LUBC 19/20, short but sweet

With Henley cancelled, it has brought a sad, early end to this year’s rowing season. As everyone is now on lockdown due to COVID-19 we thought it would be a good opportunity to look back at what LUBC has, nevertheless, achieved this year.

As our Committee were settling into their new roles in the club, the head season started with Runcorn Autumn Head at our usual training location, with some friendly competition against our local clubs. We then carried on in good spirits with wins for our senior squads at Head of the Lune in November, taking home 5 medals in the W8+, 4+, 4-, Op 4+ and 1x categories.

Next, we moved onto preparations for our annual Novice Race Day where our novice squads competed against John Moores and Manchester in a quick 700m sprint race. Wins again from both our novice men and women’s squads in their first race allowed for a very eventful boat race social soon after with appearances from alumni. Fuller’s Head of the River Fours was our main race prior to Christmas, racing Chiswick Bridge to Putney with over 400 crews. A spectacular 4th place from our W4+ and great racing from our other crews led us on to our Annual Christmas Ball and Rutherford Head, with high hopes for the New Year.

The grind continued throughout the Christmas break as our coach Ewan Murray kept the ball rolling after finishing 2019 on a high. We started 2020, much to everyone’s delight, with a week long training camp at Runcorn. Little did we know what 2020 had in store.

After 2 weeks of exams, everyone got back into full time training for our first race of the year, BUCS 4s and 8s Head. Sadly, the forecast meant the beginner races were cancelled. Our senior women continued their trip to Newcastle, narrowly missing out on the medal positions in both the 4+ and 8+. With WEHoRR cancelled last minute, we finished this year’s rowing season (although not known at the time) with Gloucester Spring Head where our novices finally got a full race. Medals were taken home in the W4+, W8+, Op1x, Op 2- and BW4+.

Another big thank you to the University of Liverpool Alumni and Friend's Fund who helped us to purchase 5 brand new pairs of Concept2 Fat2 sweep blades and LUBC's first full set of smoothie sculling blades, along with our shiny new trailer, ready for next year's racing.

Although the rowing year may have come to an abrupt finish with the regatta season (and training camp, if I hadn’t mentioned it) cancelled, we hope everyone is home safely and can use the time to prepare for a bigger and better year, whenever it may start.

A huge thank you to Ewan and our Committee for 19/20, your amazing efforts haven’t gone unnoticed x

Heather Skinner

Vice-President 19/20