Well the Christmas Party is just a couple of weekends away now and you need to make sure you have those cheque books with you on the night. This is fundraising big time.

Alcohol + auction = more money than you´ll have in your wallet on the night.

Seriously though, we´re hoping to add to the Clubhouse refurb funds so don´t spend too much on presents for loved ones just yet.

We need some volunteers for the evening to help with setting up and waitoring. You´ll need to be there about 3 hours before hand. We also need someone to brandish the gavel as auctioneer. We also need as many people to help with clearing up afterwards. If you can help in anyway, please contact Sonia at the club or email.

Thanks

Doubtless some of the really organised paddlers at the Club have Christmas on their horizon - well done you and may you swim briefly next time you paddle for your organisational skills.

One question. Do you have your Christmas Cards yet?

Can we suggest you purchase a few Richmond Canoe Club cards? Festive, topical, colourful and packed with "aahhh" factor.

You'll be helping raise funds for the Clubhouse.

Four different cards, available in packs of 8, £2.50 a pack. Available from the Galley at weekends.

Happy Christmas.

Around ten Richmond paddlers braved a severely cold day, with the fields were white and crunchy, water resembling ice cubes and chest deep stoppers for 20 miles.

After a little practice weir shooting on the Saturday - which saw Russ swim and break a set of paddles - the Richmond crowd did us proud.

Henry took third in the Senior K1 racing. Doug took a standing ovation for completing the first series of weirs backwards, about 100 yards in all. Richard lost a fair amount of the boats fibreglass at Richmond Club car park when he forgot to strap the boats on. Linda and Trix took first place in the Ladies racing K2 section. Kim had her work cut out as her K2 partner (Richard) blew halfway down the course, he only found his arms when big and interesting weirs were in sight. Chris and Scottie enjoyed the rugby too much in Cardiff the night before and may still be there for all we know.

The last weir was definitely the place to watch the swimming and boat destruction. Fibreglass crunching.

Hats off to Russ, who we think, had the most expensive weekend. Annoyed by past experience of boats letting him down, he had a new river boat made and bought a set of paddles to go with it. The cockpit was a little over sized, so he was forced to buy a new spraydeck too. Snapping the paddles on the trial run just added to the cost.

While some of the Club's more experienced paddlers set out on the long journey to the South West for the Exe Descent, the rest of the club got involved in a game of hide'n'seek with the river.

Mist shrouded, low tide and near freezing conditions made the pontoon ramp more like a ski slope. A long reach down to the draining water, and with nervous paddles, another kayak disappears out of sight. Glorious winter wonderland - don't you just love our stretch of river.

And top prize?

To the junior who turned up today at 12 midday for his first ever paddling session with Rox's group. Now that's keen!

Christmas Party on the way, and we've a bundle of raffle and auction items.

We're looking for more.

For the raffle: Donations of bottles of wine, chocolates, bottles of spirits/liquors, perfume and smellies, xmas crackers, quality xmas food and anything that could be used as part of a hamper.

For the auction: Do you have a holiday home you would be willing to offer for a weekend? I’m also looking for tickets to events - rugby, theatre, vouchers or whatever you can offer.

Please email Sonia with anything that you can offer.

We've now broken through the £23,000 mark - thanks to so many of you for your donations. You know who you are. That kind Mr Brown has also put his hand in our pockets courtesy of Gift Aid, adding £930 to the funds.

Thanks also to Windlesham Dawn Lodge, one amongst many organisations who have donated money to the new Clubhouse funds.

More news and updates as they come.

Thanks.

We have been told of three separate incidents on Saturday involving canoeists and rowers, resulting in one capsizing of a canoe, a blade hitting another canoeist in the mid-rift and a third near miss where a blade went down the side of a canoe. In each occasion reports suggest the canoeists were on the wrong side of the river and seemed oblivious to the oncoming rowing boat.

At this rate there will be a serious incident which nobody wants. Coxes and steersman alike need to know which direction or which path a canoeist is going to take.

