Reading Canoe Club

It's time to cook a pig again. Saturday August 17th. A day of fun, frolic, pig and party. Nigel Frankland is organising this. a flyer will be published with full details shortly. Book the day now in your diary

The boatshed will be cleared out soon. Please remove anything in there that you want kept. All other stuff will be binned - this includes un-paid for boats. June 3rd. David Coulson and Dan Seaford have promised to be ruthless - don't think that they would bin your boat if it's on the floor!

Abi Cattle has been off to Belgium to the first World Cup. Tom Daniels is off to Slovakia for the first Junior International regatta of the year. In Slalom, AJ Buggy has just returned from a German international and has made the U23 reserve team at the tender age of 17. Excellent.

The first regatta of the year saw Reading paddlers win two 'A' Class divisions. Abigail Cattle romped home to first in the women's A 1000m and a close 2nd in the 500m. Tom Daniels swept the board in Boy's A. 500/1000/K1/K2. the only race he didn't win was the in which he came second.

We have just ordered three new "Raven's" from Marsport. These are excellent training boats for all our new adult beginners and serve to fill the gap between complete beginner and racing boats. arriving soon

We have decided to apply for the National Marathon Championships in 2004. After successfully running this event in the past as well as the Hasler Finals, it's time to do it again.

Alison Galloway and Rohan Battison have set a K2 Junior Ladies record (we didn't have one before) and at the tender age of 14 they both look set to reduce this considerably over the next few years. Tom Daniels is in hot pursuit of Peter Burbridge's 1997 K1 Junior Record and is currently the fastest K1 paddler of the season. There have also been some notable absences so far this season, Coulson, Burbridge and Seaford have yet to put in a time and we eagerly await Abi Cattle's first outing to see if she beat her current Ladies K1 record.

The BBQ after the time trial was a bit wet but everyone who attended enjoyed themselves. We plan to book the weather next time and will arrange another next month, watch the noticeboards.

There are only 2 left and we are tight to qualify for the Hasler final: Basingstoke & Thames Valley. Get out and race otherwise we are not going to qualify and that would not be good enough. See David Coulson, our Racing Captain. We need a big push on this.

We are setting up a development group to discuss the progress of juniors though the club with the aid of our new grants liaison officer above. The aim is to address all the issues with junior members and their development and how that fits in with our long term plans. Volunteers (parents, coaches, other interested parties) to join this group to help out please email.

Shorts

    No more furniture to be left in the club!! We have far too much - so please don't leave any more. Thanks to Brian Craigie for the decent furniture that is now in the club.

   Following the baby boom of the early part of the year, I can report that mothers and babies are well. Anyone else got any planned?

  You'll be glad to know that our most junior member is doing well. Alice Sackman.

  Club Equipment is being misplaced Please return all club gear promptly & correctly.

  Do not encourage or feed the swans!! They will poo all over our lovely club.

  Thank you to Nicola Harris the RBC grants liaison officer who has recently started helping us out. We hope she enjoys our time

  World Class have been using our facility recently. We are pleased to have the teams training at our club

  Thanks to Alan Galloway for agreeing to be our new treasurer and thanks to Ian Dyer, whom he takes over from. Ian is in California at the moment and enjoying himself a lot.

  There is a coded lock going on main gates in the next few weeks. Code to be published shortly.

  And remember: PLEASE turn the lights off & lock up if you're last out.