New format for British Rowing Championships

A lively British Rowing Council meeting on Saturday 26 November resulted in several key decisions being passed, including a new date and format for the British Rowing Championships.

Reporting on behalf of the British Rowing Championships working party, Fiona Dennis presented a strategy to revitalise the national event by trialling it on two dates.

J14 to J16 juniors are to compete at Nottingham after school exams in July with J18s and seniors racing at Eton Dorney during October in a move to attract more elite rowers and raise the prestige of the event.

Fiona, new Chairman of the Competition Committee, explained, “Splitting the events enables us to cater for juniors properly and seniors properly.

“So 2012 is an experimental year and if you want to make a real change to rowing then we have to be bold,” she added.

Council warmly welcomed the new format with several members particularly pleased that the separate junior event would offer younger rowers greater opportunities, as well as extending their racing season.

This change means British Rowing will be providing potential athletes for the 2013 team an opportunity to compete with their clubs.

British Rowing’s Performance Director for the GB Rowing Team David Tanner also supported the decision, saying, “I’m really keen that it works. I think if the format’s right, our Olympians may come along. I’m 100% committed to working with Fiona to make this a truly national championships.”

At the last Council meeting in September proposals were accepted for the revision of the structure of British Rowing with one clause outstanding concerning the South East River and South East Coastal regions which disappear under the new arrangements. November’s meeting agreed that 21a will join the Thames Region while 21b will now come under Wessex.

In future Thames Region will be represented in three parts. It was agreed that Thames Region will have one extra member on Council while the North West will also have an additional member, bringing the total representatives to 37.

It was also agreed to move the next Council meeting and EGM from February to 14 April 2012.