Introducing your new Council Reps

Find out more about the new Representatives on British Rowing’s Council – Regional Reps David Biddulph, Andy Weekes, Chris Callow and Nick Hubble, and new Eastern Region Chairman Andrew Blit…

Andrew Blit
Eastern Region (Chairman)

Andrew took up rowing at school in London in 1972 and subsequently competed both at college and club, but since 1996 has been based in Sudbury. Having spent a number of years ‘masquerading as a senior rower’, Andrew has more recently been seen racing at Masters events around the country and is part of the pair that holds the current Masters E 2- record for the Great Ouse Marathon.

Andrew has been Vice Captain, Captain and Chairman of Sudbury RC and has coached a number of successful crews over the years. He has also been involved in the running of Sudbury International Regatta as Entries Secretary, Race Committee Chair and Commentator, helping to maintain the event’s status as one of the country’s premier traditional market town regattas.

Having qualified as an Umpire in 2008 Andrew has thrown himself into the role and assists both regionally and nationally, experiencing the atmosphere at events as diverse as Lea Spring, Blenheim Palace, Peterborough Summer and National Schools Regattas.

He became a Regional Representative on the British Rowing Council in January 2014, and is now Chairman for the Region.

David Biddulph
Thames, Sub-Region TU-4

David started coxing at LMBC in Cambridge in 1969, at Kingston RC in 1973, and subsequently also at the Skiff Club. He coached for some time at LMBC and at KRC, and also served KRC as vice-captain then as club secretary.

He began umpiring in 1979, and gained his international licence in 1995. He umpired at the World Junior Championships in 2001, the World Championships in 2009, and the Olympic Games in 2012.  He was for many years a member of the Thames Regional Umpires Committee, the Multi-Lane Umpires Commission, and the Rules of Racing Sub-Committee.

He was a member of the Organising Committee for the World Rowing Championships 2006, and previously had helped in organising the World Championships in Scotland in 1996 and in Nottingham in 1986.  He also served on the committees of the National Championships and of the Women’s Eights Head.  He is a member of the commentary teams at a number of regattas including Henley Royal.

He is looking forward to representing division TU-4 (Guildford to Teddington) of the Thames Region. 

Chris Callow
Eastern Region

Chris has served on the Eastern Region Rowing Council since November 2012 – having been approached about joining the ERRC as Junior Co-ordinator, he “didn’t think twice about agreeing to stand for the role”.

Chris has been rowing for 20 years, starting out at the age of 10 rowing out of Bedfordshire Schools Rowing Association (Bedford RC), before moving to Star Club at the age of 14. He is still an active member of Star’s Senior Men’s squad, and has previously captained the Club.

Chris is the key contact for all junior rowing related issues within the Eastern Region, and is the Team Manager selecting the Eastern Region team for the Junior Inter-Regional Regatta – held every April at the NWSC, Nottingham. Chris is also the Webmaster of the site, and in 2014 was elected to the position of Club Coaching Support Officer for the Eastern Region.

Nick Hubble
Eastern Region

Nick has been Chairman of the Eastern Regional Umpiring Committee & Event Co-ordinator responsible for all things umpiring and events in the region since 2007. He was also elected as Regional Competitions Co-ordinator at the 2013 AGM.

Nick has been an umpire since 1993 with a multi-lane endorsement since 2001. Other rowing commitments include a position on National Umpiring Committee & the National Umpiring Appeals Panel but his most proud achievement is being part of the group that have overseen the transformation of the British Rowing Championships. Nick has served as Regatta Controller of the championships since 2007, and was head of the organising committee for the inaugural British Rowing Indoor Championships in February 2015.

Nick started his rowing career in 1984 in Peterborough as a talented junior, and to this day is still a committed member elected as Course Chairman overseeing the strategic and day-to-day running of the rowing course, a director of the club and Race Committee Chairman of all events. Nick worked as a volunteer at the 2006 World Rowing Championships, served as a key member of the Organising Committees for the 2011 Junior World Championships, the rowing test event for the 2012 London Olympics and the 2013 Eton Dorney World Rowing Cup Regatta. He was a National Technical Official at the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games, and can be found most weekends alongside some water somewhere in the UK where there is a rowing event. 

Andrew Weekes
Thames, Sub-Region TU-1

Andy Weekes is no stranger to Council, having served as a representative for a combined period of ten years. He returned in February having been nominated by TU-1 to replace Mark Blandford-Baker, one of the two Council members elected to be Board Directors of British Rowing, who was required to stand down from his position on Council in line with British Rowing’s new Articles of Association.  

Andy is a member of City of Oxford Rowing Club where he has served as Chairman, Secretary and Vice-Captain. He is a multi-lane umpire and a qualified coach who has coached both local club and college crews. His experience as a rower allows him to be fully appreciative of British Rowing members’ issues and concerns. His term of office runs to 31st December 2017.

Contact details for your Representatives can be found in our Regions section