While Charlottesville can give us great warm days in any season, winter is upon us -- and the water is getting colder every day. Hypothermia is a growing threat as the temperatures fall; this is the season when rowing can kill you. So it is time to remind you of the rules and recommendations governing winter rowing.

Novice club scullers (ie those with less than a year of experience on the Rivanna; people seeking to use club boats): the club explicitly prohibits rowing from Thurs, December 1, 2011 until April 1, 2012.

Experienced scullers using club boats: you must observe the four oars rule. That means a double can go out alone, but if you are in a single, you must keep another single in sight. That way if one person flips, the other can offer guidance and/or assistance. The person in the water may get confused quickly and may need to be told what they need to do. Have a plan before you need it! If getting right back into the boat is not possible, then the rower should be told to swim to the side and get out of the water, bringing the boat over, if possible, but the most important thing is the safety of the rower. Once wet, if getting back in the boat and rowing is not possible, the rower should seek shelter. That may mean knocking on the door of a house! Keep moving to keep as warm as possible.

Owners of private boats: the club strongly urges caution among these rowers. We recommend you follow the four-oars rule or stay off the water entirely, rather than risk hypothermia.

Those who row in the off-season, please also remember to keep the bathroom doors shut, and heat on, to protect the pipes. It is also important to remember to lock up carefully, as there may not be anyone following you for a while. Goose-poop ropes up, if you are last off the water. PLEASE be careful! The dock gets slippery with ice, even at temps above freezing. Take care, have a wonderful holiday season-- and be safe!

Margaret (BH capt)

BOW LIGHTS - When rowing in the dark or under foggy conditions, you must have at least 1 working light. There are no club lights available, so members need to provide their own. Two websites that offer lights are:http://arcnav.com/ and http://www.chesapeakerowing.com/boatlights.html. It is preferable to have both bow and stern lights. White bow lights are the standard on the Rivanna. Some rowers wear flashing bike lights on their hat/back in addition to the bow light, instead of a stern light on the boat. Availability of lights has been challenging at times, so you may want to call and check that the company has the desired light available, prior to ordering.

EQUIPMENT FEE - All members using club equipment must pay the $45 equipment fee before the use of club equipment. 

USE OF CLUB BOATS & SCULLERS GUIDE - Refer to the club handbook for more details: Club Handbook. The below guides are included especially for the newer members of the club. There is some overlap of information, but each provides a good review of procedures in the boat house and on the dock and water. Scullers Guide, Use of RRC Boats, Fall Rowing Guidelines.

Sweep shoulder season rowing will be organized by Maria Hatz. Please send them the information they requested in an earlier email if you are interested in rowing and/or coxing during the shoulder season. Maria's e-mail address is maria.hatz@blackcat.com.

Please remember to replace goose ropes and lock up the Rivanna bays and door if you are last off the water!!! That makes signout very important.  If you aren't signed out, you could get locked out!

UVA Men's Crew, Rivanna Rowing Club and Western Albemarle High School all scored high  at the 5,000 meter Occoquan Chase on Northern Virginia's Occoquan Reservoir Sunday.

Coach Frank Biller's men led the way with a blazing 14:12 in the Open (Championship) Eight, as well as a third in that event, a first in Men's Four, and the top three places in Men's Novice Eight. UVA alumnus Matt Miller placed second in Men's Open (Championship) Singles.

Rivanna Rowing Club took first in every one of the four events it entered: Men's Single Sculls for 60 year olds (Kit Collins) and 70 year olds (Ben Bennett), and first in Women's Open Doubles (Anne Cann and Joana Rubini) and first in Women's Master  (50+) Doubles (Trina Santry and Gia DeAngelis).

The recently  formed Western Albemarle High School Crew took three of the top five places  in Junior Women's Singles (Jenny Alcorn, Samantha Mangum, and Aubrie Chaillet), and second and fifth in Junior Women's Doubles. Coach Myriam Pitts took second place in the Women's Senior Master Singles.

Next on the schedule for UVA Men's and Women's Crew and for their fellow boathouse tenant  Rivanna Rowing Club is the premier regatta of the season, Boston's Head of the Charles next weekend.  In last year's  event, with over 8,000 rowers in 1500 boats, local rowers claimed seven first or second place finishes in the three mile races.

Submitted by Kit Collins
Rivanna Rowing Club
540 448 3718
Confirm finishes on www.roninracing.com

Anne and Gia won the women's E 2x at the Henley Masters Regatta in Henley-on-Thames, England, verdict: easily. Please see HenleyMasters2011.

Anne participated in the 129th Royal Canadian Henley Regatta and won the women's F 1x, verdict: easily; the women's F 2x, verdict: easily; and the women's F 8+, verdict: easily. The 1x was her most satisfying win in that after a careful start, she walked through the competition and in a gritty performance, opening the distance to multiple lengths. Please see CanadianHenley2011.

Gia participated in the Blackburn Challenge, a 22-mile open water ocean race in Gloucester, Mass., sponsored by the Cape Ann Rowing Club and named after Howard Blackburn, the famous fisherman who survived five nights at sea with his hands frozen to the oars after his dory became separated from the mother ship during a winter storm in 1883. Gia took first place in the women's 1x class with a time of 3:00.02.

The RRC mixed 8+ (Mary Maher, Joe Vanischak, David Litherland, Dan Gilroy, Phil Jewell, Pam Murray, Diana Bower, and Andrea Kester; coxswain Clare Rannigan; average rower age 53) won the 50+ category at the Wye Island Regatta on Saturday, September 10.

With a time of 1:28:20.6, the RRC boat was the second fastest of all 18 8+s in the race -- women's, men's & mixed from ages high school through 50s. (The only faster boat was a mixed 8+ average age 40s from Hampton Roads BC).

The second RRC mixed 8+ (Mason Jewell, Arnoldo Marrero, Abigail Maynard, Lawrie Balfour, Katie Swinson, Chelsea Gottlieb, Ruthie Castellanos, and Mo Hegarty; coxswain Charlene Friel; average rower age 32) rowed a great race -- for many their first -- and medaled for sheer endurance: they rowed the most miles and discovered some spectacular real estate in the process. Their shoes are being mailed to them.

All in all it was an exciting day. Thanks to everyone for their hard rowing and commitment. Grace under pressure and good sportsmanship, especially in the younger boat. And thanks to Joe V for driving the trailer under some equally exciting circumstances.

Mary