Leande r New s Summmer 2015 www. leander. co.uk Leander News The official newsletter of Leander Club is published twice yearly, in late Spring and Autumn Articles, photographs and ideas, as well as Editor: Robert Treharne Jones news of our Members, are always welcome Contributors: Brian Armstrong, Mark Banks, Paul Budd, and should be addressed to: Rob Cannings, Chris Dalley, Alex Gregory, Tom Heap, Sara The Press Office, Leander Club, du Luart, Guy Rees, Angus Robertson, John Shore, Mike Henley-on-Thames RG9 2LP Willoughby E: [email protected] Cover photo: Leander athletes celebrate after winning the Club pennant at the Women’s Eights Head of the River Race in March * MESURE ET DÉMESURE PARMIGIANI FLEURIER IS PROUD TO SPONSOR THE LEANDER ACADEMY. TONDA METROGRAPHE Steel 10% OF ANY SALES MADE THROUGH THE LEANDER CLUB Chronograph movement WILL BE DONATED TO THE LEANDER ACADEMY. Hermès calf strap Made in Switzerland FOR ANY ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: [email protected], 020 7495 5172 www.parmigiani.ch Page 2 Captain’s Report It’s been a busy winter for our athletes, on and off the water, as Olympic and World Champion Alex Gregory writes, in his first report following his appointment as Captain of Leander Club At this time of year we all start to feel the boathouse and around the crew room is weight of winter lift off our shoulders. For one of positive intensity. There’s an urge those of us who spend cold days on the to perform whilst enjoying the process at river it’s a huge relief to feel the warmth the same time. This has created a fantastic of the sun on our backs. Winter training is vibe on and off the water, and the positive a tough necessity and an essential part of effects can be seen in the results from the our sport, but if we get it right, and train busy winter racing schedule. with commitment and consistency, life To kick off the New Year a forty-strong will be far more simple once the summer squad - our largest group ever - headed other commitments complicate the racing begins. off to the annual January training camp in simplicity of training. Whilst away the Leander has been a buzzing hive of Banyoles, Spain. Camps are an essential sole focus is on physical, mental and energy throughout these dark months part of the training regime - it’s a chance technical improvement and, since and the athletes have been impressive in for athletes to get away from the stresses returning, the results speak for their drive to achieve. The feeling in the and strains of daily life, where work and themselves. Our largest group ever attended January training camp in Banyoles Page 3 www. leander. co.uk Then it was straight up to Lincolnshire provide crews that both Oxford and Development of our athletes is something for those seeking international selection. Cambridge can race against in their we take very seriously at Leander. We have Boston is never one of the athletes’ important Boat Race preparation. Fixtures a fantastic network of support through favourite racing venues but an important are organised so this year the Ladies’ Plate the rowing system, and development of and necessary GB trial saw some very group first raced Oxford on our home young juniors is very much on the rise. impressive results. Held over 5000 metres stretch. The crew raced excellently, with This was seen at The Scullery - an event at it’s a gruelling test against the clock. Leander pressurising an already very Dorney Lake designed to support and In the heavyweight men’s event we saw well-drilled Oxford crew. Over a series of develop junior sculling at all levels across Leander members in eight of the top ten pieces Oxford came out on top overall, the UK. Leander entered three junior pairs, in a field containing all the nation’s but we certainly made them work very quads - the largest entry we have ever top rowers. In the men’s single sculling hard for it! Our athletes showed excellent made – and they finished 3rd, 7th and event we saw seven athletes from Leander early speed which bodes very well for the 14th. It was a really fantastic set of results finish in the top ten, six in the top twenty coming months of racing. in a very competitive field. We are starting for the women and nine lightweight men Early March saw a large entry into to see a real strength in depth as our in the top twenty. These results are Reading University Head. Again it’s junior rowing programme develops. incredibly impressive, and show our depth fantastic to support another local club It’s an incredibly exciting time for at the very top level. with which we have strong ties. A large women’s sport as we all see from the huge Offering support to the wider rowing Leander entry really does boost an event amount of recent publicity. At Leander we world is an important part of what we and so it was pleasing to see so many are very much at the forefront of women’s do at Leander – it’s all about giving boats racing on the Thames slightly rowing and, as recent performances show, something back to help promote and further upstream. We entered two eights we are becoming ever stronger. For the improve rowing in general. It allows us to which finished 2nd and 11th, as well as first time in Leander’s history we entered hold our heads high, knowing that our a lightweight quad which won very two eights in the Women’s Eights Head support helps everyone else in the sport. impressively and a junior quad which and the results were impressive. A close Each week schools and universities are came home 5th in its category. It was 2nd place for Leander’s first crew behind a welcomed into the Club to use the another strong start to the 2015 GB international squad composite, and a facilities for training purposes. We also campaign. 4th place finish for Leander’s second crew. Leander took the top three slots at Kingston Head Page 4 These results are very promising for the taken seriously, but enjoyed by all, and impressive verdict. All five crews we Club - never before have we had such a again we showed support for a smaller entered finished within the top twenty strong contingent of women, and for event. We mixed in with the rowing which was an unprecedented performance them to be performing so strongly bodes community, had fun and performed very and, considering the differing levels of very well for the future. Many of our well. Soon afterwards we took two crews development of each crew, this really does current squad of women are firmly onto the Tideway, this time to support reflect the fantastic shape of the rowing embedded in the GB International Cambridge in a fixture. Leander’s first boat programme at Leander. programme with more vying for pitched in at a high level and beat the Writing these words gives me an selection this year. Cambridge Blue Boat in the first piece enormous sense of pride for the club I There are just a few times in the year but were overhauled in the second. represent and to all the Members who put when Leander’s international athletes join Leander’s other crew, made up entirely so much time and energy into achieving with the club athletes to train and form of scullers, raced Goldie and won both at such a high level. The men and women racing crews. It’s always a very important pieces very impressively considering their on the water sweat, bleed and cry for their time for us all, and brings the Club lack of time in a sweep boat beforehand. sport, but none of that could be done together, highlighting what an incredibly What’s more important than the results without the support structure behind strong, deep, supportive team we have. here is the backing and support we show them. From the coaching team to the For the first time in recent years we placed to the Oxbridge clubs and the useful race kitchen staff, Leander is one huge engine, an entry of four men’s eights into preparation these fixtures give both heading along an incredibly positive Kingston Head. The intention was for this parties. pathway, backed by an enormous force of to be a preparation event before the men’s As the Head season draws to a close it’s momentum from years past. We must all Head of the River Race and it turned out always a target to finish on a high. It was enjoy what’s happening right here, right to be an excellent decision. The first crew important this year for us to try to regain now, and celebrate every small success, won the event, with 2nd and 3rd place the headship from Molesey at the Head of but keep our minds on the future and also being taken by Leander. Our younger the River Race, and place as many crews continue to push for more. development crew put in a storming as high up the ranking as possible. The performance and finished 7th, not too Leander first crew took the win sixteen far behind. It was great race practice, seconds ahead of the chasing field, an Supporting Cambridge University in a fixture Page 5 www. leander. co.uk Regatta notes We very much look forward to welcoming Members and their guests to this year’s Regatta 2015, and would ask you to bear in mind a few points, which will be all too familiar to our regular visitors: • Car parking: The ‘Leander’ car park is actually owned by Henley Royal Regatta and is reserved for competitors’ use throughout the week.