Chairman/Vice Chairman
21.04.08
It would appear that due to all our fingers and toes being crossed, the issue of the boats going to the Scillies has been resolved. We expect our second boat to leave the Gig Shed on Wednesday 23rd, for transportation to St Marys between Wednesday and Sunday. I am pleased to say that every club that wishes it, should have a minimum of two boats to compete in.
Our thanks go out to everyone involved in resolving this matter. A lot of hard work and heartache has now paid off.
Here's hoping we all have a successful and enjoyable Championship weekend.
Gill Gibson
Vice Chair
Chairmans letter to all members and rowers attending Scillies Championships -
15.04.2008
There are a few items of current Club/CPGA business that cannot not wait for the next newsletter.
The first concerns the Scillies. You will probably already know that the Scillies supply vessel – the Gry Marthia – is out of service until after the championships. This affects some 38 clubs who have gigs awaiting shipment. As of Sunday 46 gigs were still awaiting shipping with only 28 slots likely to be available. 14 clubs as yet have no gig on the islands. Minnadhu is already in the Scillies but Penlee Point has yet to be shipped. The CPGA called an emergency meeting on Sunday in Newquay. As you would expect, a number of possible solutions are being examined but there is no easy fix: for example simply chartering a replacement vessel has been costed at circa £13K and is deemed unaffordable. I suspect that the worst case scenario is that clubs with no boat on the island will take priority, other slots will be filled as fairly as possible, and the race programme will be amended as necessary to get all events in. Hopefully it will not come to this and a solution will be found. My advice is to not change your plans and assume the event will run, in some form, along the lines of the current plan. As we hear more we will keep you posted through the website, noticeboards, team captains and of course the usual scuttlebutt!
Secondly, Health and Safety. Expect a push on H&S. Having sent 2 people on the latest course we have a good idea of what is necessary to fulfil our duty of care to our members. Most of it we know already, but we are not enforcing it rigorously enough. The committee will put out the main action points as soon as possible, supported by appropriate signs. Please help by enforcing the basics: in-date lifejackets for juniors; radios in the boats and on the beach; no-one who has consumed alcohol that day in the boats etc. None of it is draconian, most is common sense and there can be no exceptions or excuses. More guidance on wellies to follow!!
As ever,
Ivan Hooper
Chairman
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HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM RAME GIG CLUB - 23rd December 2007
As the Club looks forward to the 2008 season we would like to thank everyone for continuing to support us through 2007 and what has been a very eventful and successful year. The Tribute Series is the benchmark by which we judge ourselves and while results are not everything, they nevertheless make good reading. In 2007 out of a field of over 50 clubs our Men’s A Team came 12th; Men’s B 8th; Lady’s A 15th and Lady’s B 11th. Overall we finished 10th in the Series; a fine performance for such a small Club. The 2007 Rame Regatta was a Cornish Pilot Gig Association starred event. Getting 32 gigs and clubs onto Cawsand beach was a challenge in itself but the day was a great success and once again we would like to thank all those who helped out on the day or sponsored the event. We are now victims of our own success, as the CPGA have asked us to do it again next year! Other highlights in 2007 included our junior rowers rowing their hearts out in the Under 14s Championships at Hayle, inning their first 2 races and missing out on a semi-final place by only 5 seconds and then the Under 16s winning at Cattewater. At the other end of the age scale (sorry!) our Men’s Vets Team secured 4th place and Lady’s Vets 5th in the Veterans World Championships at Saltash. We also entered a team in the first ever ‘Supervets’ competition for the over 50s, a comeback or two worthy of Rocky Balboa! With great performances from all teams in the World Championships in the Scillies and from the men’s and Lady’s Vets in the London River Race there is much to celebrate. Off the water we have been putting our efforts into fundraising. With planning permission for the Boatshed now extended until 2010 we have bought some breathing space to raise funds, but now we need to do so in earnest. We also have balanced raising funds to run the club and refurbish the Boatshed with support to local and national charities: the Lady’s Vets raised a terrific £902 for Breast Cancer Breakthrough while the Juniors rowed over 6000km on our training machines to raise money for the Southwest Children’s Hospice (also the charity of choice for the Men’s Vets). We also made a donation from our Kingsand Beach BBQ and Fun Day to the Institute.
Support to the Club this year has been terrific, and so to our helpers, our sponsors, and our supporters: Many thanks and Happy New Year from the best Gig Club in Cornwall.
Court and Social
Royal Visit – One of the memorable moments of 2007 was the visit of HRH The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall in May. The Royal couple spent some time on the Bound talking to our adult and Juniors rowers, discussing the heritage and build of Cornish Pilot Gigs and the location and severity of Will Willcocks’ blisters. Before the Duke and Duchess left, the Juniors presented them with honorary membership cards. Subscriptions are due in April….
Hellos and Goodbyes – One of the most encouraging things in 2007 was the number of new faces in the Club, at all levels and all ages from U14 to Supervet and on occasion the Club has had a truly international flavour, through our members from Point Europa. All new members are always welcome and in 2008 we will be doing all we can to introduce people to the sport. Sadly there have also been some significant goodbyes: Sean Austin is off to pastures new and Steve Thorn (AKA: ‘Apples’) has also rowed his last season with the Club (but keep an eye out for him in Looe). Both will be missed but we wish them the very best of luck.
