Magazine Autumn 97
Chairman’s report
Many of you are no doubt aware that the AGM is scheduled for 18th October at 7-30pm. Not only will we have a bar extension at the University Employees Social Club (off St Michael’s Hills) to bribe members to come along, but you’ll no doubt be thoroughly entertained by the Officers Reports, the Elections, and of course, Prize Giving. I hope you’ll be able to come along.
The elections for the Committee will be held during the AGM. For those newer members, the Committee consists of a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and 6 officers. Each officer takes on a role representing the different parts of the Club; including Marathon, Polo & Pool, Touring, Slalom, Coaching, Equipment, and Youth Group Leader. The Committee usually sits every 6 weeks for a chin wag, so if you feel the need to join the committee please put your name forward on October 18th.
Activities during the summer months have been slow, although the more adventurous members have successfully conquered some of the rivers of Austria. It also appears there was a very good turn out at the Clubs annual pilgrimage to St David’s; sadly the surf do not do the trip justice although a number of members made it to the Bitches for the first time.
The annual Beginners Training Course went very well this year, with a number of participants continuing their canoeing career with the Club. Six people completed the course, and a number of the Club’s coaches participated in the course. Thanks to Rob, Jonathan, Lisa, Dave, oh and me, for helping out.
On the Polo front growth in numbers continues on Wednesday nights with often between 15 and 18 people playing. Over 35 members play polo which probably represents one of the largest contingents within the Club. At the last Caen Hill Tournament, we just about managed to enter 3 teams after car reliability wrecked our chances of winning the Tournament; I thought car problems was a slalom thing_.? This growth is of course generating new problems for organising Wednesday sessions. I hope we’ll be able to arrange a meeting of Polo members to discuss how we can improve our organisation, and possibly increase the amount of water time available.
Finally, since this is my last Chairman’s report to the Magazine I would like to wish the new Committee all the best next year. The Club continues to flourish both in numbers and in the amount of canoeing. I therefore hope we can look forward to continued growth and the prospect of becoming the premier Canoe Club in the South West.
Mark Gillette, BCC Chair
Mini Slalom Results
Results of the mini slalom held at Bristol Docks on Thursday 21st August 1997 Each paddler was permitted as many runs as they wished – only the best runs are listed.
K1 Men
K1 Women
C1
C2
|
Final Result |
Overall positions are given by the best points total in any event: Results are on the front cover. |
Fish of the Year
There will be a vote on the fish of the year at the AGM. There are numerous nominations, candidates may be nominated at the AGM and proposers should speak for no more than a minute about the nomination. Should be fun. Not to mention the Chunder Bouquet, which I think is almost a forgone conclusion, despite several late challenges.
Paparazzi
Does anyone read this bit, I often ask myself. Nobody ever says, “what a stonking ‘editors bit’ last issue, let me buy you a drink, old chap”. In keeping with the nation’s mood, I have renamed this column ‘paparazzi’, to celebrate the hypocrisy of the readers and the press.
I was deeply shocked by the events of last month, and I can solemnly promise that I won’t be paying for sleazy photo’s of canoe club members sneaking a furtive snog in the car park. I’d hate to see young (and not so young) lovers chased into a stopper by a pack of scum with waterproof disposable Kodaks stuffed into their cags, their hastily murmured sweet nothings eagerly jotted down on soggy paper to be reproduced the very next issue for all to read. If you want to send me this stuff, I’ll print it, but I won’t pay for it. My budget doesn’t go that far.
Wedding Balls
Along with the editors of all the national press, I won’t be paying for scurrilous gossip about wedding bells or encouraging people to send in spurious articles to the mag. It’s true that photos of the happy couple, gazing into each others eyes have been offered in exchange for money, but I won’t print them. And I won’t print transcripts of their mobile phone conversations (the “spashygate” tapes that are alleged to contain the words “Oh splashy, will you?” “Oh yes, oh yes, Drippy, I will”)
Paparazzi
Explanation of Proposed Changes to the Constitution
Bristol Canoe Club has been in existence since 1962, and during that time the constitution has evolved and been subject to a number of changes.
