John Bryant, Former H&D ARA Treasurer and President

Sad to announce that John Bryant, of Southsea Rowing Club who was Treasurer of the Hants & Dorset ARA from around 1982 to 1987 and the Associations President from 1988 to 1989 passed away last week. Our condolances are extended to his family and to Southsea Rowing Club.

John's funeral is on Tuesday 18th April at St Peter & St Paul in Osborn Road, Fareham, time unknown at present. 

Minutes from the Hants & Dorset ARA AGM

The Minutes of the Hants & Dorset ARA AGM of Saturday, 18th March, 2017 have now been E Mailed to all H&DARA Exec Officers, LVP's & Hon Members, Affiliated Clubs and events and can be be downloaded from the Hants & Dorset ARA Web site at - www.hdara.co.uk  Go to downloads Tab and scroll down to Minutes of Meetings - AGM.

Ryde & Shanklin H&D Championship Regatta's. w/end of 13th/14th May, 2017

The Entry information for Ryde and Shanklin Hants & Dorset ARA Championship Regatta's can now be downloaded, in pdf format, from their respective calendar entries on the home page of the Hants & Dorset ARA Web site at - www.hdara.co.uk

IMPORTANT NOTICE ref. Newport H&D ARA Championship Regatta & Junior/Small Boats Regatta. W/E of Saturday & Sunday, 8th/9th July, 2017

IMPORTANT NOTICE ref. Newport H&D ARA Championship Regatta & Junior/Small Boats Regatta. W/E of Saturday & Sunday, 8th/9th July, 2017.

Further to discussions at the recent H&D AGM the Association has received the following statement from Newport Rowing Club regarding their Regatta Weekend on 8th/9th July.  

"As you know, it had become apparent that Medina Valley Centre, the outdoor activities centre located on the western bank of the river, approximately half way up our regatta course, were to host a charity triathlon event on Saturday, 8th July. The event is to include a kayak/canoe race around a course 100 metres to the north and 100 metres to the south of their pontoon. With approximately 200 entries, this event, which is to be run by a charity based in Lymington, has reached a "point of no return" as far as organisation goes. Their proposed kayak course will impact directly on our own 1550 metre regatta course, to the point where it is simply not viable to run fours events on the Saturday. The two competition courses and our transit lane on the eastern side of the river mean there is insufficient space on which to guarantee safe rowing races.

We had discussed the potential to run the small boats and junior events over the shorter 1000 metre course on the Saturday and move the championship fours racing to Sunday 9th July. Unfortunately, on-site discussions and surveys of the river concluded that, even with this shorter course, there was still insufficient space.

Although far less than ideal, Newport RC have decided that our only option to provide competitive events on our proposed regatta weekend, is indeed, to move ALL fours events that would previously have been held on Saturday 8th July, to the following day (Sunday 9th). Our full regatta course will be unimpeded on that day and we envisage running a full programme of fours racing, subject to entries.

I hope all clubs from the association feel able to support our regatta in July, and we certainly look forward to seeing you all on the river on the 9th. Please rest assured that normal service will resume in 2018.

Kev Bennett (Newport RC)"

So - to confirm the Newport R. C. H&DARA Championship Regatta, 2017 for Fours only will now take place on SUNDAY, 9th JULY - and for this year only there will be no Small Boats or Junior Regatta.

New E Mail address for John Bailey, H&D LVP and Race Official

John bailer, Hants & Dorset ARA Live Vice President and Race Official has a new E Mail address -  johnwab76@gmail.com