PLEASE NOTE: Change of day for Junior Weekday Training Session

As from the week beginning 12 May 2008, the Junior's Tuesday session will move to Thursdays. The time remains the same - time 5.45 to 7pm.

Canoe (as opposed to kayak) classes are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There is an additional class on Wednesday at 5pm, before the Club 10K. Monday classes can be arranged for 4.30 if there is sufficient demand.

Birthday Paddle 2

Latest news and update about this year's Thames tour from the source down to Richmond CC. Click here for more.

Cleaners Have Holidays Too!

Our cleaner is on leave from Friday 2 May for a week until Friday 9 May. Over this time, please try to be tidy, and encourages others to do likewise. And please do your best to keep the Clubhouse clean. Yes, look in the kitchen, explore the cupboards and make friends with some marigolds. You never know, it could be the start of something beautiful. Thanks.

Regatta's on the Richmond stretch of the Thames

For coaches and paddlers a like... a few dates for your diary when the river is going to be busy with rowers. Please resepect these events and stick to navigation changes requested.

Twickenham Regatta 25th May 2008 08:00 - 17:30

Twickenham Festival 14th June 2008 10:00 - 16:00

Richmond Regatta 28th June 2008 09:00 - 18:30

Maidstone Marathon Results

Congratulations to the 13 paddlers that made it to Maidstone last weekend to represent the club. Five of them came back with podium finishes. Julian Grouteau won the Div 8 Senior Mens, gaining promotion at the same time. Matt Duck and Marcus Gohar took 1st in Div 8 K2/C2. Coralie Vial and Ian Clark came 3rd in Div 8 K2/C2. Full results here.
Essential Diary Dates
11 May - Basingstoke Canal Race (Southern Region race and a good chance to get a Hasler qualification point as it is quite close and straight down the M3)
18 May - Tonbridge (LSE Hasler race and we have to be there in numbers to help the club qualify for the Hasler Final)

Balcony Open - Cake for All

The Balcony will be opening tomorrow. A huge round of applause to Graham and Paul (& Alison) for this final part of the club renovation. In celebration of this occasion, tea and coffee cake will be served from the Galley.

Flatwater Newsletter - April 2008

You didn't know it existed, and now you know it does, you can snuggle up with a nice cup of tea and dive into your very own copy of the April 2008 Flatwater Newsletter.

Like most things to do with water and canoe sport, there's a Richmond reference in there!

Dates for your Diary - 2008 Race Calender

An update on events for the 2008 season.

I hope this will help you to plan for this year and encourage our club members to try flat water canoe sport racing.

Trevor

Regatta Report

The commentator had a sense of smugness on Saturday morning when she said 'Good morning and welcome to the April regatta'. An icy north wind was cutting across the course at about 90 degrees - no waves but very awkward to paddle in and bitterly cold. Situation normal for the April regatta, but unusually the Richmond team was exclusively canoe; there wasn't a single kayak paddler.

Matt Duck was the most successful, winning both his C4 events and putting in two very fine performances with Joe Seaman of Wey in the C2 500 and 1000 metre events. New member Karl Yurkwich, the British course record holder for 200 metres showed he still had a bit of a kick, with a second and a third in the men's B C1 500 and 200 meters. Marcus finished somewhere in the middle of the field in the senior C2 1000 metres with Andy Bonham of Wey.

Marcus

BP2 - First Meeting

First meeting of the Big Paddle 2008 on Wednesday 23rd April, after the Club 10K. If you're interested in getting involved, be there by 8pm.

Maidstone Marathon (Sunday 20 April) and the Hasler Finals

With most of the DW trophies in the Richmond CC cabinet and the weather warming up, it is time to start focussing on Hasler Qualification.

How does the Hasler series work (in brief):

The country is divided into a number of region with us falling under London and the South East (LSE). Each club in every region then host a race and clubs in the region earn points in order to qualify for the finals. In each region 4 clubs qualify for the final held in September which we achieved in the last 2 seasons with our neighbouring club Royal CC missing out on both occasions. For every race you do in the LSE region you earn valuable points for the club to qualify. If you want to take part in the finals, you need to do 3 qualifying races which you can do in any region. You have to do 3 K1 or 3 K2 races, but the National Marathon Champs in August does also count so there are enough races left to qualify if you start now. More info on the Hasler series here if needed.