Earlier this year I wanted to raise some money for the club by applying for a grant to Bristol City Council. I found that one of the requirements was that the club’s policies and goals were in line with those of the council.
This alignment of policies and goals is evaluated by checking the constitution of organisations that apply, and if certain criteria are not met, then the council’s rules do not permit them to offer funding.
Similar rules apply for Sports Council and Lottery funding.
Sports clubs like ours are an important part of the social structure of the community. I believe we need to market ourselves as partners with the city council and organisations such as the new Bristol Community Sport co-operative that now runs the pools. We need to be seen not only as paying customers who will provide revenue to subsidise the “public” use of facilities, but as co-providers of facilities equally worthy of council funding and support.
In checking to see how we might qualify for grant aid now and in the future, it became clear that our constitution did not meet all the requirements. I took advice from the City Sports Development Officers to see what was needed, and I also wrote to the BCU to get a different opinion. Both “experts” told me that the club’s constitution was its own business, but both offered a number of suggestions as to ways it could be improved. In this article I shall try and summarise them.
Paragraph numbers refer to the equivalent paragraph numbers in the constitution
2. AIMS
Delete reference to the County of Avon.
Add a statement confirming the club’s commitment to equal opportunities. This is a requirement for grant funding. The BCU’s statement refers to the provision of canoeing on a equal opportunity basis.
Add a statement confirming the club’s commitment to young people. This is a requirement for some grant funding (especially as youth provision is a priority of the sports council).
Nothing in this section requires the club to do anything different to what it does already.
3. MEMBERSHIP
a) Re-word the swimming requirement so it is clearly stated once at the beginning and doesn’t have to be repeated. Likewise clearly require all members (not just full members) to abide by this document (which is a constitution ) as well as any rules.
b) Other forms of membership; clear statement these are not full memebers and therefore do not have voting rights.
b.1) and b.3) Swimming requirement removed as covered by a) above.
b.5) and b.6) “Canoeists” easier to understand than “paddlers” for non-specialists.
c.1) In practice what happens now is that the forms are passed to the secretary with no sponsor signature, and then someone on the committee signs after any discussion. This deletion merely reflects what actually happens.
5. CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
c) Defines the manner by which any allegation of serious breach of rules or conduct detrimental to the club is to be brought forward, and specifies clearly the procedures that must be followed. Includes a provision that requires 75% rather than all the committee to be present, but adds a requirement for the secretary to notify all committee members at least two weeks prior.
6. COMMITTEE
b) ‘Paid up’ is superfluous as a member who has not paid his/her subs by the AGM is deemed to have resigned. (rule 5a)
c) Adding “by simple majority of those present” makes it clear that you only get your vote by being physically present at the AGM. This gets around the problem of having defined all the whys and wherefores of alternatives such as proxy and postal voting.
d) The whole of section 6 is the committee section, so the word “committee is superfluous here.
e) For co-option of additional members, all of the committee is too high a standard. 75% seemed to be a working compromise.
7. GENERAL MEETINGS
a) If there is ever any disagreement the use of words such as “convenient” and “acceptable” is likely to cause more difficulties. The new suggestion that display on club notice boards constitutes appropriate notice is intended to prevent the situation where an AGM is rendered invalid because one person’s notification got lost in the post. It would alternatively be possible to require that the secretary posts such notice to the last registered address of every member, but there could still be a possibility of a claim that someone did not receive it. (but see also c3)
b) Special General Meeting – change the system so that the secretary has a little more leeway in setting up the arrangements for a special general meeting.
c.2) If the club ever finds itself in a position where a quorum can not be found, it becomes impossible for club members to have any influence over the actions of the committee. A new committee can mot be elected and subscriptions can not be changed. This letout provides a way of allowing business to continue.
8. FINANCE
d) Impractical to require all of committee to agree.
9. DISSOLUTION is a better term legally than termination or winding up ( I am told)
Not a lot to report on the white-water front. Apart from a couple of trips to the Bitches over the August bank holiday weekend, I don’t think there’s been any white water. Mind-you, I went to the bitches just the one time, on a dead calm sunny day, and it was stonking. I hadn’t expected to be able to stop for tea on the island for half an hour. Paul ‘rodeo’ Coyne has promised to write up a report on his exploits in an Acro-270 at the bitches for next mag.
