Newark Rowing Club new year plans aim to make rowing more accessible following a good end to 2022
A rowing club is looking forward to a busy year following a good end to 2022.
December was a time to take a break from competition for Newark Rowing Club as they braved the cold and made the most of a clear, winter morning to take to the water for a Boxing Day social event.
The event saw roughly 20 club people take part, from the most committed rowers to the more casually active members, including dog Ziggy.
In the past the club has travelled to Derby on Boxing Day but this time around decided to stay at home.
Newark Rowing Club’s head coach Ashley Cowley said: “At 10am everyone turned up and we went for a paddle.
“It was a lovely sunny day, flat water and crews all dressed in Santa hats, it was all good fun.
“Since I took over there’s been a big drive to get these social things going and getting more people out rowing.
“Years ago the club was quite segregated in it’s own little island of people, but these little events are great at bringing the club together.”
It wasn’t the only festive event held by the club as just prior to Christmas a regatta was held in which 42 people of all ages took part from across the club’s squads.
Names were pulled out of a hat to form scratch quads, in which four random people formed teams and then raced over 500 metres.
Ashley also said he was looking forward to 2023 — in which the club will celebrate a big milestone — with some big plans on the horizon.
He said: “It’s going to be the club’s 150th year. We were formed in 1873 and so there will be a lot of events focussed around that later in the year.
“We’re also changing out kit slightly and hopefully bringing in some sponsorship to expand the club and holding a massive recruitment drive.
“I’m hoping to make rowing more accessible to everyone in and around Newark.
“Certainly in my experience of rowing, it can be very good at being an elitest, middle-class, white man sport. We are very much not that, which I like massively.”
Ashley also hopes to expand and build more partnerships between the club and schools in an effort to bring the sport to people that have never taken part before.
Currently there is an agreement with the Magnus Church of England Academy, but there are plans to open up to even more schools to recruit students into the club’s junior squads.
The head coach also wants Newark to be competitive this year.
He said: “We want the club to do well out and about racing. We’ve never had more than one boat compete at any royal regatta in the same year.
"Last year we had a double, the year before we had a women’s quad. But this year we’re aiming for four boats to qualify for the Henley Royal Regatta, which is the pinnacle of amateur rowing in the world.”
