President's Message Mcgill Crew: A

the Newsletter of the McGill University Rowing Club Volume VIII Issue 1 President’s Message alive and well! How else to explain yourselves with my rueful story. Instead, rolling over on my ankle the very first just sit back, put your feet up and enjoy day of "footie" tryouts, thereby leaving this, the second episode of pure Damien Jinks me bereft of any chances of defection to erudition that Paul Campbell et al. have "I BELIEVE!" Not unlike the fabled the Redmen Soccer Team? Suspiciously, served up. And don't forget to mark your myth of the Loch Ness Monster, a few, though, the ineluctable pull of rowing calendars (and blackmail the boss for fervid McGill rowers would swear on should see me back in form soon time off, if necessary); the fall regattas their mothers' graves that the Basin enough, just in time for the fall season. are almost upon us. Goddess exists. Well, count me among But please, please [magnanimous Hope to see you at the races! their ranks; I can assure you that she is expression on face], do not concern McGill Crew: A Brief an internationally renowned Belgian eights. Their greatest achievement was oarsman, as a head coach. About twelve at the 1927 Henley where observers History in Time to sixteen rowers lived at the clubhouse stated “McGill’s performance rates as during the summer, trained on the water one of the near miracles of amateur ath- Jamie Paterson twice a day, and were provided meals by letics” and “These crews met the best on Like the University itself, the MURC their coach’s wife. the American continent and won with has had a very storied existence, with The club’s first regatta was the 1925 ease”. The senior 140lb eight that year bright highlights all along its past. The Eastern Rowing Association Regatta in consisted of W. McConnell, D. Logan, club was founded in 1924 in co- Brockville. This was the beginning of a L. Detlor, J. Manion, W. Fry, A. Pang- operation with the Lachine Boat club by very successful period for the club. man, A. MacNaughton, A. Glassford, a group of rowing enthusiasts who 1926 saw the first intercollegiate race and cox S. Bacon. wanted to see the sport of rowing intro- between McGill and the University of 1930 saw another great achievement for duced to McGill athletes. At the club’s Toronto. The race was held on the La- the club: their four finished first at inception the rowing season consisted of chine canal and McGill won by three Henley, which qualified the boat to com- off season training on the rowing ma- boat lengths. This race became an an- pete in the British Empire Games that chines at the McGill Gymnasium and nual event that would last into the 1930s year in Hamilton. The McGill four then on the water training and races dur- and would attract thousands of specta- earned a silver medal in the games, fin- ing the summer. tors to the shores of the Lachine Canal ishing second to a boat from New Zea- Early on, the young club was loaned a During the 1920s the club enjoyed some land. clubhouse on the shores of Lac St. successes at Henley: they won in the 140 Rowing continued at McGill throughout Louis, and they were lucky enough to lb Junior fours, the 140 lb Junior and the 1930s, but they would never be able enlist the services of Urbain Molmans, Senior eights, and the Junior 150 lb to recreate the early success of the club. In the summer of 1940, their long-time MURC Racing Schedule: Fall 2000 coach, Urbain Molman, passed away unexpectedly. This, combined with the September 24 Head of the Rideau, Ottawa start of World War Two ended the September 30 Head of the Trent, Peterborough club’s activities. October 7 Brock Invitational, St. Catharines Between 1945 and 1947 there was an October 14 Eastern Invitational, Montreal attempt to restart the club after the war, October 15 Queen’s Invitational, Kingston again in co-operation with the Lachine October 21,22 Head of the Charles, Boston Rowing Club. During this time period October 27,28 OUA Championships, St. Catharines the club sent some boats to Henley, November 4,5 Canadian University Rowing Championships, Victoria (Continued on page 2) Editorial the MURC to the National team is still have sent in pictures. We can always wide open, and we’ll highlight some of use more of your memories, so please With another fall season just around the those athletes who have made that add to the growing collection. If you corner, the MURC is gearing up for jump and are on their way to Sydney. have access to a scanner, scan them and Crew tryouts, time trials, and trips to I would like to express my thanks to either upload them to the idrive address Martindale Pond in St. Catharines. As those of you who sent in money to fund above, or email them to me at mur- with every new season, the future is full this issue of the Wave. However, due [email protected]. Otherwise, of promise: the promise of big erg to printing costs, and several alumni’s email me and we’ll figure something scores, aggressive coxswains, a warm suggestions, this will be the last hard- out. Banquet photos, actions shots, ini- October, and calm water. While the copy printing of the newsletter. From tiation, or just hanging out with crew- team looks forward to the future, in this this point forward, the Wave will be mates, all are welcome. edition of the Wave we are also going to published online. The current MURC Finally, a listing is included where take a glance back. Rowing is one of alumni website (www.mcgill.ca/ McGill Crew is playing in a city near the largest intercollegiate sports at athletics/rowing/alumni) is being com- you this fall. If you can, come out and McGill in terms of number of athletes, pletely rebuilt and will house the Wave support the team. Some of you have but started from more modest begin- and other alumni news. Notification of expressed interest in having more than nings. We will look at the history of the subsequent issues will be by way of one alumni boat from McGill (one has Club’s birth and rebirth that has allowed email, so if we don’t have your email already been reserved) at the Head of the it to grow to become the experience that address, please send it in (along with a Trent in Peterborough this season. If so many of us have benefited from. Not traditional mailing address) so that you you are willing to race with old McGill just a strength of numbers, McGill Crew don’t miss the next edition. friends or make new ones, please contact has also served as a wealth of talent for A new alumni photo album has been us. Entries have to be submitted to the Canadian team in the past. I am created online as well at www.idrive. Trent soon, so don’t delay. pleased to report that the gateway from com/murcalumni. Thanks to those who locked out of the Olympic Basin due to ships at the Basin. A Brief History... dispute with the city and litigation be- Since this first competition for the rein- (Continued from page 1) tween the Quebec rowing association carnated club, the Rowing club has however this reincarnation of the club and some European boat makers. Pres- grown to be the largest sports team on was short lived as the club folded in sure from the media and, most impor- campus. By 1988 the club had six 1947. tantly, McGill rowers brought an end to men’s eights and five women’s eights. In 1977 the modern version of the this lockout and the basin was made In 1992 the club hosted the first McGill McGill rowing club got it’s start when a available to rowers again. Invitational Regatta, which has now be- group of students led by Mark Hoskin, In 1980 the club had its first head coach come an annual event. David Lee, and Dane Solomon organ- and 90 members, which included its Over the years, rowing has continued to ized funding and the use of the newly first women’s crew. The first competi- flourish at McGill, albeit with several constructed Olympic Basin. The club tion for the rowers was in May 1981, stops and starts. That the MURC always consisted of sixteen men and women when the club entered the Skidmore seems to find a way to bounce back is that year, and they sent two crews (a College Regatta in Saratoga, New York. not just an indication of the sport’s ap- men’s eight and a mixed four) to the The lightweight men’s four surprised peal, but also a measure of the effort that Rideau Regatta. everyone at this regatta, placing first. the athletes and executive put forth each The club had some difficulties early on, Also in 1981, McGill hosted the first year. On the eve of a new season, here’s though. For two years rowers were Canadian University Rowing Champion- hoping that tradition continues. McGill-Queen’s water conditions, unfortunately McGill trains on a river. In my boat, the Open lost to Queen’s by a score of 7-5. Al- Women’s eight, we encountered very Challenge 2000 though we did not win the Gales trophy little of the strong current or wind.

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