Nick Wainwright
Polo
Taunton Polo Tournament
This particular tournament was a friendly one organised by Taunton Club. It was held on the river, next door to a Cattle Market in Taunton. The facilities were not excellent and only about five teams turned out, but it was the prospect of all that cattle shit which was probably the biggest danger.
Anyway, Bristol managed to put a scratch team together of Gary, Rachel, Tim, Mark G, and Jenny.
The final result was we won second place and a nice little wooden trophy, which sits proudly on my sideboard. I can’t remember the results, and the oether teams but needless to say with all that shit around, I think it highly unlikely we’ll be going next year.
Mark Gillett
Caen Hill Summer Tournament 13th.
The Caen Hill Tournaments for those of you who are not aware, provide a wonderful venue for a friendly (_.!, I know) polo tournament. Set in a storage pond for one of the 16 successive locks located at Caen Hill on the Kennet & Avon Canal, they have two full size polo pitches with facilities for referees on both sides of each pitch. Provided the weather is reasonable, the Caen Hill tournament is excellent sitting on the grass in the country side. On this particular day it was extremely hot.
Eight teams had entered this tournament, including recognisable characters in teams we know quite well, including Atols, Drifters, Portland, and a peculiar bunch of characters that made up a team called Bristol B. Anyway, the Bristol Pitbulls were up to reasonable strength with myself, Rob, Gary, Karl, and Simon Curtis from the regular team, and Miles Hamilton who fortunately made up for the absence of one or two notable omissions!
The most notable games was of course the grudge match against Bristol B. The final result was 7-1 to Pitbulls, and a yellow card to Karl Day for “mouthing off to the referee _.. I know, its just so out of character!! Oh and just for the record, the only goal to be scored by Bristol B was from the penalty spoilt, after an “outrageous referee decision” against me!!!!! refff aaa reeeee!!!.
Out of the seven games, Pitbulls won 6 and lost 1, giving us a highly respectable second place. However, the winners, Portland only beat us by a goal difference of four. Then, to make matters worse, the organisers decided not to present any trophies since only one entry form had been sent in on time!! Sadly, we only have the result and not a cup to add to our trophy cabinet.
Mark Gillett
Caen Hill September 14th
So this was to be the last Summer Tournament at Caen Hill, and our last opportunity to win the thing. Intensive negotiations, transfer deals, bungs, and other forms of polo sculduggery allowed Bristol to enter three teams, in the form of Pitbulls, Ladies, and Stuffers.
All was well until Justin’s mobile reported that Gary’s car had broken down, leaving us two players short. Further skulduggery enabled us to transfer Tim Barden and James Farquharson to complement myself, Justin (who of course had Shelly with him_!!), and Mr Mouth himself, Simon Curtis. Against Portland and Atols we struggled, since they were pretty much up to full strength, and Wellington only had 3 of their main players but we still managed to loose. That left us to gain goals against Bristol Ladies, for which they only allowed us to score 9_!
The final games was against some Shelia from Australia and her four sheep. This was probably the dirtiest game, not helped by a lack of referring skills!! Anyway, when James “apologised” to the Aussie in language she might have recognised underneath the billabong, before storming off the pitch in rage, the remaining Pitbulls finished off the job by beating them.
So in a tournament we probably should have won, we only came fourth but it was excellent to see three teams from Bristol competing in the tournament.
Mark Gillett
So who’s been doing Slalom and why don’t you write anything for me. Jan Prior got promoted to Div 3 ages ago, that was the last news that I heard.
Whitewater Is In 2000 Games
Sydney Organisers Okay Slalom Canoeing, Kayaking
(This report appeared in the Washington Post), Friday, August 22, 1997)
Whitewater canoe and kayak racers spent yesterday celebrating news that slalom events are almost sure to be included in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
Slalom had been dropped from Sydney’s plans on grounds that construction and maintenance of a course was too expensive. But former world champion kayaker Richard Fox of England worked for a year cobbling a plan to reduce costs and dig up finances. Yesterday the plan won approval from the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) and now must receive support from the International Olympic Committee. Sources close to the negotiations said IOC rejection now would be highly unlikely. “The only thing left is for IOC to approve it” at a meeting Sept. 7 in Lucerne, Switzerland, said former U.S. team coach Bill Endicott, who chairs the slalom committee of the U.S. Canoe Federation. “Thats always been routine.”
