In this issue
- Regatta Recap
- Equipment Update
- Happening at and around GHRC
- Welcome New Members
- A Little Bit of Inspiration
Regatta Recap
Congratulations to Mary Maxwell for finishing off the summer sprint season with yet another successful year at the Masters National Championships. She represented GHRC in several medal winning composite boats with rowers from Alexandria, Potomac, ZLAC and Austin rowing clubs. Great job!
- 1st Place in Lightweight Women's B Double
- 1st Place in Lightweight Women's B Coxed Four
- 2nd Place in Lightweight Women's AA-A Coxed Four
- 3rd Place in Lightweight Women's A-C Quad
Here's to the efforts of all the GHRC crews that competed at this year's 'Pumpkinhead' regatta in Austin. Clear skies and calm waters made for a great day of head racing. Despite a few close encounters with buoys on the course's revamped finale of twists and turns, our club came away with some well-earned hardware:
- 1st Place: Mary and Louis, Mixed Masters 2X AA-C
- 2nd Place: Louis, Mary, Catherine and Eugene, Mixed Masters 4X
- 2nd Place: Lindsey and Tjitske, Womens Masters 2X
- 3rd Place: Graeme, Lee, Paula and Jacquie, Mixed Masters 4X
Many thanks to Mary for coordinating and to Jere for volunteering to haul the boat trailer!
A small but determined group from GHRC showed their winning ways at the Head of the Brazos regatta on Saturday, November 9th in Waco. Crews were treated to ideal rowing conditions as they raced a scenic 5K past Baylor University. All GHRC entries left with medals in hand. Nice!
- 1st Place: Mick and Tjitske, Mixed Masters Double
- 1st Place: Tjitske and Lindsey, Womens Masters Double
- 2nd Place: Kristine and Staci, Womens Masters Double
Equipment Update
Boat Naming
Thanks to all who submitted name ideas for our boats; lots of creative and original suggestions! The votes are in and the winners are:
- New Hudson Quad: Valkyrie
- Schoenbrod Eight: Great White Whale
These 2 boats, along with the singles 'Ruby Tuesday' and 'Alaska Mike', will soon sport their names in custom letter graphics.
Boat Donation
Walter Pasciak recently donated a Levator single to the club, a nice option for mid - heavyweight scullers to take out for a row. 'Kellyanne' brings the club's total number of single sculls to 10. Thank you Walter!
GHRC Caps and Visors
The latest order of club caps and visors has arrived. The new design features the club logo in front and chevrons on the sides. They're available for purchase after weekend club rows, or by contacting the board. Cost is $15. Props to Kerry for all her efforts on this!
GHRC Happenings
Scouts Learn to Row
GHRC welcomed 12 scouts from Troop #441 on July 27th to earn their rowing merit badge. The kids were taken through an abbreviated learn to row class and experienced rowing together in eights. Thanks to David and Dee for working with the troop leaders to accommodate the scouts' needs and help them earn their badges.
GHRC Rowers in the Movies
Two club members, Andrew Hoffman & Cory Miles, had the opportunity to represent GHRC as extras in a recent movie filmed on False River in New Roads, LA. Each rower had the chance to interact with current collegiate and former rowers from across the country. Andrew was a ‘double’ for one of the main casts, Anton Hedayat, who’s character name was Diver - a rower on the fictional Belston University team. Cory represented both Dartmouth and Yale University rowing teams, where you'll be able to see him row 3rd seat in an 8+ during various regatta scenes. The film, titled 'Swing', is expected to be released in the fall of 2020. LSU alumni will recognize the backdrop, as much of the filming took place on the university campus.
In the tradition of Friday Night Lights and Dead Poets Society, the film, set in the world of elite varsity rowing circa 1999, tells the story of a group of friends and crew teammates in their last year of college, whose lives are changed forever when a Vietnam vet (played by Michael Shannon) takes over as coach of their dysfunctional team.
The change from daylight savings back to standard time signals the return of group erg/core/weight workouts on Tuesday evenings. Led by our unstoppable new mom Corinne Linderman, the session runs from 6PM until about 7:30PM and is open to EVERYONE regardless of experience or goals. If you like club row, you'll like this group workout. Time on the ergometer is sooooo much more enjoyable and beneficial when done in the company of others, and dryland training can make a real difference to your strength and technique on the water. Discover muscles and flexibility you never knew you had. See you Tuesdays at 6!
Come one, come all to the 2019 GHRC Holiday Party and Annual Meeting on Saturday, December 7, starting at 6PM. If you haven't already, you can read all the details by clicking on the link below. Looking forward to seeing you there!
GHRC continues to grow in 2019, with the addition of several new members over the last few months. Some are Learn to Row graduates, some are long time rowers new to Houston, and others are former GHRC members who just could not stay away. Welcome (welcome back) to all!
A Little Inspiration
As many of you may know, GHRC's own Micki Immanivong was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. Her long time friend and doubles partner, Mary, recently organized a fundraiser for cancer research and designed 'Pulling for Micki' t-shirts. The shirts were proudly worn by GHRC members during the Pumpkinhead regatta and later during club row to show support for Micki's ongoing fight. Anyone who has ever seen her train or race can attest to the heavyweight strength and determination packed into her featherweight frame. We are behind you Micki!!!
Thanks to all who donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation on Micki's behalf and gathered after club row to let her know GHRC stands with her.
Finding Balance in a Tiny, Wobbly Boat
The link below is to an article recently printed in the New York Times that describes one rower's reflection on her time in a single. I think it nicely sums up much of what draws many of us to the boathouse time after time. Thanks to Pablo for sharing this.
GHRC is fortunate to have many members that give their time and effort to our club. As a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers, they are essential to the club's success. Some you know well and see around the club during peak times; others work quietly behind the scenes doing the dozens of little everyday jobs that keep the club going.
There are many opportunities to volunteer. Learn to Row classes happen every 5-6 weeks and are a great chance for you to assist students eager to learn, while remembering what it was like when you first started. If you've helped out with any LTR's this year, thank you! If not, think of it as a New Year’s resolution for 2020.
Other ways to help out include:
- arriving early to clean the docks
- clearing weeds, debris and garbage
- stocking high use items such as bottled water, garbage bags, or restroom supplies
- sweeping out the boathouse
- offering to bow a novice boat, cox an eight, or coach from the launch
- coordinating regattas or other club events such as Oyster Creek Clean Up
Many hands make light work. If everyone pitches in often, even in small ways, we'll all have more time to do what we love...row!
The next GHRC newsletter will go out in the Spring of 2020. Contributions and suggestions for content, articles and photos are always welcome at ghrcboard@greaterhoustonrowingclub.com.