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)

Bums away...

With a large contingent of CBRC heading down to Perranporth this weekend there should be all hell breaking loose in Cornwall....

Especially when considering this motley crew is organising the trip!

Picture also appearing in this month's copy of Rowing and Regatta Magazine!

A brace

It seems we have some super stars in our midst. Not quite content with beating all and sundry at MET last month, Billy and Sean chose to take on the cream of the crop at Nat champs this weekend just gone. A very respectable 4th place behind two Leander pairs and another from Glasgow Uni (it's worth mentioning that they stuck it to a pair from Tideway Scullers too).
Another crew worthy of mention is the Women's S2 4+ at Llandaff composed of Bronwen, Caroline, Zoe, Tracy and Capitano Lancaster doing the steering.

But before all this the mighty Crusher pounded the oppo, losing his N plates in the single scull at Ironbridge at the end of June.

Wins, people, wins! It's what we like to see.

By the way, if you think something is worth reporting, like someone touching someone else innapproiately or someone doing something hilariously amusing, then share it.
Especially naked stuff.

Cheers me darlins.

Be Prepared

A message from Crush...

Tour Preparation. Step 1:

Morgan opens his legs for charity

Dear oarsfolks of Bristol,
the funniest thing that has happened for ages is upon us - Morgan is running a half-marathon! Please sponsor him at the link below, he's raising money for a very good cause:

http://www.justgiving.com/morganspecht

If he raises £800, he has promised to run in a Bristol racing lycra. That's surely worth a bob or two!

No comment

Just... No.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/surf_nation/2008/07/are-speedos-a-g.html
*Warning: The above link is not safe for work/home/your eyes*

Maundy Thursday

Oarsfolk of Bristol, for another year CBRC’s Henley Royal Regatta campaign is over. Both crews were knocked out on the Wednesday by some classy opposition.

The ‘B’ crew entertained first, with a quick start that gave Belfast a scare, before the Ulstermen gradually edged away to produce a 2 ¼ length deserved victory. Rumour has it that the ‘B’ crew improved rapidly in the days leading up to HRR, taking all challengers off the stake boat on practice starts, and retaining their coveted title of being ‘unbeaten as far as the Temple’! The crew were pleased with their row and have enjoyed their season. Their photos and footage on rowtv always seem to indicate a highly agreeable, technical crew, but ultimately without the raw power to really challenge the best (although if wind power is what you’re after, middle four can always be relied upon. Another curry anyone?).

The ‘A’ crew raced in the afternoon in a clash with one of the favourites Leander Club. And the boys gave them a great battle, going down by 2 lengths in one of the events quickest races of the day. The A crew have put in an awful lot of time and effort into their HRR campaign and it was no fluke that they pushed Leander all the way. Many punters on the bank raised impressed eyebrows to see our boys more than hold their own, and in the post-race handshakes the Leander crew knew they’d been in a race.

So, some well-deserved Pimm’s and relaxing on deck chairs now? Roll on Friday’s social gathering! And what next for the men’s squad? A big well done to the whole men’s squad, for all their efforts and commitment.

Well hung, drawn...

but by no means quartered (no, I know it doesn't make sense really. But I couldn't think of anything else with "draw" in it...)

Henley Qualifiers. Been and gone. Dealt with. Smashed to bits by both the 1st 8 and the sculling 8.

The Friday night action didn't disappoint. The 1st 8 set off behind Christchurch, with the scullers the next crew off after that. The wind, being an ever present joy this summer, made its presence known just after the Temple and continued to bounce around pretty much all the way down the course.
But after months on the docks with the gorge funnelling the channel wind and CoBRC being the gust-masters they are, both crews romped home inside the qualifying time.

After a jubilant evening on the town (more so than others in some cases) crews waited with baited breathe for the draw on Saturday afternoon.

As follows:
City of Bristol A vs. Leander
City of Bristol B vs. Belfast.

Provisional race times are out, with the Scullers on at 10:30am and the 1st 8 at 3pm.

Sufficed to say no-one will forget where they were when they heard that two City of Bristol 8s had stormed through to Thursday at Henley!

Friday night out on the town

Not long now till the Bristol lads do their little time trials.

Good luck boys.

Reaching Out, Touching Me, Touching You

Whilst the Henley crews were up on the Feeder on Tuesday night, a large proportion of Bristol's inhabitants stepped out to run for British Heart Foundation. When the fun and games were over it was just the paddlers that were still active on the docks, or so we thought...

As regulars will have seen, the surfboat (Sweet Caroline) is often practising its bizarre 180 degree spins down by the Lloyds building. Little did they know that the DJ from BHF Run HQ was partial to a bit of the Honorable President himself, and the sound of Neil Diamond flowed forth from their PA.

It is rare that rowers grab the full attention of the early evening masses, but even the diners in The Olive Shed were swaying their arms in time!

Far too eager Beever

How does he find time what with work and Henley training?
I think Rhiannon might have to have a quiet word...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7472988.stm

But then again he's always been controversial.

What a lovely Pair

News has filtered through the haze of early season Pimms of a fine pair, seen joggling back and forth quickly and in time with a nice rhythm. Not so little Billyboy Downey and his chum and bowman extraordinaire Sean have set a first and done themselves and the club proud by spanking a number of other crews good and proper.

The lads won Senior 2 coxless pairs at Marlow on Sunday in appalling conditions. This apparently after Billy was reprimanded on the start line by an official for swigging on his water bottle and gazing wistfully into the distance. A couple of gleaming medals and a plaque are now safe and sound in Bristol.

Well done lads. Something for the rest of the club to live up to next year.
And if anyone wants an insight into how such a thing can come to pass, have a look at this little chap from a couple of years back. Proof that WeightGain2000 really works.

And through the hiss and static on the grapevine... News is coming in about an epidemic of coughs, colds and runny noses. Apparently there's a good deal of sniffing going on down the club.