RISING from the ashes isn’t always meant literally, but Marlow Rowing Club have done exactly what it says on the tin after their clubhouse was destroyed by fire last year.
Rather than let shoulders sag, they stiffened their backs and got on with it and little more than 12 months later they’re celebrating one of their most successful ever summers on the water and now a national award to boot.
After guiding squads to a collections of wins at the big three meets on the calendar – Marlow coaches have been recognised as the best in the country in 2012.
The have been named British Rowing’s Coaching Team of the Year and will collect their award at a gala evening in London next week.
Club captain Sally Reay said: “I’m absolutely thrilled. It’s really good news. The coaches don’t get nearly enough recognition so I’m made up for them.
“We’ve had a consistently strong programme and we usually win something at national level, but to get as many as we have this year is incredible.
“They won at the National Schools Championships, the British Championships and the National Sculling Head.
“In total we had 83 junior wins last season, which is just phenomenal. It was 50 something the previous year, so it’s a big improvement.”
In any year that would be something to celebrate.
But achieving it after the fire wiped out their base and much of their equipment Reay said: “We didn’t even have a gym at the start of the year. We used a tent next to the tennis courts for the first three months.
“Our equipment has been scattered here, there and everywhere and the logistics of getting the right equipment together at the right place and the right time for the right people has been difficult.
“But they’ve worked really well as team. They’ve pooled their talents together to make it work and I’m extremely proud of them all.
“This is an exceptional achievement.”
Meanwhile, off the water, the club’s Fire and Building Fund is raising money to rebuild its clubhouse after the fire.
The club has raised more than £730,000 but needs to break the £2m ceiling to secure its site.
To help go to
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