 Saturday evening saw the launch of Walton Rowing Club’s project to fund a rebuild of the current rowing club on Sunbury Lane. The rowing club is historically one of the most successful in Elmbridge, boasting wins at regional, national, and international competition. The club is the home of Steve Trapmore MBE, stroke of the GB Sydney 2000 Olympic Gold Medal winning Eight and Martin McElroy who masterminded the coaching and development of the GB Sydney Men’s Eight.
Walton Rowing Club supports many of the local schools and universities, providing training facilities, equipment and coaches. It is in this age group that the club has flourished over the last 10 years and is now literally bursting at the seams. The club has been feeding the National Rowing Team with athletes since 1964, and the current crop is no exception. This year Matt Tarrant competed at the Junior World Championships in Beijing , and athletes from the club were also selected for the European Junior Championships and the Home Countries Regatta. The new boathouse will provide these youngsters with the environment necessary to achieve at the highest level, their sights firmly set on the London 2012 Olympic Games in 5 years time.
Many local businesses and government officials attended the event. The highlight of the evening was a 1 minute rowing machine challenge. James Wedlake, Sam Lee-Gill, Stuart West and Sam Bishop, four Juniors from the club, were selected to race against the clock. With a crowd of 150 guests behind them the lead changed several times. Captain, and Junior coach, Nick DeCata oversaw the competitors, no doubt with an eye on selection for the coming season. With a strike rate of between 38 and 40 for the duration of the race James pulled out a powerful last 10 strokes to clinch victory.
Steve Trapmore, newly elected President of the club, said “It's fantastic to see the members and guests new to the sport getting behind the club. This is the first of several large social, family and competitive events that we will be holding over the next 12 months to raise awareness of our ongoing success and future plans. When I joined the club in 1992 there was only a handful of Juniors. Now there are over 60, both boys and girls. There is an addictive competitiveness here which is what got me hooked on the sport. Everyone trains together and races each other . The Juniors learn from the more experienced Seniors and the Seniors have to stay on their toes to keep ahead of the Juniors. The current facilities at the club are badly in need of updating. The new building will ensure the growth and continued success of the club which plays a big part of life in the local community.“
Click here to see pics from the event. |
