Well a tradition has been born already. The MBC newsletter has doubled it’s readership from three in issue 1 to six in issue 2!! Growth like this is phenomenal, I feel like a bacteria doubling every issue!! (I really do hope it is more than six). Well here it is the highly anticipated, much talked about ISSUE 3. I was going to write this all in wingdings just to see what response we got! But this issue is packed full of exciting stuff so I’ll leave it in good old Times New Roman!
Great Britain Trials
Juniors - Well Easter saw the MBC top juniors head to GB’s new lake at Caversham for the spring assessment. The results have seen Callum Wright maintain his good early season form and be selected as part of the GB junior team for the upcoming Munich Regatta.
In Munich we will also see Molesey’s Phoebe Smith racing in GB colours alongside Vicky Knight. As we go to press we have not heard who will be in which crews but suffice to say selection for this regatta is a good early season indicator to who the GB Coaches are looking at to race at the Junior World Championships, this year a great event on offer in Beijing as a test regatta for the 2008 Olympic Games!
Just missing out on the Munich Regatta is Chrissie Van Besouw and Michelle Vezie but they have more opportunities as the summer progresses to force their way up the rankings. Lets hope we see a few of the MBC juniors racing in the summer at the World Championships, Coupe de la Jeunesse as well as at National Schools, Henley Women’s Regatta and Henley Royal.
Seniors – Easter time also saw the senior team up sticks and head to Hazewinkel in Belgium. MBC had a 8 athletes racing, Andy Hodge, Tom Solesbury, Mo Sbihi, Rob Rayner and Karl Hudspith in the pairs with Simon Fieldhouse, Pete Marsland and Nick Baker in the singles.
After the time trial’s and semi finals we saw Andy win his 4th title in a row in a stunning 6.27, Tom Solesbury (in the pair with Alex Partridge of leander club) came a disappointing 10th after just 3 days as crew. Mo came 11th in his pair whilst Rob and Karl came 19th.
In the singles after a slow start in the semi-final, Simon Fieldhouse just missed out on the Final and then despite leading the B Final for most of the way Simon was just pipped on the line finishing in 2nd place giving him a finish ranking of 8th overall. Pete Marsland and Nick Baker came 20th and 22nd respectively. Andy, Simon and Tom are involved in more seat racing and trialling before final crews are selected. We expect Andy to be in the top boat whether pair or four we don’t yet know, Simon we hope will make the quad and Tom is looking to make the eight. Good luck guys and keep and eye on the TV in the first weekend of June to see the boys racing at the first World Cup Regatta in Linz, Austria.
The rest of the guys have their beady little eyes on the World U23 Regatta in July and the European Championships in September.
Balloon Race
This ends soon, lead balloons have got as far as Ireland, France and Swindon! Excitement is growing as we all wait with baited breath to see whose balloon travelled the furthest!! Keep an eye on www.thegorillanest.com as the Chief Silverback is bound to be the first to know who wins!!
Looking Ahead
May sees a busy time for MBC as the regatta season takes hold and we look to Henley, either for drink or race and hopefully some MBC Medals!! First race up is Wallingford on May 6th held at Dorney Lake (Junc 7 off the M4). Come and see most of MBC in action from the juniors to the top senior crews.
May 19th sees Thames Ditton Regatta, where we expect to see a mix of MBC, from juniors, seniors and possibly vets too. A great event to sit and watch with a pint as the weather always seems delightful!
May 25th – 27th sees MBC juniors head to Nottingham for the National Schools Regatta. Will MBC defend the Women’s Championship Eights title? They certainly look strong with Phoebe Smith, Vicki Knight and Chrissie Van Besouw in the boat. We hope Junior Coach Alice Bray can take her crew to victory in an event she has won as an athlete on more than one occasion! Also expect to see plenty of other MBC crews and hopefully some more medals!
Look ahead also to June 2nd – 3rd as that weekend sees Metropolitan Regatta and the finals of the season’s first international race of the year at the World Cup in Linz, Austria (probably on BBC TV or if not look out for Hodge and the boys on Eurosport).
On the Bank
A ‘SPANISH’ evening in May on Friday May 18th.
This is going to be a fantastic evening with Spanish food, and a Classical Guitarist and Flamenco Dancer for your entertainment. We have ordered Rioja wine for the occasion, which will be available for your purchase at the bar. For those with the stamina, the evening will finish with dancing into the early hours! Get together with a group of your friends and book a table. Tickets cost £26 per head and tables will sit 8 comfortably, possibly 10. Please fill in the attached ticket order and give this together with the appropriate payment (cheques made payable to Molesey Boat Club) to Liz Bernard or Vicky Cosgrove (Vet women’s squad!) If you cannot make up a whole table apply for your ticket/s anyway, and we will find space on an appropriate table.
A Marriage made in Heaven!!
Wedding Bells are on the cards for MBC Chief Coach Andy Bird, apparently he popped down on one knee and proposed in the rose gardens in Bushy Park. Congrtulations Birdy!
Biographies As promised some brief biogs of some of the MBC members, below MBC Captain Olly Keech and MBC Junior Emily Goldsmith: Thanks for sending these in guys, now come on anybody else, lets start finding out a bit about MBC members! (photos too if poss so we know who you are!) Ollie Keech – Captain MBC Ollie started rowing at Hampton School and first raced as a cox (something we won’t see again!) and he joined Molesey in 1997 after a brief stint at Oxford Brookes. Olly won a World Junior Championship Bronze in the Eight in 1994 and also raced in 1995 but the crew suffered food poisoning and failed to meet its potential. During his time at Hampton he was also part of one the best school eights Hampton produced, unfortunately a regular bridesmaid to an exceptional Eton crew. Ollie has won two Henley medals both under Molesey colours first the Britannia Cup in 1999 followed by the Thames Cup in 2000. He took on the Captains role in 2005 and has worked hard towards making MBC the best club around. Olly has been a key man in attempting to bring all of MBC together, men, women, juniors, veterans. This has been no mean feat and the hard work continues with Olly supported by a strong and experienced committee. (We are however no closer to knowing if he is Ollie or Olly!) What Molesey means to me - Emily Goldsmith – Junior Squad age 17 Little did I realise, when I joined Molesey Boat Club 5 years ago that rowing would be such a major part of my life. I joined through Surbiton High School and have made a number of good friends from a range of local schools. There is a good atmosphere throughout the club from juniors to veterans. I particularly appreciate the club’s great facilities, the good stretch of water, the social scene and the opportunity to train alongside World Champions such as Andy Hodge who are also members. I have benefited greatly from some very committed and enthusiastic coaches. Their encouragement has enabled me to achieve many successes in various regattas and heads i.e. National Schools Champion J14, National Inter-Regionals Champion J16, and more recently the winner of the junior section of Women’s Eight Head of the River 2007. Molesey has also encouraged and helped me to row for England in the Home Countries 2006 and be part of the GB selection process, which has involved training camps in Belgium. I feel very proud to be part of one of the country’s best and most respected clubs.
