Bridgnorth Rowing Club

Veteran Oarsmen Richard Holt, Mike Fletcher and Coach Dave Walker led their team of WAGS and friends to victory in the Rowing Club's Annual Quiz which was held at the Rowing Club on Friday 14 November. The victory is proof - if it were needed - that the grey cells of our senior oarsman are more than a match for their younger crewmates as their team, justly labelled the Magnificent Seven, cantered home to a glorious rout of the opposition.

 Whilst others were scoffing on their delicious fish and chip suppers or addling their wits at the bar the Magnificent Seven kept their brains sharp throughout, averaging around eight out of ten in each round, matching super quiz mistress Bridget all the way in terms of quizzing tactics and guile. The Mag 7 seized the trophy from the clutches of the Grimsdale clan, who had in recent years dominated the annual meeting.

 However it has to be said that some teams put up greater opposition than others - one happless quizzer believed that a certain Jeremy might have been the famous man who set sail on the Beag(d)le, and many teams seemed to have problems identifying the sex, let alone the names, of the Mr Men in the picture round.

The Social Committee as usual organised the event with enviable efficiency, having cleaned and polished the sporting arena prior to kick off as well as placing probably the largest order for fish and chips in the history of the Seagull Chip shop (cod stocks in the North Sea are thought to have dropped by ten per-cent in the last couple of days as a result), and seemed to magic chairs and tables out of nowhere-  the attendance rocketed, compared to the numbers recorded at last year's competition, to about seventy.

 The only question that remains is to ask will the Mag 7 be able to retain their trophy next year, will the Grimsdale's charge back into the field of battle invigorated after an enforced absence this year, or will some new team upset the old order. Just remember - It could be you........ 

Last Saturday, Bridgnorth Rowing Club sent a large number of oarsman to compete at the Dee Autumn Head that was held over what turned out to be a chilly and blustery three mile course at Chester. This represented the Club's first entry into a Head this season after Worcester Head was cancelled earlier in the month.

 The Club Captain, Dale Bunning, entered two eights with the aim of blending new and novice oarsmen with more established Club members. The first eight comprised of Dale Bunning, Paul Wallis, Richard Holt, Andrew Cropper, Rob Graham, Richard Shropshire, Simon Kett, and was stroked by Tim Grimsdale with Charlotte Jukes coxing. They came seventh overall with a time of 12:59 against a strong field including a particularly powerful University of Manchester eight.

 The second eight of Andrew Pilsbury Michael Kerridge, John Allen, Daryl Breakwell, Chris Thomas, Mathew Baker, Matthew Pilsbury and Patrick Brown blended experienced and novice oarsmen and was coxed by Andrew Graham and they finished in a time of 13:44. The morning division also saw Michael Payne race in Senior One single sculls but he was only rowing for time as there was no opposition in his category. He rowed over in 14:58 

 In the afternoon, Charlotte Jukes switched the cox's seat for her single scull, and like all the scullers, did well to combat the challenging conditions. The gusting wind served to make the river extremely choppy with some waves sweeping over the sterns of the smaller boats. She completed the course in 17:49 The Club's Junior four also competed in the second division. Richard Mottram, Jamie Manning, Matt Nobbs and Patrick Brown (cox Michael Payne) completed the course in a time of 14:52.

 In spite of the damp and cold a large number of spectators travelled from Bridgnorth to watch the crews and their vocal support helped propel the rowers through the wintery conditions. The next two events that the Club plan to attend are Stourport Head this coming Sunday and Evesham later in the month.

Bridgnorth Rowing Club attended the last regattas of the 2008 Season over the August bank holiday weekend.

Sunday 31st August was Ross Regatta, where the club was represented by Charlotte Jukes in a Junior 15 Double scull. Charlotte's partner was Camilla Hadland from Stratford, which proved a strong pairing, allowing the girls to sail through their heats to win their final and take home a pair of winners pots.

Bridgnorth Rowing Club competed in Stourport over the weekend of 9th and 10th of August. The weekend saw many new crews racing, with every crew being a new combination of members racing for the first time at a regatta together. A crew made from some of the clubs newest members performed particularly well, bringing home a set of winners pots at Senior 3 level.

Photos