Putney Town Rowing Club

“The following crews have qualified for the Thames Challenge Cup” comes across the tannoy…

“Lea… London B… London C…”

We wait patiently for the alphabetical list to be announced.

“Maidstone… Molesey… Monmouth… Mortlake…”

How many clubs begin with M? When will we get to the P’s in the alphabet? Have we done enough to qualify?

“Putn…” and before the announcer has finished his words the crew is roaring with celebration and drowning out the announcer.

Another fabulous result for Putney Town!

“When we gather for the happiest week in all the year, it is the brotherhood of rowing, the comradeship of the oar that we recall, when eight men who have trained until they have become a single drive, a single thrust of forward-flashing wrists, face suddenly the crisis towards which that selfless toil has led them, and know that every link in all that pulsing chain of flesh
and blood rings true. For us, there are no centuries or duck’s eggs, no goals or gallery kicks, no individual distinctions where the crew are all in all. The rattle of the riggers of the finish, the music of the tide beneath her body as she shot between the strokes, the grim yet heartening sound of splendid and unbroken strength when all eight blades crashed in together - these are the things that no one who has heard and felt them will ever forget. Some delirium. Some tremens. Some kaleidoscope.”

-Sir Theodore Cook

The men’s squad were racing both days at Marlow Regatta this weekend and delivered some respectable performances and one win.

In the 2000m races on the Saturday, the 8+ got through to the semi-finals with a time of 6:12.96. Meanwhile, in the 1000m races on the Sunday, the 4+ went a step further and came home with a win beating worthy competition from from Twickenham RC and Marlow RC along the way.

Members who don’t visit the club regularly may be in for a surprise - the old Mortlake Anglian and Alpha boat house that has stood empty beside Putney Town is no more!

Originally thought to have been built in the 1970’s, MAABC vacated the building and moved across the river to the Ibis boathouse around eight years ago. The building has since stood empty.

The demolition crew moved in a few weeks ago and the fencing around Putney Town’s compound has been extended around the newly created space.

Future plans for the plot of land are still up for discussion but in the meantime, it provides some welcome space for locking up bicycles.

With the regatta season upon us, some people may be scratching their heads trying to understand the new ARA rules that were introduced at the beginning of April this year. What does Intermediate 3 really mean? What happened to Senior 1-4?

The table below should help clear up any confusion. Just remember whatever points status a rower had before April has now gone up one point with this new system. So if someone had 2 points in 2008 they now have 3 against their name for 2009. This is primarily because the NV (novice) status has now gone to zero pushing the points for everyone up by one point.

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After Kosta’s move to England In 2008 he returned to international rowing by entering the World Cup at Munich. He achieved a creditable 13th place overall, winning the C final in the LWT1x class, improving his previous world standing from 18th.

Under the tutelage of his coach Allan Whitwell and working with his sparring partner Paul Hamblett, he has been working hard to lift it up a level and have been showing real signs of improvement. They have been training hard out of Putney Town on the tideway and at the National rowing centre in Nottingham. Following a two week training camp on the river Lot in the south of France he rowed to his first victory on Saturday, with Paul Hamblett coming in a very close second: -

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The time has come once again for most prestigious social event in the calendar - the annual PTRC dinner dance! For those who haven’t been before, this formal occasion held in the hall at the club house is a great evening consisting of posh frocks, a professionally catered four course silver service dinner, awards, speeches, dancing, live music, and perhaps a drink or two….

The hall though can only hold a maximum of 100 people and there are the last few tickets remaining which are £37.50 each.

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Matt, who came over from Australia having been a keen surf rower in Sydney, joined Putney Town RC last August and rowed in the Men’s Head of the river race in the first VIII. He wrote about his experience of the head race and provided the photos in the album below: -

We have just had a week of awesome sunshine, the spring is here, the days are getting longer and the weather couldn’t have been better for the HORR, the biggest and last head race before the regatta season starts for the summer. It even felt like I was making progress with my tan!

I can’t tell you how much fun I had - the race was excellent, the crowds fantastic, the company brilliant and the social afterwards absolutely unreal. Joining Putney Town Rowing Club was quite clearly one of the best decisions I have made since coming to London.

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Putney Town is running another beginners course, this time for women. This time of year must be the best time to learn to row, with the fine weather and numerous club events coming over the summer.

An open day is being held on Sunday 26th April at 1pm for interested women to look around the club. There will be a chance to to ask questions and have a go on a rowing machine - so do bring some suitable clothes along.

More information is available on the beginners rowing course page or you can contact Lucy Brennan on 07742 636 719 or email womenscaptain@putneytownrc.co.uk.

The vets got their chance to flex their muscles and demonstrate their mettle a day after the men’s head of the river race in the Veterans Head with weather that continued to be fine from the HoRR the day before.

In the very last head race of the season, three crews were entered from Putney Town. The first boat to pass under Chiswick Bridge was the ‘old timers’ crew. Losing out in the lottery for the chance to race in the HoRR the day before, the squad was racing in the very competitive category ‘A’ (average age 27+) and comprised many former men’s squad regulars who probably wouldn’t normally be associated with the reading glasses generation.

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