Foxs plan is unusual. It includes donations from the canoe federations of major competitors to help cover the cost of building a slalom course at Penrith Lakes in the Sydney suburbs, where rowing and flatwater kayak and canoe events also will be held. The U.S. donation is said to be around $100,000 Australian ($75,000 U.S.), about the same as Italy, France, England and Germany would contribute.
None of the principals was sure whether sporting federations had ever before contributed to the cost of presenting their events at the Olympics. But slalom canoeing is uniquely costly. Its been in the Games only three times, winning attention the first time in 1972 in Munich when costs of a man-made course and huge support complex in Augsburg made it the most expensive sport per participant by far.
It rejoined the Olympics in 1992 in Barcelona. In La Seu dUrgell, Spain, a complicated recirculating system was built to supply water in the arid climate. And at the Atlanta Games last year, slalom canoeing was a source of controversy when the facility on the Ocoee River near Ducktown, Tenn., cost $25 million. The news was happily received by Davey and Cathy Hearn of Bethesda, two-time Olympians and 20-year veterans of the sport who both had strong performances in the just-completed slalom World Cup season, Davey finishing second overall in mens canoe and Cathy third in womens kayak. The Hearns would be 41 and 42 years old in 2000. Can they hang in for another run at the Games?
“The name of the game is to make everyone think youre not as old as you are,” said Davey Hearn. “To do that you have to live clean, eat well, paddle a lot and have fun. I think well both consider it very seriously, yeah.”
Copyright 1997 The Washington Post Company
Youth Section
Sessions on Tuesday evenings at the docks have now stopped for the winter. We are negotiating with Bristol City Council for a weekly winter evening pool session – preferably at Bristol South Pool, Bedminster. We hope to be able to advise youth group members directly of this as soon as we have a session sorted out.
We are planning some winter river and surf canoeing as follows (contrary to popular belief, most British river canoeing is a winter based sport because of the need for sufficient rainfall (which we didn’t get last year) to make paddling viable).
October Local weir (possibly Saltford)
November Rivers Monnow or Barle
December Surfing, Gower peninsular, or Wollacombe
January River Dart (lower section)
February River Usk
March Holme Pierpoint (artificial white water course)
We have chosen the above venues with regard to the safety and shill level of those involved. Our plan is to steadily improve their moving water skills and safety awareness of our young people without taxing them too much in the early stages of their canoeing career. Due to the nature of winter paddling, these trips will be for paddlers age 12+ who have taken their two star test, or are paddling at an equivalent level. Contact Dave or Rob to check.
All activities will be one day trips. Bearing in mind that many of our members have other commitments , and we will be doing some paddling ourselves, please advise us whether Saturday or Sunday would be best days for trips; we will try to go with the majority view and confirm actual dates in due course.
Club Programme
WINTER 1997/8
We have set a programme that includes most of our old favourites, and we are hoping to visit some new rivers as well. If you have other suggestions please let us know.
Volunteers needed
Please would club members come forward to organise some of the programmed trips. This doesn’t usually involve much more than being a point of contact for people and deciding a time and place to meet on the day.
Rain
Hopefully there will be some this season, last year started well with the Teifi in full flood but then went rapidly down hill, a lot of the trips we would like to do(Tavy, Erme, etc.) can only be done when the river levels are up. There are some good signs so far, your touring officer visited the South West in early September and can report high levels generally, the Suicide Monday Club paddled the Plym that week, I understand the level was one inch below optimum.
Weekend/New Year trips
We have set aside dates for two weekend trips, and pencilled in a new years trip if you would like to go on any or all of these please make contact. If the new years trip is to happen we need to book somewhere fairly soon. The destinations for the weekend trip swill be decided nearer the time, dependant on water levels.
