[CUCBC Captains] Potential LMBC Erg Competition 2012

[Jacob Gluyas]

Dear Captains;

LMBC used to run an ergo competition for senior rowers at the beginning of the may term. It used to be raced over 500m as a relay, in crews of eight.

	In recent years this event has fallen into decline and with Queens ergs now expanding to include a senior category, it is unlikely that the event will be revived in the original format.

	The new committee and I have been discussing how we might be able to rework the competition and turn it into an event of interest to the Cambridge rowing community. The idea with the most merit was to run the event over a 2K format, held at a stage of term when colleges would be running 2K ergs for selection. This event would then provide a competitive, controlled environment (akin to an indoor rowing championship for Cambridge) for college and town athletes to produce their best times. I believe this would appeal not only as a valuable racing/training/selection opportunity to clubs, but also would add some spice to the build up to the bumps – with knowledge of the firepower crews supposedly have on board. This also gives those clubs with less access to facilities the opportunity to perform their 2k tests as a crew.

	The primary objective would be to establish the competition as a “serious” event which will probably appeal only to upper boats across the university (and town) clubs. However, in the future I would envisage it developing into a two – tiered competition, with a secondary competition contested by lower boats over the less daunting distance of 1K.

	As I'm sure you can appreciate it's quite difficult to plan dates at this stage (due to other competition dates not being published). Working from term dates for next year and from the relative timings of other competitions this year (BUCS, on Cam races) the most likely dates are Thursday 26th/Friday 27th or some point during the week of sunday 29th to sunday 6th. This is weeks 1 and 2 of may term. This year (2010/22) the 26th and 27th were the thursday and friday after SBR, were followed on the Saturday by Head of the Cam and BUCS regatta on the Sunday and Monday. At this stage these dates seemed to be the most applicable but nothing is set in stone.

	Ideas are very much in their infancy and I am emailing you all prior to the next meeting so that I can obtain some feedback regarding your feelings on the format of the event and potential dates, allowing me to present a more solid idea of what the competition would entail by the start of Mich term 2011. If you have got any queries or suggestions, feel free to send me an email (CRSid: jjkg2).

Many thanks and I hope to hear back from you,


Jacob Gluyas
Secretary 2011/2012
Lady Margaret Boat Club
St John's College
Cambridge

jjkg2 @ cam.ac.uk