The rules are very clear but by way of a reminder, the Navigation Rules for Leisure Users set out by the Port of London say:

"Keep to Starboard - All vessels should keep as far to the right of the river as they can, given any draught limitation and navigational constraints."

Please keep an eye out for rowers and move to the right of the river well in advance of any possible collision.

It is irrelevant if you are doing an effort - we have a duty to use the river responsibly and to work with other river users to minimise incidents. Please do your part.

It may be winter, but the sturdy folk of the Richmond Senior Group are still inflicting sessions of pain to each other on the water.

Weekday training every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 6.20pm prompt. We warm up downstream and start upstream to pick up late comers!

Weekend training: Saturday 8.30am, Sunday 9am, prompt, on the water. No weather too severe to not paddle!

Pain is gain, hurt is progress!!

See you on the water.

Not too pleased about rubbish in the river? Now's your chance to do something about it helping out with a River & Towpath Clean Up.

Organised by the Arcadia Group, the clean up will start at 10am, meeting at the end of River Lane by the Thames, and last until about 1pm. Just turn up - gloves and rubbish bags will be provided. Children are welcome.

While this clashes with the Club's main training session, any help is appreciated. So if you want to head up after training, look out for someone with a fluorescent jacket, and then get grubby.

More details about the Arcadia Group and their work on the Thames here.

Thanks.

When there aren't too many people about in Richmond Park, a girl can stroll peacefully along the fresh green walks, and put the hustle and bustle of modern living behind her.

At least that's what the average girl would do. But not Pat Moody of Claygate South. For her...

www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/girl.wmv 

Best with sound.

About 10 Richmond paddlers headed up to Shakespeare's country for a dictionary conference. Nope, got that wrong, sorry. For the Avon Descent. Hendron's Henry and Richard took 1st and 2nd overall. Henry went up for both prizes, and only Richmond paddlers noticed.

Lindi Harmson got a podium finish in the middle range, with Peter Hutchison grasping at third in the lower divisions.

Highlights of the day.

An exceptional river bed survey by a good number of Richmond paddlers - we should have the whole river mapped in a couple of years. Good work gang. And Chris Haynes trialling a new steering device, seen here in the photograph, demonstrating how to turn left.

Full results here. Exe Descent next - 20th November.

Richmond took 13 paddlers to the first Hare & Hounds at Wey Kayak Club on Sunday. Most impressive result is to Ed Kilby, coming home second in 58:09. As a handicap race, it looks like someone once again underestimated the power of Ed. Keep reeling them in Ed and good luck in the second race when they'll be expecting an improvement.

Other Richmond paddlers included Lizzie Broughton (49m), Tim Middlehurst (45m) and Roger Crawford who crept in with a respectable 54 mins. The Wetheralls were out in force with Kim coming home in 54.59 a full 24 seconds ahead of the Old Man, aka Trevor.

Full results here. Next races 20th November then 11th December.

Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly. They lit a fire in the craft, it sank, proving once and for all that you can't have your kayak and heat it.

People of Richmond CC

Just a reminder of two approaching descent races that you might be interested in; the Avon Descent this Sunday and the Exe Descent on the 20th November.

This Sunday is the Avon Descent - is Shakespeare’s country - starting at Stratford Upon Avon. The start time is around midday. There are 5 pithy little weirs to shoot, and one portage. Not rocket science, but a fun paddle.

The Exe Descent, is on the Sunday 20th November. The entry deadline is 7th November for £15 per senior paddler, after which the entry price increases to £25. Entries will be accept until 5pm on the Saturday but they do not accept entries on the day. Entry form here.

Exe descent, as most of you will know, is a fun, slightly technical, and sometimes cold race, over 19 miles. Definitely worth the trip down to Devon for this race if you can make it. In previous years, attendance from Richmond Canoe Club members at the Exe has been high, and it looks set to be again this year.

See you on the water.

Henry