Oarsome day as club pushes the boat out
ROWING
AROUND 120 members of Durham Amateur Rowing Club’s junior, senior and masters squads gathered for the naming of three new boats.
Stampfli quad Darc Side of the Moon, double Darc Legacy and Janousek quad Great White Darc were funded in part from the bequest of former long-standing member and captain Kim Metcalfe, who died in 2013.
Metcalfe rowed for the club during the 1960s and 1970s and formed a successful partnership with John Appleby in the pair before going on to success in veterans’ and masters competition.
He triumphed at the World Masters Championships at Strathclyde Park in 1988 and again in 2005 and captured several national masters titles in the pair, four and eight.
Metcalfe was also an outstanding ambassador for the club as a coach and was an advocate of the Explore Rowing movement introduced by British Rowing in 2010 to integrate new recruits into the sport.
His son Alex and brother Phil had the honour of naming Darc Legacy, while Great White Darc was named by last year’s junior captain Harry Coe and Darc Side of the Moon by women’s vice-captain Alison Danforth.
Club captain George Adair said: “Kim Metcalfe had a massive influence on our membership.
“He was an excellent oarsman but also a great coach and one who could offer advice and guidance in an approachable way.”
A row-past by the three boats followed, the crews selected to represent the diversity of the club’s membership.
Recent graduates from the club’s Learn to Row courses as well as more experienced members will benefit from the new boats.
DARC Legacy was crewed by John Appleby and Hazel Stainforth, members of the masters squad which competes nationally and internationally.
Members of the club’s successful junior squad made up the crew of Great White DARC.
Ella Sampson, Adam Morris, Katie Strangward and Sam Taylor represented the J15, J16, J17 and J18 year groups who have had a successful year - including winning at Durham Regatta.
DARC Side of the Moon was crewed by Gabrielle Maxfield, Danforth, Vickie Sincock and Beth Holmes, representing the club’s women’s squad.