Party Time – Of course you have to let your hair down sometime and we have had some great parties in 2007, from nights out in St Mary’s, to the Tamar River Cruise and our Christmas bash. Many thanks to Mark and Jen Lentell and Nicci Hastings respectively for their efforts in particular. Pictures have not been included so as not to incriminate the guilty.
Team Focus – The Ladies: This has been a great season for the Rame Ladies with both A and B teams fielded for most of the 14 or so regattas, rowers between the ages of 12 and 50, (ish…ehem) and the focus on technique and fitness paying dividends. Regattas at Fowey, Goran, and Charlestown were all highlights and a memorable day at St Ives with no less than 4th place positions in perfect conditions. What a contrast with Mevagissy where the driving rain and strong winds made for very different and difficult conditions; again rough weather training proved invaluable and the result was one of the ladies best events yet. Rame too was a great day with all the adrenalin and local support contributing to 16th place for the As and 10th for the Bs. Training is already under way for 2008 so ladies please join us at 9.45 on Sunday mornings. Roxy Austin.
Team Focus – The Vets: Veterans rowing (that’s only post 40 by the way), has expanded this year with both Men’s and Lady’s squads fielding teams on a regular basis, the Men’s vets routinely filling in as the Men’s Bs and of course the Supervets (over 50s) making their first appearance. Ladies winning the Female Veterans Race at 3 Regattas including our own. Both Men’s and lady’s teams acquitted themselves well in London, the men’s team narrowly being beaten to second place and the Lady’s team coming 5th overall, 2nd in the Female Veterans section (also the first ladies gig team across the line).
Club Prizegiving
There have been many outstanding performances this year and it is often difficult to single individuals out for special recognition. Nevertheless there have been one or two who really have put in great performances throughout the season, and at the Christmas party the Club voted: Steve Lister and Helen Nance the 2007 Men’s and Ladies Rowers of the Year. Many congratulations. The men’ and Lady’s vets teamed shared the ‘Best Team’ Trophy and John and Irene Lentell received a special award (The Galloway Cup) from the committee for their outstanding contribution and support to so many aspects of Club activity in 2007. As always, the Clubs’s junior rowers have been fantastic. They are the future of the Club but are also the main reason the Club was founded in the first place. The Juniors also ended their season with their annual prize giving. All junior members received medals but special prizes were awarded to:
Young Achiever of the Year – Rob Crook Most Consistent Junior Rower – Laura Raiment
(The Barbara Bowden memorial Cup)
Best Achiever Award – Brett Simons Star Trophy - Shannon Jones
Shrod’s Memorial Shield – Kerry Livick Outstanding Rower of the Year – Guy Hooper
Special thanks for supporting the Juniors this year to: Helen Hooper, Tracy Morcomb, Nick Butcher, Will Willcocks and Ted Baker. Malcolm Baker
And finally Winter Training is on Sunday mornings: Ladies 9.45am; Men’s 11am. Come and join us. There’s all those mince pies to burn off!
You can also find us at: http://www.ramegigclub.com/
Ivan Hooper
Chairman
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Dear Member/reader, - 15th December 2007
As 2007 draws to a close, we reflect on the ups and downs of the club over the year, but we must focus mostly on the success we have had.
We had a very successful Championships in the Scillies in May both in our positions and camaraderie. This was closly followed by a visit to our club by Prince Charles and Lady Camilla. We were very proud to have been included in their visit to the West country and will cherish the memories of that day.
During the years Regattas, we were able to put crews in almost every Regatta held. Competition was high and we can be proud with ourselves for the positions we achieved. Our Men and Ladies Vets travelled to London and competed successfully in the London River Race, raising funds for their chosen Charities. The Men raised funds for South West Childrens Hospice and the Ladies raised funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
In October, 6 of our junior rowers took part in a charity row on the Concept Rowing Machines, raising money for South West Childrens Hospice.
Many thanks to everyone who sponsored these events.
In July, we held our own Regatta which was part of the Tribute series. This was a huge event for us to undertake and we were complimented on the successful arrangement of the day. We learnt a lot and hope to enhance and improve on this for next year. We have been granted another Tribute series Regatta next year, which will result in Cawsand being host to in exess of 35 Gigs and their respective crews, spectators and tourists. Any offers of help for next year would be very gratefully received. The event will be on July 26th 2008.
In August, we were granted an extension to our planning permission, and fund raising efforts have began in earnest. We plead with anyone and everyone to help us raise the dizzy heights of £200,000. Although a large chunk of this we hope to cover with grants and loan/mortage, we will be begging anyone to assist. We have had many very generous donations including the proceeds from the book written by Jack Spence "The Pirates of Cawsand".
Some of our members have left us for pastures new, and we have been joined by other new members each hoping to improve rowing and compete in next years events.
We anticipate having (although largely novice) A and B Crews for both men and ladies, to compete in the Scillies next year as well as both Ladies and Mens Veteran Crews. There is also a posibility of an additional Mens Veterans Crew manned largely by our Supervets!! Our Supervets have gone from strength to strength in 2007, unleashing a competitive streak they never realised they had.
As with all clubs, we have had our fair share of arguments and upsets. Differences hopefully have been resolved and we are putting the past behind us and looking forward to a prosperous and united club.
Rame Gig Club is for the whole of our community, please feel free to join us whenever you want. Memberships and subscriptions are quoted within the website.
We look forward in seeing you all.
Gill Gibson
on behalf of
Chairman: IvanHooper
Vice Chair: Gill Gibson