White Water Training Course
We are considering organising a white water training course at Glenmore Lodge for club members., this could be for five or six days and would suit anyone who can roll (at least sometimes) and wants to improve skills with some professional coaching. If you are interested talk to Nick Wainwright. We’d need five or six people to make this happen, cost about £200 inc. accommodation, food.
Easter trip to Scotland
Short of booking Balmoral, we may not be able to continue our policy of rising standards of accommodation. However this trip is always well supported and plenty of paddling is available almost regardless of river levels, contact a committee member if you would like to go, again we will get more choice of accommodation if we book early.
| Sat 04-10-97 | Vyrnwy/Clywedog | Mark Aplin |
| Sun 05-10-97 | Teme/Monnow/Symonds Yat | Rob Hignell |
| Sat 11-10-97 | ||
| Sun 12-10-97 | Exe | Nick Wainwright |
| Sat 18-10-97 | Bristol Canoe Club AGM – University Sports Club | Mark Gillett |
| Sun 19-10-97 | Barle | Conor O’Neill |
| Sat 25-10-97 | Teifi Tour | Nathan Scott |
| Sun 26-10-97 | Teifi Tour | Nathan Scott |
| Sat 01-11-97 | ||
| Sun 02-11-97 | Usk | Quentin Nichols |
| Fri 07-11-97 | Tyne Tour – contact Dave ASAP for tickets | Dave Brain |
| Sat 08-11-97 | Tyne Tour – contact Dave ASAP for tickets | Dave Brain |
| Sun 09-11-97 | Tyne Tour – contact Dave ASAP for tickets | Dave Brain |
| Sat 15-11-97 | ||
| Sun 16-11-97 | Middle Wye | Conor/Lisa |
| Sun 16-11-97 | Dart WW Race | |
| Sat 22-11-97 | ||
| Sun 23-11-97 | Exe Descent | Mark Aplin |
| Sat 29-11-97 | Dart WW Sprint | |
| Sun 30-11-97 | Tamar | |
| Sun 30-11-97 | Lower Dart WW Race | |
| Sat 06-12-97 | Dart Weekend | Justin Simms |
| Sun 07-12-97 | Dart Weekend | Justin Simms |
| Sat 13-12-97 | ||
| Sun 14-12-97 | Lyn | |
| Sat 20-12-97 | ||
| Sun 21-12-97 | Tavy/Erme | |
| Fri 26-12-97 | Saltford – Boxing Day paddle | Avis Noot |
| Sat 27-12-97 | New Years Trip Somewhere? | |
| Sun 28-12-97 | New Years Trip Somewhere? | |
| Mon 29-12-97 | New Years Trip Somewhere? | |
| Tue 30-12-97 | New Years Trip Somewhere? | |
| Wed 31-12-97 | New Years Trip Somewhere? | |
| Thu 01-01-98 | New Years Trip Somewhere? | |
| Thu 01-01-98 | Bristol Frome – New Years Day Paddle | Avis Noot |
| Sat 03-01-98 | ||
| Sun 04-01-98 | Upper Dart | Quentin Nicholls |
| Sat 10-01-98 | ||
| Sun 11-01-98 | Usk | |
| Sat 17-01-98 | Lakes or North Wales Weekend | Kath Cotton |
| Sun 18-01-98 | Lakes or North Wales Weekend | Kath Cotton |
| Sat 24-01-98 | ||
| Sun 25-01-98 | Upper Dart | Mark Aplin |
| Sat 31-01-98 | ||
| Sun 01-02-98 | Lyn(?) | Nathan Scott |
| Sat 07-02-98 | ||
| Sun 08-02-98 | Middle Dart | |
| Sat 14-02-98 | Lakes or North Wales Weekend | Kath Cotton |
| Sun 15-02-98 | Lakes or North Wales Weekend | Kath Cotton |
| Sat 21-02-98 | ||
| Sun 22-02-98 | Usk | |
| Mon 23-02-98 | Upper Dart | |
| Sat 28-02-98 | ||
| Sun 01-03-98 | ||
| Easter 1998 | Scotland Trip | |
| Easter 1999 | Colorado Trip | Mark Aplin |