Please note that this is some initial information only. Please do check the website regularly for updates.

The National Schools Regatta is the largest event that the school attends and is spread over three days with some 70 plus members of the KCS as well as the Godolphin and Latimer (G&L) crews competing. It is really worth the trip so do try to come along and support our rowers.

Our KCSBCSA marquee will be on the Grassy Bank which will act as the focal point for Supporters. We have not been allocated our pitch as of yet so when we receive this information we will let you know.

The KCSBCSA provide food and drinks for the rowers on all three days of the event. To cover the expense, there will be a £10 charge added to your fee bill. Organising and preparing all the catering is, as you can imagine a major undertaking so please join in and lend a hand whenever possible. Supporters are welcome to help themselves as well however we ask that you only do so after all the rowers have had their fill and that a contribution is made to the costs. Thank you for your understanding.

A few additional notes to help you get the most out of the weekend:

MORE INFORMATION
For race entries and times please follow this link to the NSR official website.

HELP PLEASE
When you arrive please volunteer an hour of your time. Help is needed to unload supplies from cars, set up equipment in the marquee, help prepare and serve drinks and rowers’ food. If your child’s crew is racing when you are on duty please feel free to drop everything and dash to the water’s edge to cheer them on! Remember the rowers are fed over the weekend by a team of volunteers and many hands make light work. Helping is also an excellent way to get to know the people you could potentially be sharing the towpath with for the next few years. Please don’t forget that on Sunday after the racing all the equipment will need to be dismantled, tidied away and brought back down to the boat house. Please do not leave without helping as much as you can.

WHAT TO BRING
Chairs, tables, rugs, crockery and cutlery and a picnic lunch for your family, and to supply your child with any additional snacks, energy drinks, etc. that they feel might give them the winning edge. An umbrella/sunshade, sunscreen and a few extra layers may also help as the wind can blow hard across the course at Nottingham. As found out in previous years it is best to prepare for every season! Please ensure that the rowers bring with them plenty of kit and most importantly a waterproof jacket and warm clothing to wear between and after racing. Recently a number of the crew had insufficient clothing and a couple became worryingly cold. Finally, remember to bring binoculars to watch with and cameras to record the efforts of our crews.

SUPERMARKETS
There are large supermarkets close to the entrance to the National Water Sports Centre (Morrisons on Links Bar Road in Gamston or Asda on the Loughborough Road in West Bridgeford), which are good places to buy or top up any picnics.

SPECTATING
For those new to the event there are buses running down the side of the course, usually only on the Saturday and Sunday, which follow each race. It’s a great way to watch the racing for a small charge but be sure to arrive at the bus in good time to be certain of being down at the start for the correct race you wish to follow.

BICYCLES
It is not possible to follow the races by bike. The only bikes allowed are those ridden by coaches wearing NSR vests; this is strictly enforced by the regatta officials, so please leave those bikes at home!

NATIONAL SCHOOLS T-SHIRTS
There is a National Schools T-shirt which lists the names of all competitors; this much treasured memento cost about £20 last year and is available for purchase from the regatta centre. If you cannot make it to Nottingham yourself you may wish to send your child with sufficient funds!

Fingers crossed for good weather and successful racing. Please join in the cheering for all KCS and G&L crews; if you go home with a sore throat from all the cheering you’ll know you’ve done your bit to give our crews that winning edge – it really does make a difference!

Coaches of the younger year groups are receiving a lot of email traffic inquiring about competing at more events so I wanted to write a general note to explain the situation.

Traditionally when pupils return after the Easter break we try to attend at least two competitions before traveling to the National Schools Regatta at Nottingham.
This year is an exceptional year. With the Queens Diamond Jubilee pagent organised it means that Putney Town Regatta has been cancelled and with the cable car works ongoing in the docks for the Olympic Games it means that Poplar Regatta has been cancelled also.

We have tried to submit entries to Chiswick Amateur Regatta which over subscribed with senior and novice entries and unfortunately schools did not receive a slot in the draw for the majority of their crews.

This will mean that the regattas that we will be participating at are Wallingford (Dorny Lake) and Thames Ditton (Near Hampton) and of course the National Schools regatta.

Can I ask that should your son/daughter NOT be able to participate at the National Schools Regatta (1-3 June) to please let me know so that arrangements can be made for a substitute.

The 4th form will be traveling on Thursday 31 May with the 5th and 6th forms traveling on Friday the 1 June. The 4th Form will return home on the coach on Friday 1 June once they have finished racing and loaded their boats (evening). More information to follow in due course. The lower 5th can return home with parents and on the school minibus on Saturday 2nd of June. The remaining Upper 5th and 6th form can return home in the school truck,minibus or with parents on the Sunday.

Regards,
Patrick

J14s will race on Friday 1 June. 1st race will be from around 8am!

J15, J16, Snr Girls and Boys will be racing 2 – 3 Jun with events yet to be fully finalised.

More information to be added …
Start Date: 2012-06-01
Start Time: 08:00
End Date: 2012-06-03
End Time: 16:00

A event to give crews a chance to race in the same location as the National Schools Event
Date: 2012-07-19

The purpose of the Ball Cup Regatta is to allow the schools and clubs which cannot semi-final or final at national events to compete against each other on a multilane course. In these criteria clubs refer to both schools boat clubs and general rowing clubs, unless a distinction needs to be made.

The overriding aim of the Ball Cup is to give small and emerging clubs and their emerging competitors a chance to experience true competition and the chance to win.

Date: 2012-05-13

Title: Thames Ditton Regatta 12 May

Location: Racing takes place upstream on the 1000-metre course that stretches alongside Hampton Court Palace and ends just downstream of the River Mole which is very near Kingston town centre – click here for a map of the finish
Link out to regatta info site: click here

Click here to see the order of the races.
J14 and J15 crews will be racing

J14 will be entering 2 Octuples and a Quad

Date: 2012-05-12

Rowers Bus Leaving Ridgeway Car Park at 7am.

Parents please do try to come this is a great event to see and support in Regatta season – the KCS Marque will be there serving refreshments throughout the day.

All boys will be expected to arrange their own transport home from the event.

77 J18A.8+ Final R39 11:18 Lane 2

117 J15A.8+ Heat B R77 15:06 Lane 1

123 J15B.8+ Heat A R29 10:18 Lane 1

204 IM1.4- Heat D R69 14:18 Lane 4

226 IM3.4+ Heat A R78 15:12 Lane 2

243 J16A.4+ Final R35 10:54 Lane 1

Link out: Click here

Parents – See Dorney Lake in ‘Locations’ for directions

Chiswick Amateur regatta
1000 metre tidal course
Three-abreast racing when status and tide are appropriate

Date: 2012-05-05

Title: Bourne at Chiswick
Location: Chiswick Boat Club
Link out: Click here
Description: J14s 1,000m races
Start Time: 12:00
Date: 2012-04-28

The KCSBCSA committee would like to extend their thanks to the Headmasters, Ms Reed-Boswell as KCS Governor and other senior members of staff for their time and support. The raffles, held on the evening, raised over £1,000 for Cancer Research UK and our Boat Club.

Below are a few photographic memories – and hopefully we will see you all next year.

Parents and Rowers enjoying the champagne reception

Acer Nethercott. Olympic Cox and speaker at KCSBCSA Annual Dinner

The King's College Great Hall with magical lighting

Director of Rowing Patrick Duggan presents Robin Hughes with award for 20 years support of the Boat Club