Molesey Boat Club

The bar at the club will be open again for club members from 7.15 in the evening. Why not pop in for an early drink? Feel free to bring anyone else. Club prices at the bar. We are planning to open the bar on any Saturdays when there is no booking in future. Stella and Fosters on tap, three beers including a real ale, Corona, Budvar. We can get pizzas in too!

Club breakfasts will begin again at 7:30 am on Saturday, 13 September.

Dear Molesey Boat Club!

Well, not too much to say, I think you could see for yourself what yesterday meant.  Despite some very bad interviewing post race, I think the race its self was a better show, a better sum up of the last 8 years.  Eager to start, solid middle and a big finish.  But that chapter is over now, what remains is the next four years.  London is now my target and when I finish enjoying this medal, the mission is on.  The next four years isn’t about how I move on, but how we move on.  I want to see more Molesey rowers on the Olympic stage come London.  Finding the next level is the challenge to find out how Molesey Boat Club can produce a band of brothers that will fight for their goal and that of the country in London 2012.  How we can pull our resources together, build as one club and give our athletes the best chance in this sport. 

I love rowing for Molesey, I love rowing for my life, I loved winning an Olympic Gold Medal.  I’ll be home on the 25th, and look forward to seeing you there.  There are key people at the club who have helped me, some unknowingly, over the last 8 years, and a little bit of my medal belongs to them.  I look forward to sharing it with them, and celebrating with you all!

All the best, come on the Eight!  Acer leading them, from Giants to Olympians!  Bring it on!

Hodge

Saturday 16th August 2008.  8am at Molesey, a sizeable crowd of members, neighbours, and interested townspeople is gathering to watch the first day of the rowing finals. People desperate for tea celebrate the urn is finally getting hot (thanks for finding a fuse Terry!) for those all-important cuppa's and the sausages are almost ready.  Shortly before Alan Campbell's final, our previous Olympians arrive back from an outing in their 8.  And then we're off through the finals... With members still rubbing their eyes, Steve Rowbotham and Matthew Wells get a Bronze!
 
And then it's 10.29.  The gym is packed and strangely quiet. ATTENTION and then the beep.  They're off!  The Australian's are going out in front.  To huge cheers from those gathered, Garry Herbert and Dan Topolski finally tell the world that Andy and Tom are from MOLESEY!  The Australians are still out in front and have got up to almost a length.  Oh no -  The room is strangely quiet again.  COME ON BOYS! GO! GO! GO! The entire room is desperately cheering them on.  And then they're into the red buoys but gaining with every stroke. With each stroke an even louder shout from the crowd in the gym (so loud that we couldn't even hear Garry Herbert telling us all to shout for them!). With just a few strokes left, they're barely in front - surely they've won it now. 

The finishing beep goes and they ARE the heroes we all expected them to be!  The gym errupts!  People slowly start breathing again.  Everyone's just a little shaky after that experience but overcome with joy for Andy, Tom, Pete and Steve.  Relief that the boys won Gold.  Pride that the world has just witnessed the best that Molesey has to offer! (Thanks for reminding us again at the end Andy!).

Everyone who came will always share the memory of that excitement! 

In case you missed it, here's how it went for the M4- : http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/rowing/7564988.stm