Rowed to Success

Following the success of our British rowers at Eton Dorney throughout the 2012 Olympics, (including a hard-fought Bronze medal for Northwich rower Matt Langridge) Northwich Rowing Club has been inundated with interest from potential new members, keen to try the sport for the first time.
 
Over 30 keen new oarsmen and women attended our first ever 'Join-In' event on Sunday 19th, organised after unprecedented interest through our website.
 
A great day was had by all the attendees, volunteers, and coaches alike, and everyone is now looking forward to the upcoming Learn to Row course starting in September.
 
Many thanks to everyone at the club who helped out on the day,and a big welcome to all our new rowers!

Phil Hewitt (Vice Captain)

London 2012 Olympic Regatta

The first week of the London 2012 Olympics is over as is the Rowing Regatta at Eton Dorney Lake. What a wonderful Regatta it has proved to be; many beaming smiles coupled with disappointed tears for Team GB winning nine medals 4 Gold, 2 Silver and 3 Bronze.

Northwich Rowing Club members including family and friends waited with great anticipation and excitement for the Men’s Eight Final on Wednesday morning 1 August. Many club members were in the grandstands with others watching via any media source they could find. Our interest focused on one individual in the Eight, Matt Langridge sitting in the seven seat, needless to say all of us rooting for the crew to win Gold. Everyone including the crew knew it would be a hard, demanding race as the favourite crew Germany, undefeated over three years, was never going to make it easy for them.

Team GB was determined to go for Gold; they were on a mission, confident and believing in themselves. The race was epic! It was a fabulous start. They held their position in second place with Germany in their sights. It was imperative they stayed with them in the first 500 m which they did. The crew looked strong, gaining on Germany with every stroke. They pushed hard with the gap closing at 1000m. The crowded grandstands jubilant cheers surely lifted them as they pushed past Germany to lead the race. Team GB was flying putting Germany under pressure! The German Eight lifted the rating to 40 strokes a minute and went into another gear, opening out their lead. In the last few meters Team GB slipped into third winning Bronze as Canada edged past them on the finish line to win Silver.

Team GB did everything right. They admitted they had done all they possibly could. The medal may not be the colour they wanted but in our eyes they are all heroes and deserve our respect for their immense effort, considering they came to this boat as eight individuals being successfully moulded together over a short period of time to produce the Olympic Eight. Perhaps they can be comforted in the knowledge the nation was behind them 100%.

These Olympic Games will “Inspire a Generation” of that there is no doubt. Matthew is and will always be an inspiration to us here at Northwich Rowing Club where he was introduced as 12 year old to the sport he loves. His goal then was to race in the Olympics. He has achieved  is and so much more in his rowing career, racing at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 winning Silver in the Men’s Eight and now London 2012.

We are all so very proud of him!