XAV - Juniors Capt

SEEKING BOYS AND GIRLS

Hi everyone (curious people or fellow rowers). I am Xav the new U16s’ captain for 2008 and I’m going to be telling you all about our beloved sport of pilot gig rowing, well the Weymouth Rowing club part of the sport as a matter of fact, well just the juniors section actually…Yeah!

This is just my 2^nd season rowing. At first I was worried about fitting in the team and if I would be good at the sport but the kind loving feel of the club helped me to bypass these worries and now some of my closest friends are in the team and I feel confident when gliding out on the sea with the crew.

It’s is a great feeling just getting away for a nice row with your chums, the sun resting on your shoulders.  Although it’s not always all fun and games.  We work very hard during the season, come rain or shine, and we are determined to do well in the regattas.

As a matter of fact just on the topic of regattas, I must attempt to explain the excitement of races.  Ok so you are relaxing on the beach, chilling out and watching the other races. You then welcome back the last team that raced and tell them how well they all did whilst someone comes up to you and informs you that you are racing in a few minutes. Suddenly you go into competitive mode. You run up the beach, grab your oars and run back to the boat as you eyeball other opponents. You climb into the boat and nervously say goodbye to your friends and family on the shore as you row to the start line observing other teams telling yourself: “We can easily beat these guys.”  

Then before you know it, you are on the start line with boats either side of you as far as the eye can see.  The flags go up, everything goes silent.  You can hear what some man is ordering at the food tent back on the beach. Everything moves in slow motion.  Suddenly the cox screams “Go!”, the world speeds up. You get a shot of adrenaline and pull that oar as if it were a loved one in the clutches of a lion’s paws and all you can hear is the splashing of water, the banging of oars and the shouting of the coxes.  Then... well the rest is for you to find out!

To be honest it’s the ultimate sport for us youngsters. You travel all over the south west to some of the most beautiful places you thought only existed in dreams with your friends and you have a fantastic, wonderful and magical times. Sometimes we even camp overnight… Oh yeah, we fit in the rowing somewhere in between!

Come on and give it ago.  We are keen to recruit more juniors.  Oh and the sooner you join the more likely you are to be rowing at the world championships!  That’s a good one to tell your friends at school “oh so what did you do over the weekend?” “Oh not much I just rowed in the world championships. You?”

If you’re interested in joining or have you any queries and what not please don’t hesitate to contact me on 07867 815 523.

What is my Target for 2008?

·         To get as many new members as I can and have enough lads and lasses rowing to have 2 teams by the world championships.

·         Doing better in the championships this year: currently we are the 13^th best U16s crew in the world!  Hopefully we can beat that this year if we’re lucky we can beat it twice with a second crew.

·         Remember it’s better to regret something you did than something you didn’t do.  So come on down and give it a go - you will not look back! - unless you drop your oar. So yeah, snoop around the site and I hope it tickles your fancy and if I already have done that, have a look anyway.

Yours

XAV (your captain, captain to be or a person who hasn’t been able to convince you to row)