment and earn the right to row in top boat Viridor?
Bet Lush Odds 3:1
 
Crew 129: Karen, Lucy F, Raegan, Lucy C, Ella, Elaine, Sarah, Emma N, cox: Carly
Completely made of novices, this crew will try to impress not only the other Bristol crews but also the London squads.
They don’t have anything to prove and they have the enthusiasm of a crew that has never rowed on the Tideway before; all factors that will surely contribute to an astonishing row. Coached by our own army boy James ‘Sikkers’ Fickling, we have no doubt that they will overtake several crews… but has anybody told Carly where the black buoy is?
Bet Lush Odds 6:1
 
Good luck to all the crews!

just when you thought it would never happen...

It appears that Miss Greg, will be practising a new signature of Mrs Chambers.... you may notice (apart from the sunny warm looking weather) the shining rock on her finger in the second picture!

scullers' head

Bristol Competitors to look out for:

23. Super slick Jack Mellor
80. Pocket battleship M.Duffy
152. From the darkside R.Mckensie
181. LWT Ali Kocho-Williams
269. FCUK Nadia Balhi
339. Ever Present Hazel Fullman
399. Battleship Crusher No 399
502. Ratemeter Graham Davidson No 502

Placings
Mellor or McKensie? Are you a gambler?
M. Duffy Bristol's own Daniel Craig? But unlikely to finish in 007th
Crusher - can the 'squatter of somerset' mow the course down?
Nadia or Graham - just one second divided them at Cardiff - will the external competition give Nadia the motivation to get that extra length on Graham?
Hazel or Ali - Both have left the kids at home, but will breastfeeding take its toll on ali?

know pain. know gain. know hoodie.

Does anyone out there still look on this blog? YES! You do.

Well here's a reminder to get your hoodie orders in to Zoe before 19th December. I'm going to get Reet and Randy one to share for Christmas, though i'm not sure Randy will quite fit into an XXL.

Contact Zoe for more details

She can also cook a mean quiche

Votes in, texts counted, but without a hint of the winner being picked before the show had ended:

The winner is CBRC's Jane Hall! ARA Volunteer of the Year 2008

Here's what the committee had to say about her.

Not content with all that work Jane also found time to play with Dom and not two weeks back produced the newest member of CBRC: little Rosemary Megan Hall (although apparently she's going to have trouble fitting into the shoes).



Congrats to Jane, and also Jane and Dom (to be fair, he did help a bit).

promoting diversity

Dear Bristol folk,
it has been once again drawn to my attention that to address you all as 'oarsfolk' is no longer appropriate. It seems that CBRC's diversity policies are reaching far and wide these days - mountain bikers, runners, triathletes. What next, (pub)golf? Now, it seems one of our most stalwart members has put down her blade to take to the saddle. She still needs the lycra though...

It's a marathon not a sprint

Report from one of our intrepid marathoneers:

Weather was good for a spot of rowing in a ditch in Lincolnshire. Womens VIII best COBRC time took longer driving home than it took to row the 50K. A wrong turning & an M6 delay, organisation had nothing to do with it! The battleship just fitted in the Dyke. Crusher in next with a respectable 4.18 but with women, juniors & vets in front and Nadia only 4 minutes behind. Junior j16's averaging at J14 4X- at 4.39 clear winners in their category. Sophie Dun the bravest of all coming in around the five hours. Sore arses, sore hands and T shirts for all. Hanham may see more COBRC crews training for next year.

Any photos??

Has Gurt died?

Oarsfolk of Bristol, good morning to one and all. Gurt has reached a crossroads in his career. At a time when corner shops are closing, Tescos are springing up everywhere. The local cinema is closed, the multiplex booms. Folks, Facebook is killing me, see you all in hell! I feel snubbed, not invited to the party, with no place in the modern world. Randy has taken up patchwork, Reet has re-joined Gala Bingo. The irony is I have a truly incredible story to break to you. Who wants to hear it?? BetLush offers the following story characters:

Jimmy & Lauren Evens
Morgan and a local farmyard 2-1
Colin's sandwich 4-1
Naomi's head scarf incident 8-1
Diego and his bent rudder 11-1

Any takers?

Big hug to all
Gurt (considering coming back)