The only way that we can win the Hasler Final in September is to qualify firstly, but then go there with about 30-40 racers. It is all divisional racing, so you can help the club to win whether you race in Division 2 or Division 9. We are also planning on having a club away weekend to the Finals, so please make sure that you qualify not to miss out on the fun!

So start this Sunday with the Maidstone Marathon

Happy Racing!
Daan

Raising Money with Bikes and Bras

As some member of the club has almost certainly done the London Marathon, well done. To prove we can do more than paddle and run here's a couple more worthy causes.

Sonia Marquardt is taking part in the London to Brighton Bike Race. The names fairly self-explanatory. The cause is the British Heart Foundation and you can sponsor Sonia here.

The Wetheralls (that's Frances, Sam and Kim - not Trevor on this occasion) are taking part in the 26.2 mile moonwalk. If you haven't got a clue what that's about it involves covering the distance walking in a bra. More details here. And you can sponsor them here. No requests for photographers for this event so far. Bet you're glad Trevor's not taking part.

Maidstone Hasler Marathon- 20 April 2008

We need those Hasler points so whatever your ability, your age, your aptitude, grab your paddle and get down to the Maidstone Marathon. Full details at www.maidstonecanoeclub.net

Looking for a relaxing Sunday outing? The Richmond CC Touring Group schedule is out - see details. So dust off the hamper, get the Pimms in the flask and head out.

Big Paddle 2008 - Thames Source to Richmond - 6-13 July

Dates out. Details available here. Organising Team up and running. Book your place and help with the organisation.

Bag Missing (and wanted back) at Richmond Sprints

A WEY CC paddler who attended the Richmond Sprints at Littleton Lake at Easter left his bag behind. It was a black Fila kit bag with a Wey vest and black thermals inside. There was nothing left when we checked at the end of day but if you coud ask anyone if they picked it up for the guy that would be great.

If you have or happen to know where the bag is could you let Kim W at the club know so we can get the bag back to its owner. Thanks.

There are protozoa living on the bottom of the Arctic Ocean who are more photographed than the Lesser Spotted Hendron-Harding. Below is the only known photographic record of the machine that won this year's Devizes to Westminster 125 mile non-stop race. You only need a one second advantage to win this race so one has to wonder why these boys indulged themselves with a whole 45 of them! They are captured here by Neil Thomas fifteen and a half hours in, just downstream of Kingston, as they wound it up for the final two hour sprint into London.

Richmond Sprints 2008 - Results

Better late than never, here are the results of the Richmond Sprints held on Good Friday. Click and read.

With DW out the way, it's time to get Richmond CC some much needed Hasler qualification points. Club members of ALL levels can get one of their 3 qualification races under their belts this Sunday at Tonbridge Canoe Club on Sunday (details here). For those unfamiliar with the Hasler series, you need to do 3 qualification races in either K1 or K2 to partake in the Final held in September. Please keep an eye on the notice board in the coming weeks for more details on the series. We need to get Richmond to the finals.

Summer's Coming - Mid Week 10K Starting Soon

The Club 10K will start next Wednesday 2 April 6.30pm. For those who laboured through DW, it's a fine time to shrug off the drag of DW and approach this weekly challenge, with a new spring in your heart and strength in your arms. Trying to achieve a personal time over 10K, will be a mere trifle, against the mighty DW. And for everyone else, it's time to get down to some serious distance work.

Trevor

Richmond Strong in DW2008

A phenomenal effort from Richmond's entrants to this year's Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon.

Richard Hendron and Ollie Harding came in first place for the non-stop race in what can only be called painful conditions. Sub-zero temperatures were made bearable by the falling away of the biting winds of the previous day. Henry Hendron and Graham Stonehouse took fifth place having showed a complete lack of respect for the event creating their team a week before the race and training just three times. That's tongue in cheek as both are well established DW paddlers and the years of experience clearly show.

Nettie and Piran came in 9th place, and with the Van Deventer's in 14th it looks like Richmond are in a good position to take the team prize.

In the senior singles, Paul Wells came in second place with a phenome