September 2021. So, the post-lockdown summer draws to a close and although the trophy cabinet didn’t swell to bursting as in previous year, there are good signs for times ahead.

We saw multiple crews, and many new combinations/faces representing Sons at British Masters, Henley Masters, Marlow Regatta and nearer to home at the Tideway days of Hammersmith, Chiswick and Barnes & Mortlake/Borne @Chiswick regattas.

Close 2nd places (it was just a bow ball Holly and Calypso) were common this year around – something to sort out in 2022!!!!

We also returned to having representation at the Henley’s, with Ruth competing in Aspirational Lightweight 1x at Henley Women’s Regatta, and we also saw a key member of our performance squad compete in The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta – albeit “on loan” in bow in the OULRC 4x. 

Total “pots”: 6

Hammersmith Regatta: Open 2- (Band 2); Open Masters DE 4x; Open Masters EFG 2x

British masters: W MasB/C 2x

Marlow Regatta: Op 4- (Tier 2, E Final)

Chiswick Regatta: Op 8+ (Tier 3)

December 2020: We had raced the dynamo time trial, social distanced ourselves in the Linden House courtyard, coats/scarves/gloves were applied and home-made flapjacks shared.

Nothing more to do than hold a prize-giving and cheers the year away with some bubbles.

Not the norm thanks to Covid, but still sounds like a great day.

Congratulations to all the worthy 2020 winners

Crew of the year: Womens 2x: Ruth Turnock & Lizzie Hills

Rower of the year: Ruth Turnock

Coaches award for most improved: Sam Stewart

Captains award for most impact on a squad: Hon Jiun Wong

Rowers rower of the year (as voted by club members): XM

Outstanding contribution to Sons: Jonathan Blackhurst

Jacques Cousteau award for “best” capsize: Hon Jiun Wong

19th December 2020: A year with minimal competitive rowing is tough, and number limits for Pairs Head saw a high number of Sons of the Thames “miss-out”. By December a groundswell of demand for a club blitz of the river had emerged with a view to send a resounding "Have Summa Thataaaagggghhhh !" to 2020 and to reclaim the river.

The launch of the Dynamo challenge in December 2020 was our answer.

A Covid protocol compliant 1x time-trial chase down from Chiswick Bridge, followed by a shortened course 2x for our sculling school and intermediate rowers was much needed to keep the rowers spirits up – and saw some really impressive times for a group that had so much rowing time lost over the year.

11th October 2020: This years pairs head took a hit from Covid-19 and Hammersmith Bridge closure – but it certainly didn’t make it any less competitive for the c100 entries.

Sons of the Thames took its full allocation of 9 crews with a great mix of entries from across our performance, women’s and masters squads.

Best times came from the Haeata/Hasall double in a time of 15min 27.1 sec, placing them second in Open Club 2x category and 13th overall.

Best result though came from the double of Turnock/Hills, wining W2x Club… beating another Sons of the Thames crew of Scrine/Sucka to the virtual pennant.

Summer 2020: Covid lockdown shut the club, but our 2020 Sculling School programme opened us back up again.

Running from June to September the efforts of our new coaching team of Tinashe and Tida helped us get some of our more established sweep rowers started on their sculling journey, as well as bringing on some new recruits.

It also helped brush the dust off our club singles fleet and made sure we kept a strong Sons presence on the Tideway at a difficult time for many clubs.

March 2020: A strong men’s squad crew trained throughout the winter months and was all packed and ready to start their journeys to Amsterdam for the Heineken Roeivierkamp, well in the case of our cox Debbie – she was already there.

Emerging Covid concerns saw the event cancelled, and Amsterdam start to shut down – but not before Debbie took her Sons cap on a tour of the sights…

December 2019: Port and pudding races in the morning, port drinking at lunchtime and the Christmas Party and Annual Awards in the evening. Sounds like a great day to me…

Congratulations to all the worthy 2019 winners

Crew of the year: British Masters Champions Masters F 4x

Rower of the year: Tim Whittle, but also also the Jacques Cousteau award for “best” capsize

Sculler award: Eoin Kashishian

Coaches award for most improved: Jack Gearing

Captains award for most impact on a squad: Jenny Scrine

Rowers rower of the year (as voted by club members): Charlie Reay

Outstanding contribution to Sons: Ruth Turnock

December 2019: As tradition dictates, after the serious matter of pairs, 4’s and scullers head’s, we revert to the REAL competition that sets one crew apart from the rest – the winter Port and Pudding Races.

Hard fought over a short c2k course, the men’s captains scratch crew powered away to record a legendary victory…of sorts.

December 2019: As we approached the end of the year members of Son’s put on their blazers and general best clobber to head to the PLA Safety Awards. Proud runners up for the club safety award, with a huge congratulations to our neighbours Furnivall for pipping us to first place, and of course for the hospitality on the night.

December 2019: The last serious bit of racing for 2019 saw 10 Sons rowers take on the sculler head. Months of training culminated in some close battles to top the Sons list. This year it was Eoin Kashishian taking the glory in 23:32.85.

NB: Special note though has to go to Dave Smith and Tim Whittle with less than a second of real time separating them (Tim taking that one though after age-category adjustments applied)