New course info!!

Thank you for your interest in learning to row at Bewdley Rowing Club. Here are the details for the next course:

Pre course sessions:
Ergo test – Saturday 17th 9.15 – 10.00 (this is a 1000m test to get an idea of general fitness – please wear light kit!)

Swim test – to be confirmed – to check your competence in water.
Session dates:
24th September, 4pm – 6pm
1st October, 4pm – 6pm
8th October, 4pm – 6pm
15th October, 4pm – 6pm
22nd October, 4pm – 6pm
29th October, 4pm – 6pm

Race day: 30th October 3pm (N.B. The clocks are changing!)

Main contact:
Jackie Howorth – Jackie@creativepondcovers.co.uk, 07947 244623 – please provide your email address or you may miss information!

Other information:

http://bewdleyrowing.wordpress.com

Cost:
£80, cheques payable to Bewdley Rowing Club, with completed membership form

Benefits:
 All coaching and equipment hire
 Temporary Bewdley Rowing Club membership and access to facilities
 British Rowing Silver membership, with annual subscription to Rowing and Regatta Magazine
 Discounts at IHG hotels, Cotswold Outdoors, entry to the Henley River and Rowing Museum and more

Next steps

Thank you all for your enthusiasm and committment during the Learn to Row course. This was the first time we’ve done things that way in Bewdley and we all feel it’s an improvement! We have learnt a few lessons and will send you evaluation forms soon so you can tell us what you enjoyed and what could have been better.

Rich Jackson, one of the vice captains will be taking on the racing men initially and would like to meet you at 6.30pm on Friday – he’s only got half an hour so be prompt and I’m afraid there will be no rowing this week.

Jilly Groves and Cath Allen, who most of you met during the course, will be taking on the racing women, with support from senior coach Jo Atkinson. They will be in touch with you but I think they’re also thinking of a meeting on Friday evening.

I will take on the recreational men and women and would like to see you on Monday at 6.30pm, come ready to row, but an outing will depend on numbers!

Good luck!!

Jackie

Meet Jo Atkinson, our Coach

I am Jo Atkinson and will be helping Jackie with the programme. I am a Vice-President of the club, sit on the coaching and rowing committee’s and the main policy committee.

I was over 30 when I started rowing and was an elite sculler within a year of my first try in a boat, and world champion within two years. I came into rowing ‘by accident’ in 1990, when I tried to enter a pub and club crew with my squash playing team mates and found we were a month too late!! So stayed to try rowing for the summer and have been here ever since! The ‘by accident’ has been a common theme in my rowing and coaching career – I even turned up to an event a day early!!

I have a silver level coaching award and have coached juniors, seniors and veterans, men and women from recreational to international standard and think rowing is a great sport for anyone,

As anyone will tell you – I am the loud one who likes trying out novel types of training programmes on their athletes -so if you join the club after the Learn to Row watch out!

What do I need for my first session?

Although you can buy clothing designed specifically for rowing there’s absolutely no need to rush out and buy any!

Here’s a kit list which should see you through the Explore Rowing course:

  • close-fitting lightweight top
  • close-fitting shorts (cycling shorts are ideal)
  • easy to remove footwear (don’t use your best trainers, at some point you’ll find yourself walking through ankle deep water!)
  • trainers for the ergos
  • bottled water
  • dry clothes for going home & a towel (just in case!)

To stay warm think thin layers, as you warm up and cool down you can add and remove these lightweight layers to keep comfortable.
Be sure to avoid anything heavy like fleeces, bulky clothing won’t give you the movement you’ll need to train. From a safety aspect the thicker the material the more water it can soak up, making it much harder to swim in the event of a capsize.

Meet Jackie, our Explore Rowing coordinator

Jackie Howorth is the Explore Rowing Coordinator at Bewdley Rowing Club.  Jackie was a member way back when and won a legendary 3 novice pots in one day at Bewdley Regatta 1995.  Leaving Bewdley for work Jackie rowed at Oxford City and briefly at Vesta but couldn’t afford London subs so took a break from rowing.  Jackie returned to Bewdley in 2001 and having recently qualified as a Level 2 rowing coach now coaches the recreational squad.   She is also the Chair of the Finance Committee and leads fundraising at the club and occasionally finds the time to scull!