This morning, eighteen female members of the Weybridge Rowing Club spent Good Friday rowing half and full marathon distances on indoor rowing machines to raise money for Cancer Research UK; using 12 rowing machines they started at 8.30am and finished around lunchtime – totalling just over 337,500 km between them and raising a tremendous £8,837.
All are local mums[1] who started training for fitness but found there was more on offer at Weybridge Rowing Club; the warm welcome and excellent coaching led them all to sign up for The Great Row[2]. The women have a variety of rowing experience and levels of fitness, but all are united to help fight the disease that has touched many; three of the women who participated are cancer survivors and one of those celebrates her 40th birthday today, so there was much to celebrate!
Rachel Kornberg, Club Captain, said: “It was incredible to see our members embracing the challenge and encouraging each other with so much energy during the training sessions and today. The event was a celebration of dedication, focus and team spirit and it was great to see them rise to the challenge, especially as some only started rowing earlier this year. The Weybridge Rowing Club positive vibe was evident to all the family and friends that came to support them on the day. I was very proud to be a part of it and believe these members have a great rowing future ahead of them. Now that the weather is changing, we can’t wait to get them on the water and racing for the club!”
[1] See below to Meet the Team
[2] The Great Row was launched in partnership with The Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race and encourages both beginner and experienced rowers to row any distance as an individual or as part of a team for Cancer Research UK.
About the Club
The Weybridge Rowing Club was founded in 1881 and started as a tradesmen’s club rather than a gentlemen’s club and after the first world war opened its doors to women in 1920. The Weybridge Rowing Club is traditionally a racing club and is located on Thames Lock in Weybridge. In 2000 a sister club, the Weyfarers, was formed to encourage members who want to row for enjoyment and to keep fit, but who are not necessarily interested in racing.
The indoor training facility at the clubhouse and access to a variety of rowing and sculling boats are available to all members of the club throughout the year. Race meetings, social events and fundraisers are organised regularly which contributes to the wonderful spirit and collaboration experienced by members of the community.
Our next adult ‘Learn to Row’ course begins on Sunday April 24th at 12:30.
This course is for those who are new to the sport and are interested in competitive rowing with Weybridge Rowing Club. Our full learn-to-row courses offer extensive expert tuition and plenty of practice on the water. During the course, we include:
Posture and technique on the rowing machine
Health & safety in rowing
On-water technique and practice (which takes the majority of the course time)
Progressing to small boats
Fun regatta racing on the final day
Please apply to the Weybridge Rowing Club Captain.
Notes to Editors:
For further information, please contact:
Rachel Kornberg, Weybridge Rowing Club Captain – Tel: 07582 200851
Lucy Smith, Event information and PR – Tel: 07951 580454
Meet the Team (all local)
At 24-Mar-2016:
Emma Doyle
Distance equivalent to running a marathon – 42,195m
Raised: £1240
Lesley Tomlinson
Distance equivalent to swimming the English Channel – 33,000m
Raised: £2560
Sandra Gates
Distance equivalent to running a marathon – 42,195m
Raised: £310
Rebecca Stather
Distance equivalent to running a marathon – 42,195m
£581
Teresa Graham
Distance equivalent to running a half-marathon – 21,097m
Raised: £500
Kirstin Hancock
Distance equivalent to running a half-marathon – 21,097m
Raised: £100
Camilla Campbell
Distance equivalent to running a half-marathon – 21,097m
Raised: £230
Katie Greenland
Distance equivalent to running a half-marathon – 21,097m
Raised: £500
Rachel Kornberg
Distance equivalent to running a half-marathon – 21,097m
Raised: £100
Anne Morris
Distance equivalent to running a half-marathon – 21,097m
Raised: £30
Nancy Lee-Wragg
Distance equivalent to running a half-marathon – 21,097m
£110
Relay team completing a distance equivalent to a marathon – 42,195m:
Lucy Smith
Raised: £1291
Catherine Couzens
Raised: £500
Hilary Smith
Raised: £30
Anitra Camargo
Raised: £250
Relay team completing a distance equivalent to a marathon – 42,195m:
Joanna Ross
Raised: £450
Julia Brown
£25
Elena Benge
£30
TOTALS: 391,654m – £8,837
That's 390 km = London to Amsterdam!