Loughborough Boat Club
When the junior members of Loughborough Boat Club decided the best way of getting themselves some new equipment was to hold a fund raising event, they thought it would be useful to get their friends along to help. So that is why a total of fifteen youngsters spent three hours of their Saturday seeing how far they could row on a rowing machine. Organisers Pauline Barrett and Hel Podmore set them an ambitious target for the sponsored row of 38,000 metres in the three hour stint and their tactics of changing over every minute or so to keep the speed up paid off – with a final distance of 39,017 metres.
In the gaps between their turns they also all took part in a 100m challenge with Isobel Jones being the fastest Club Girl and Chris Morris being the fastest Club Boy. Nicole Goodwin and Mark Clarkson were the fastest of their non-rowing friends. Other club members taking part were Rosy Dixon, Thomas Lange, Lizzy Ougi, Jo Sparrow and Jessica Cox.
"I was so impressed by the effort they all put into the event" said
organiser Pauline Barrett, "Some of our members’ friends hadn’t even
been on an ergo before that day yet they all really entered into the spirit of
the event. We also got a lot of help and support from the parents. They raised
around £475 which is terrific – this means we can buy some new sets of blades
for the coxed quad to replace the tired old wooden
ones."
The club juniors meet at 10am on Saturdays at the Club House at County Bridge between Hathern and Zouch and anyone wanting to have a go at the sport is very welcome to call in and find out more.
Photo shows Chris Morris in action