Mick Downworth 1967-2021
Members and friends were shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Mick Downworth on Saturday, January 16th at the age of 53. Mick joined Durham ARC from one of the early Learn to Row courses under the Explore Rowing scheme in 2012 along with his then wife Carol. He quickly embraced the sport[…]
Club closure for Lockdown 3
The Prime Minister announced on the evening of January 4th that nationwide restrictions in light of rising numbers of Covid-19 cases will come into effect immediately. The club is therefore now closed in order to follow the Government’s National Lockdown rules. All access to the club building and boathouse will be closed and the key[…]
2021 starts in Tier 4
In response to a rapid rise in infections attributed to the spread of a new variant of Covid-19 the Prime Minister announced the introduction of a new Local Alert Level Tier 4 (Stay at Home) on December 19th 2020. The next UK Government review of Tiers on December 30th moved the whole of the North[…]
Lifetime Achievement Award for Charly Curtis
Congratulations to Charly Curtis on receiving a British Rowing Lifetime Achievement Award in the 2020 British Rowing Awards. The award is one of several made for contributions to the sport of Rowing in 2019 which were intended to have been presented at the inaugural British Rowing Awards ceremony in London in March 2020, but because[…]
Bill Parker awarded Beryl Crockford Medal
Congratulations to Bill Parker who was one of two recipients of the Beryl Crockford Medal at the British Rowing Awards for 2020. The medal is awarded for outstanding contribution to junior rowing over many years. The award was set up by Duncan Crockford in memory of his late wife Beryl, who passed away in 2016[…]
AGM takes place via Zoom
2020 has been a year of firsts and the Club’s first virtual Annual General Meeting was another. Expected to have taken place in July the lengthy delay was unavoidable because of the lockdown and enforced closure of the clubhouse, so the only option was for it to take place online as has become the norm[…]
Phil Metcalfe (1951-2020)
We are saddened to learn of the death of Phil Metcalfe on December 15th at the age of 69. The Club had been the centre of Phil’s life for half a century. A fine oarsman he rowed with the Senior and Veteran Fours and Eights in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, winning with the Vet[…]
River closure to continue into January
Last week the club was informed that, apart from a Christmas break between December 18th and January 4th, the river will continue to be closed at New Elvet Bridge from Monday to Saturday each week between the hours of 0730 and 1700 until January 23rd 2021 while bridge repairs are ongoing. This will come as[…]
Roger takes silver at BRIC 2020
Following his gold medal success of 2019 Roger Stainforth rounded off the year with a silver medal at the 2020 British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC) on December 5th, adding to the silver he won at the Scottish Rowing Indoor Championships two weeks earlier. Because of the Coronavirus pandemic both events took place online with entrants[…]
Club set to reopen after second lockdown
On December 1st MPs backed the introduction of the tougher system of Covid-19 tiers for England, announced by the Government on November 26th, which placed the north-east into the Very High alert level Tier 3 as the second national lockdown ended on December 2nd, having entered it in the High alert level Tier 2. As[…]
Memories of Clive Hole
Clive Hole’s nephew has created a website at http://www.clive.life/ on which memories can be gathered together to celebrate his life. Please take a look and feel free to register and add your own thoughts, memories and any photos you have of Clive. Clive was a long serving member and had been a stalwart of the[…]
Club closure during second lockdown
As a result of the Government statement on October 31st 2020 announcing a second national lockdown to counteract the spread of Covid-19, and legislation passed by the House of Commons on November 4th, British Rowing has confirmed that all rowing clubs must close from Wednesday November 4th. The fob system has therefore been disabled and[…]
Clive Hole 1940-2020
Tributes have been flooding in from the rowing community in memory of long time member Clive Hole who died on Thursday, October 29th at the age of 80 following a short illness. Clive was a true gentleman and an endearing character whose interests were many and varied He lived life to the full, devoting much[…]
Winter timetable introduced
As the clocks go back and the hours of daylight shorten the club has made some changes to the timetables for members using indoor training facilities as well as to on-water schedules, so as to accommodate as many members as possible within Covid-19 guidelines. Eights can now return to use and on Saturday, October 24th,[…]
Learn to Row courses 2020
The first of the Club’s Learn to Row courses this year was completed successfully in September. The course has had to adopt a different approach from that of previous years because of Covid-19 restrictions, and coach Tim Morris has therefore devised a series of 2-hour sessions using the club’s Glide One single sculling boats that[…]
Phased reopening of the Club
