October Newsletter

Varsity Rowing Has Begun

Fall Racing Roundup

October kept the Gryphon crews busy. Both the women’s and men’s crews raced at Head of the Trent on October 3 in Peterborough, then at the Brock Invitational on October 10 in St. Catharines.

This weekend: the OUA Rowing Championships take place Friday and Saturday, October 30 and 31, in St. Catharines, hosted by Brock University. This is where the university season gets settled.

Next weekend: the Gryphons close out the season at the Canadian University Rowing Championships, November 6 to 8.

Pearl, our Varsity coach is in the thick of final races, so look for a full account of the Varsity season in our November newsletter.

Masters Rowing

Fall Regattas — Masters

The Masters Men had strong showings at this year’s fall head-race season, with athletes competing at both the Head of the Welland and the Head of the Charles.

At the Head of the Welland, we were represented by four athletes:

A. Borden — 2nd, Masters Men 1X

D. Raso — 4th, Masters Men 1X

D. Barker and G. Barr — 3rd, Masters Men 2X

Congratulations to all our Masters Men!

Meanwhile, father and daughter crew of Andrew and Siri Borden, also made the trip to Boston to race in the Master Men’s 1X and the parent / child categories at the prestigious Head of the Charles, representing the club on one of rowing’s biggest stages.

Congratulations to Andrew and Siri!

Coldwater Rules

Cold Water Rules.

What that means to you:

As of October 30, the lake’s temperature has dropped below 10°C, and we are now in full Cold Water Rules. They apply to all rowers, with no exceptions based on experience level.

Please read the rules before you head out.

A motorized safety boat is required for every outing.
All shells must stay within 200 m of the safety boat.
A whistle must be easily accessible in every shell.
Rowing is limited to the 2000 m course.
All crews must sign out and in, and the coach operator signs acknowledging crew responsibility.

Navigation lights

With the sun rising later and setting earlier, all boats must have navigation lights on from 30 minutes before sunset until 30 minutes after sunrise.

Please plan your rows accordingly and check with your coach if you have any questions. Cold water demands extra caution, and safety remains our top priority at the GRC.

A Whodunnit at Miijidaa

On October 14, GRC member James White read from his new mystery, Eight +, at Miijidaa Cafe & Bistro. Set in the fictional town of Dunlop, it follows a rowing club whose senior men’s eight is being picked off one by one by a saboteur, with Captain Harry determined to make it to the Henley. James read, took questions and signed copies, and 10% of the book’s sales go to the club. Thank you, James.

If you’d like a copy, please contact James directly.

Winter Training for Club Programs

Winter Training is moving back to Church of the Apostles

As it did last year, winter training is coming together at Church of the Apostles. The high school program will train there on weekdays from 5:45 to 7:00 a.m., from December to March break. Adult members will train on Saturdays from January to the end of March, with 28 spots available. The Saturday program was popular last year, so we’ve added a second session:

Session 1: 6:45 to 8:00 a.m.

Session 2: 8:00 to 9:15 a.m.

Adult spots are first come, first served. The high school program will run its own sign-ups and let its families know the cost directly.

Registration details are still being finalized, and we’ll share them as soon as they’re confirmed.

Coach Recruitment and Education

Join Our Coaching Team — Could you be a coach?

Our programs are growing, and we need more coaches to keep up. If you enjoy working with athletes, want to pay it forward, and are willing to learn, we want to hear from you. We will train you, and Guelph Rowing Club will pay for your coach education. Our experienced coaches are generous mentors.

Coaching is a chance to make a real difference in athletes’ lives, learn our great sport from the inside, and be part of a community that pulls together. Many of the athletes you see on the water today will remember their coaches for the rest of their lives.

If you are interested, or know someone who might be (and if you do, consider this permission to volunteer them), please contact David Barker, our coach coordinator. Even a quick conversation about what’s involved is a great first step.

Coach Education

Coaches who want to build their skills have several upcoming opportunities.

Rowing Canada is sponsoring coach education webinars [click here]. Scroll to the bottom of the webpage to the title Webinars. These webinars are free and the past webinars are accessible as recordings.

