Swansea University Rowing Club
Encyclopedia
The Swansea University Rowing Club (abbreviated to SURC) is the rowing club of Swansea University
, Wales, and is situated on the west bank of the River Tawe
in Swansea
. It is unknown when the club was originally founded, but it was re-founded in 2004.
Along with Cardiff University Boat Club, it is considered one of the biggest and most active rowing clubs in Wales.
The club trains on the River Tawe and enjoys almost exclusive use of the 3 km of rowable water, with two long straight sections. Land-based training takes place at the University Sports Centre, along the seafront and sometimes on the beach in Swansea Bay
itself.
Although the club has few of its own facilities due to the extensive redevelopment along the river by Swansea City Council, the members use the facilities kindly provided by Swansea Yacht and Sub Aqua Club to launch and change. The Sail Bridge, with its 40m high mast, is one of the recent additions to the river, having been opened in 2003.
in November.
After Christmas, the club enters a number of events during the season for head race
s. These include Cardiff Head of the Taff, BUCS Head Race (often on the Trent), Swansea Head of the Tawe, Women's Head of the River and the Head of the River Race
, the last two of these being held on the Tideway
.
The Welsh Boat Race
is the main training focus before the BUCS Regatta, the start of the "regatta season", where Swansea University Rowing Club race Cardiff University Boat Club side-by-side along a set distance on either the River Taff
or the River Tawe
.
ARC). Rob Jones joined the club at the end of 1989 and the club set about buying some kit. Will Garnier was President, Rob Jones was secretary and after a bit of work, they got an Eight (rowing)
out for the Head of the River Race
and raced at various events including Reading Town where they reached the final of the Senior 2 event. At this stage there were about 25 racing members and had a huge social section with parties at their boathouse on the Cwm Lleidi (Swiss Valley reservoir
) reservoir near Llanelli
. The President and Secretary looked into moving the club to the River Tawe by the Morfa Stadium
and secured a small space to keep boats there. The club dissolved around 1995 and didn't start again until 2004. In that time, the stadium had been demolished, with a number of university boats going with it.
The club was revived in 2004 by Tim Stickley, who found just one river-worthy boat in a shed by the university playing fields. An area was organised in the car park next to the River Tawe on which to put the club trailer and permission obtained from Swansea Yacht and Sub Aqua Club to use their slipway to launch. Membership has increased dramatically and the club's fleet of boats has grown over subsequent years, with different captains bringing new things to the club, notably a training camp and The Welsh Boat Race
under Henry Hilsdon, a new trailer under Sophie Clarke-Hackston (club captain for 2 years) and a first boat race win under Jenny Staight. Club captains since then have been Steven Gray and Laura Kentfield.
Jon Eardley also earned his place in the hall of fame by producing a fantastic display of skill in the 1st annual ice-cream eating challenge, seeing off competitors from around the club.
was set up as an alumni club. It is affiliated with British Rowing and hopes to provide a name to race under for members who are continuing the Swansea spirit. The club aims to support the interests of Swansea University Rowing Club, to enter some races and to meet up socially at various points throughout each year. Their website has a link from the main SURC website.
Swansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
, Wales, and is situated on the west bank of the River Tawe
River Tawe
The River Tawe is a river in South Wales. It flows in a principally south-westerly direction for some from its source below Moel Feity in the Old Red Sandstone hills of the western Brecon Beacons to the Bristol Channel at Swansea. Its main tributaries are the right bank Upper and Lower Clydach...
in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
. It is unknown when the club was originally founded, but it was re-founded in 2004.
Rowing at SURC
Rowing with SURC is open to all members of Swansea University Athletic Union, who provide a nominal level of funding and insurance for all university clubs.Along with Cardiff University Boat Club, it is considered one of the biggest and most active rowing clubs in Wales.
The club trains on the River Tawe and enjoys almost exclusive use of the 3 km of rowable water, with two long straight sections. Land-based training takes place at the University Sports Centre, along the seafront and sometimes on the beach in Swansea Bay
Swansea Bay
Swansea Bay is a bay on the Bristol Channel on the South Wales coast. Places on the bay include Mumbles, Swansea and Port Talbot. The River Neath, River Tawe, River Afan and Blackpill stream flow into the bay....
itself.
Although the club has few of its own facilities due to the extensive redevelopment along the river by Swansea City Council, the members use the facilities kindly provided by Swansea Yacht and Sub Aqua Club to launch and change. The Sail Bridge, with its 40m high mast, is one of the recent additions to the river, having been opened in 2003.
Competition
The club competes at a number of regattas and head races throughout the academic year (September - August). Before Christmas, the club sends its senior crews to Cardiff Small Boats Head and thereafter tries to send all crews to the Welsh Indoor Championships and Bristol Head Race. These events provide the 'fresher' crews with some initial race experience. Senior crews will sometimes compete at the Fours Head of the River, held on the TidewayTideway
The Tideway is a name given to the part of the River Thames in England that is subject to tides. This stretch of water is downstream from Teddington Lock and is just under long...
in November.
After Christmas, the club enters a number of events during the season for head race
Head race
A head race is a time-trial competition in the sport of rowing, also known as crew to a few USA organizations. Head races are typically held in the fall and spring seasons. These events draw many athletes as well as observers...
s. These include Cardiff Head of the Taff, BUCS Head Race (often on the Trent), Swansea Head of the Tawe, Women's Head of the River and the Head of the River Race
Head of the River Race
The Head of the River Race is a processional rowing race held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on the 4.25 mile Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney.-History:...
