Newsletter June 2001

It has been a while since the previous newsletter so there is plenty to catch up on, particularly on the rowing side. I am sure you will all join me both in commiserating with this year's Boat Race crews but also congratulating them on excellent efforts in difficult conditions. Now is the time when the OUBC needs our support and I am sure we will all be there to offer it.

Membership
Membership has now risen to 32 Full Rowing or Associate Rowing members and 76 Associate or Overseas members. New members are still trickling in and we hope that Henley will be a good time to sign up those who are obviously missing from the list - at our last committee meeting we drew up a list of those people who weren't members but we felt would like to be, so expect to see your committee prowling around the Stewards Enclosure at Henley. As I said at the Old Blue's dinner this year, rowing for the OUBC was something very special for all of us and the more Old Blues and Isis members we bring into the Bosporos fold, the stronger our support of that very special institution will be.

Rowing
The rowing group has been training throughout the winter and into the summer. The number of oarsmen down at the club during the winter was variable but we managed to boat 2 eights for the Head of the River, the first eight finishing 33rd and the second 50th. While this was perhaps not as good a result for the first eight as some may have hoped, it was still an encouraging start given that this is our first full season.

The regatta season has now got underway but the current economic climate has sent many of our rowers scurrying back to their desks, leaving us with a small but core group for the summer. We have entered crews at Hammersmith, Putney and the Metropolitan regattas and have won a number of events. This month will see crews racing at the Docklands and Marlow regattas and the club hopes to enter at least one boat for Henley Royal Regatta in July. Be sure to cheer for Bosporos if you find yourselves on the bank.

On a slightly more controversial note for some perhaps, after being approached by Crabtree, the committee have agreed to form a new, joint club with Crabtree Boat Club called the 1829 Boat Club (1829 being the first year of the Boat Race). The rationale behind having a new, separate club is to enable the two clubs to enter crews for the Thames, Wyfolds and Britannia cups at Henley Royal Regatta from next year if they are unable to enter a competitive crew on their own.

Part of the reason why we are not able to enter as many crews at Henley as we would have liked this year is due to the fact that many of the core group are ineligible under the new rules for these events. Oarsmen have therefore have been tempted to row for clubs that provided them with a 'better' opportunity in these events. Crabtree have encountered similar issues and so the 1829 Boat Club has been founded (though it is still subject to ARA approval) both to tempt oarsmen into rowing for us in the summer and to prevent 6 eligible Bosporos oarsmen and 3 eligible Crabtree oarsmen from sitting on the bank having to watch the Thames Cup rather than compete in it. The rules at Henley require that clubs have been in existence for a year prior to the Regatta so Henley 2002 will be the first opportunity to enter joint crews. I would emphasise that as the current plan stands, the 1829 Boat Club exists from a rowing viewpoint as a backstop club for Henley, not as a primary objective for the whole season.

Social
The club has hosted several joint parties with Crabtree this year down at the boathouse and as any member who has attended will attest to, these have been very enjoyable indeed.

On a more civilised note, we are once again hosting, together with OUBC, a drinks party on the Saturday of Henley. Duncan Clegg has once again kindly offered the use of his space in Butlers Field so I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in BB H14, spaces 39-41 (just inside the field) at 6pm for a few glasses of champagne.

Looking ahead, despite several abortive attempts, the inaugural annual dinner has yet to be held. Plans are afoot to host this at the RAC Club on either Thursday 18 October or Thursday 25 October so be sure to keep those dates free. More information will be available nearer the time. Suggestions have also been made at committee level to have an 1829 Boat Club cocktail party (again, perhaps slightly smarter than current joint boathouse parties) in the spirit of mutual co-operation between the universities, but nothing has yet been finalised.

AGM
The AGM is to be held in London at around the same time as the annual dinner and I would urge as many of you to attend as possible in order to have your say. By joining Bosporos, you have shown your support for the OUBC but we need you to voice your opinions on the future of Bosporos and what we can do for OUBC.

Direct Debit and Gift Aid forms
I know that Rob Clegg, our treasurer, has sent out reminders to those of you who have yet to fill in your standing order and gift aid forms but if you still haven't, then please do! As I'm sure most of you are aware these forms enable the club and the higher rate taxpayers among you to reclaim tax on your membership fees/donations.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at Henley.

Pete Bridge - Club Secretary