RowOntario was also promoting their upcoming coach education opportunities:

Upcoming Workshops:

RCA Coach In-Person – November 1st at Ridley College
RCA Coach Virtual Session #4 – November 2nd and 4th
RCA Coach LTR Workshop – November 15th at Leander BC

These workshops are a great opportunity for coaches who are working toward certification, as well as those looking to continue their professional development.

Guelph Rowing Club will reimburse coaches for approved coach education, so if something catches your eye, sign up and let us know.

Docks Out & Boathouse Cleanup

Docks Out and Boathouse Cleanup: Volunteers Needed

The on-the-water season is winding down, which means it’s time to get the docks out of the lake before the lake gets ideas of its own.

Docks Out: Friday, November 6, 8:45 am We’ll be bringing in the scullers docks, removing motors, storing coach boats and securing equipment for the winter. The same crew as last year will help us with the heavy lifting, including Ennotville Garage with the large wooden dock. We need willing hands on shore to do the rest. Middle Dock comes out Saturday, November 7, 8:45 am And we’ll finish up anything that didn’t get done the day before.

Boathouse Cleanup: Saturday, November 14, 8:45 am Tidying, sorting, loading the trailer for end-of-season boat deliveries and repairs, and getting everything put away for next year. Tasks will be posted by Joanne Ryks in the boathouse.

What to bring: Work gloves, warm clothes, boots you don’t mind getting wet and/or dirty. Club provides Coffee, tea, hot chocolate but treats are always welcome from anyone who wants to be a hero.

All programs are welcome, and many hands make this a short morning instead of a long one. Please let us know you’re coming by emailing Pat by Wednesday, November 4, so we can plan the jobs.

If you’ve been thinking you’d come “if they really need people,” this is that. Consider yourself needed.

Row Row Rudolph

Save the Date: Guelph Santa Claus Parade, Saturday, December 5

Santa’s reindeer are coming to town in a 4+ again this year.

We’re putting together our float crew and need:

8 high school students to join the float.

Lots of varsity athletes and adult club members to walk with the float and spread the cheer. You’ll need to dress warmly, because it’s December, and antlers don’t insulate.

A few decorators to help dress up the float. We have the supplies, so all you need to bring is a bit of festive energy and a willingness to hot-glue things.

Costumes are being sorted. Call time, meeting location and parade details will follow once confirmed.

We’re registering interested people now so we can plan the lineup. To sign up, or if you have questions, contact Pat Weir, Site and Boat Director by November 20.

If you’ve always wanted to be in a parade without having to twirl a baton, this is your chance.

Regatta Sport iTeams Order

Regatta Sport, based in St. Catharines, is supplying our custom rowing gear — shorts, hats, sweatshirts, racing tanks, and speedshirts. They work through their iTeam portal, and you pay them directly. Here’s how that process goes:

Follow the link below the iTeams portal.
Choose your item(s) and pay Regatta Sport directly — you’ll receive an order confirmation by email.
Public opinion says Regatta Sport items tend to fit small.
Delivery is usually around 4 weeks (custom printing takes time; some items may take a little longer).
Your order ships in bulk to the club unless you indicate otherwise. A small bulk shipping fee is added to every order.
We’ll let you know when your order arrives. GRC is not responsible for orders not picked up.

How to order (Order opens Monday November 2)
1. Visit www.regattasport.com.

2. Click ‘iTEAMS’ in the header.

3. Select from dropdown: Guelph Rowing Club

4. Password: GuelphRC26

5. Place Order!
6. We will let you know when your order has arrived to arrange pick-up.

Improve our Social Status

We’re building our social media presence and we need your help!

Follow us, like our pages, and share them with anyone you think would enjoy being part of the GRC community on Instagram and Facebook. Every follow and share helps us grow — and we have some great content coming your way.

Do you have a favourite photo from the boathouse? Whether it’s a stunning sunrise, your crew out on the water, or a memorable moment with teammates, we want to see the photos that capture what the GRC means to you.

Share your favourite GRC photo to your story or feed on Instagram and tag @GuelphRowingClub — multiple posts are welcome!

Get creative, dig through your camera roll, and help us showcase the best moments from our rowing community.

We can’t wait to see our club from every perspective!