, the last two of these being held on the Tideway
Tideway
The Tideway is a name given to the part of the River Thames in England that is subject to tides. This stretch of water is downstream from Teddington Lock and is just under long...
.
The Welsh Boat Race
The Welsh Boat Race
The Welsh Boat Race, also known as the Welsh University Boat Race and The Welsh Varsity Boat Race, is an annual rowing race in Wales between the Swansea University Rowing Club and the Cardiff University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights each spring on the River Tawe or River Taff in South...
is the main training focus before the BUCS Regatta, the start of the "regatta season", where Swansea University Rowing Club race Cardiff University Boat Club side-by-side along a set distance on either the River Taff
River Taff
The River Taff is a large river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons — the Taf Fechan and the Taf Fawr — before joining to form the Taff north of Merthyr Tydfil...
or the River Tawe
River Tawe
The River Tawe is a river in South Wales. It flows in a principally south-westerly direction for some from its source below Moel Feity in the Old Red Sandstone hills of the western Brecon Beacons to the Bristol Channel at Swansea. Its main tributaries are the right bank Upper and Lower Clydach...
.
History
The club was started in the 1970s and closed in the early 1980s. Since then Will Edmondson and his sister Anne-Marie restarted the club by breaking into the shed and getting out the old boats in 1989. They were helped by Andrew Williams (of MumblesMumbles
Mumbles or The Mumbles is an area and community in Swansea, Wales which takes its name from the adjacent headland stretching into Swansea Bay...
ARC). Rob Jones joined the club at the end of 1989 and the club set about buying some kit. Will Garnier was President, Rob Jones was secretary and after a bit of work, they got an Eight (rowing)
Eight (rowing)
An Eight is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for eight rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars, and is steered by a coxswain, or cox....
out for the Head of the River Race
Head of the River Race
The Head of the River Race is a processional rowing race held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on the 4.25 mile Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney.-History:...
and raced at various events including Reading Town where they reached the final of the Senior 2 event. At this stage there were about 25 racing members and had a huge social section with parties at their boathouse on the Cwm Lleidi (Swiss Valley reservoir
Swiss Valley reservoir
Swiss Valley reservoir, also known as Upper Lliedi reservoir and Lower Lliedi reservoir, feeds water to the towns of Llanelli and Llannon. It gets the water from the River Lliedi....
) reservoir near Llanelli
Llanelli
Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...
. The President and Secretary looked into moving the club to the River Tawe by the Morfa Stadium
Morfa Stadium
Morfa Stadium was an athletics stadium in the Landore area of Swansea, Wales. It has now been demolished and the land is occupied by the Morfa Retail Park and the Liberty Stadium, home of the city's football and rugby teams, which opened in 2005....
and secured a small space to keep boats there. The club dissolved around 1995 and didn't start again until 2004. In that time, the stadium had been demolished, with a number of university boats going with it.
The club was revived in 2004 by Tim Stickley, who found just one river-worthy boat in a shed by the university playing fields. An area was organised in the car park next to the River Tawe on which to put the club trailer and permission obtained from Swansea Yacht and Sub Aqua Club to use their slipway to launch. Membership has increased dramatically and the club's fleet of boats has grown over subsequent years, with different captains bringing new things to the club, notably a training camp and The Welsh Boat Race
The Welsh Boat Race
The Welsh Boat Race, also known as the Welsh University Boat Race and The Welsh Varsity Boat Race, is an annual rowing race in Wales between the Swansea University Rowing Club and the Cardiff University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights each spring on the River Tawe or River Taff in South...
under Henry Hilsdon, a new trailer under Sophie Clarke-Hackston (club captain for 2 years) and a first boat race win under Jenny Staight. Club captains since then have been Steven Gray and Laura Kentfield.
Notable Alumni & members
The club has produced Paralympic and World Championship finalist rowers such as James Roberts and welly's mom, the latter having never rowed. . Also from SURC have been Welsh International rowers Daniel John and Kate Evans. Dan John won the coxless four event at the 2009 Home International Regatta. Kate Evans also placed 2nd at 2009 BUCS regatta in the women's lightweight singles event, and represented British Universities at the European Universities regatta..Jon Eardley also earned his place in the hall of fame by producing a fantastic display of skill in the 1st annual ice-cream eating challenge, seeing off competitors from around the club.
The Tawe Phoenix Boat Club for Alumni
In 2010 The Tawe Phoenix Boat ClubTawe Phoenix Boat Club
The Tawe Phoenix Boat Club is the alumni rowing club of Swansea University Rowing Club, and currently doesn't have a permanent boating base. The club was founded in 2010 and aims to support the interests of Swansea University Rowing Club, to enter some races and to meet up socially at various...
was set up as an alumni club. It is affiliated with British Rowing and hopes to provide a name to race under for members who are continuing the Swansea spirit. The club aims to support the interests of Swansea University Rowing Club, to enter some races and to meet up socially at various points throughout each year. Their website has a link from the main SURC website.
See also
- University rowing (UK)University rowing (UK)University rowing in the United Kingdom began when it was introduced to Oxford in the late 18th century. The first University Boat Race was held in 1829...
- British Universities & Colleges SportBucsBucs or BUCS may refer to:*Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida*Pittsburgh Pirates, a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania*British Universities and Colleges Sport...
- Tawe Phoenix Boat ClubTawe Phoenix Boat ClubThe Tawe Phoenix Boat Club is the alumni rowing club of Swansea University Rowing Club, and currently doesn't have a permanent boating base. The club was founded in 2010 and aims to support the interests of Swansea University Rowing Club, to enter some races and to meet up socially at various...