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the closure of the Club on March 17th there have been joint meetings of the Management Committee and the Captain and Vice Captains of the Rowing & Coaching Committee which have focused mainly on the financial management of the club and preparations for a phased reopening following[…]
Cancellation of Autumn Small Boats Head and LDS Series
Following the cancellation of Durham Autumn Sprint Regatta on September 26th the club has taken the decision not to go ahead with Durham Autumn Small Boats Head which was scheduled for November 7th 2020. There were a number of reservations about the feasibility of staging such an event during the Covid-19 pandemic, including the need[…]
Scullers face test on the Tyne
After 6 months without competition fifteen scullers from Duham ARC were among 111 starters in the Tyne Single Scullers Head on Sunday September 20th. Organised by Newcastle University Boat Club the time trial was contested in 3 divisions each over 3000 metres of the River Tyne between Blaydon and Newburn. The event was chosen as[…]
Partial river closure
We have had confirmation that the river will be closed under New Elvet Bridge from September 1st to September 30th 2020. All rowers will therefore have to turn after Baths Bridge and will not be allowed to proceed any further. There may be days where we can row through Elvet Bridge but we are not[…]
Opening of the beer garden and caravan site
Thanks to a relaxation of Coronavirus lockdown restrictions announced by the Prime Minister on June 23rd, and with the support of the City of Durham Parish Council, the Club is pleased to announce the opening of its new riverside beer garden on Saturdays and Sundays from July 4th, between the hours of 1pm and 7pm.[…]
Glide One singles
The Club has recently acquired four Glide One single sculls that are ex demo boats available at an exceptionally good price. The Glide One is a training boat but has the advantage that it has more of the ‘feel’ of a fine single scull. It is durable but also has a design that is as[…]
Durham Regatta takes place @Home
The 2020 Durham Regatta was another victim of the Coronavirus after an early decision on cancellation was taken by the organisers in order to limit costs. Instead a virtual regatta was arranged over the weekend of June 13th and 14th. Durham Regatta@Home involved individuals and teams of four competing against the clock in ergo, cycling[…]
Bridge to close for major repairs
Durham County Council has announced plans for major repairs to New Elvet Bridge in Durham City which are expected to begin in July. This will involve complete closure of the bridge for up to 14 months starting from July 20th 2020, with reopening expected by September 2021 if there are no unexpected delays. Information about[…]
Durham City Virtual Regatta
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the adoption of innovative methods for engaging the club’s membership and providing fun activities to maintain interest among members. The Club’s first Virtual Regatta took place on Sunday, May 10th with participation restricted to past and present members and their families. The regatta involved competitors taking part in timed[…]
City Regatta thwarted by Coronavirus
This year has been like no other, with the whole of the regatta season obliterated by measures introduced to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Storms and floods disrupting the winter heads season meant that the last action on the water for the Junior squad was the Junior Inter-Regional Trials at Cambois on February[…]
Masters pay tribute to retiring cox
One of the club’s most successful coxes of recent years announced her retirement from rowing in February. Emma Hocking is standing down as cox of the Masters G men’s squad after 12 years at the helm, during which time she has steered them to an unprecedented run of victories at the highest level. Emma has[…]
Covid-19 Update
Following further advice from Government and British Rowing, Club Officers met tonight to discus the club’s next steps in relation to the Covid-19 outbreak. The decision was made that the club will close completely at end of business today, Tuesday 17th March, initially until Friday 3rd April. This is in line with the closure of the British[…]
Lightweight Boat Race 2020
Members were delighted to hear of the selection of Durham ARC alumnus Matthew Edge in the Cambridge University Eight for the Lightweight Boat Race, to be raced on the Tideway between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge on Sunday March 15th. Now in his second year at Cambridge Matthew is the youngest member of the[…]
Alumni success in Boat Race series
After a succession of winter storms and frustrating cancellations the season reaches its climax with the Head of the River Race on March 21st followed by the Men’s and Women’s Boat Races on March 29th. Durham ARC alumni have been prominent in preparations for the Boat Race, which during February and March have featured a[…]
Juniors qualify at JIRR trials
Eleven Junior crews from Durham ARC were among around 100 entered for the Junior Inter-Regional Trials at Cambois Rowing Club on Saturday, February 8th. The outcome of the time trial raced in 2 divisions over a 1000 metre course on the River Wansbeck serves to determine the selection of the Northern squad sent to the[…]