Cambois Rowing Club has a long and distinguished history. Founded on the River Blyth in 1911, the club moved to the lower reaches of the River Wansbeck in 1977 where members from 8 to 80 years of age now regularly operate from a modern boathouse complete with land-training facilities.
Although its junior crews have enjoyed much success at national level over recent years and its veteran crews have returned with medals from international championships, the main theme of the club is the enjoyment of rowing by a wide section of the community.
The lower Wansbeck, especially the mile between the Stakeford and Sheepwash bridges is both picturesque and uniquely well-suited for teaching the skills of rowing and sculling; an excellent riverside cycleway allows coaches conveniently to watch and advise their crews. Also the friendly atmosphere of the club means that a crew of experienced lifelong rowers has often been prepared to include a few complete novices, some well past their youth, in order to introduce the newcomers to the delights of rowing in a racing boat.
In common with some other rowing clubs in the North-East, the Cambois club want to recruit more members in the 20 to 40 year age group. Especially welcome this summer will be folk who have recently been involved, and preferably been successful, in other sports. For example, off-season footballers could both maintain their fitness and enjoy the challenge of learning a branch of athletics that can be physically demanding.
Four Cambois lads, amongst their many other successes, were the fastest (and record-breaking) junior crew in the 31-mile Lincoln to Boston Marathon (1998). Our photograph shows them after 16 miles. |
