News

Posted: May 3, 2016

Newly formed Eastern Amateur, the first coastal rowing club to sign up to Scottish Rowing’s Project Rio campaign, is aiming to increase awareness for the sport and get more people on the water.

The Portobello-based club, which is affiliated to Scottish Rowing, only finished building its first boat in December, thanks to funding from STAG energy and SportScotland. And yet such is the interest in the sport, it has already grown its membership to 36 adults and nine juniors.

As the club nears its initial membership cap of 40 adults it is determined to continue to promote the different branches of the sport. And it sees Project Rio as a good way to spread the word.

“The ethos behind our club is to develop the exciting sport of coastal rowing,” said Club Secretary, Sally Champion.

“And even if we can’t accept more people than we currently have capacity for, we can sign-post people to the many other coastal clubs nearby.”

Led by Scottish Rowing and funded by Awards for All, Project Rio is a direct result of the surge in rowing interest following the London 2012 Olympic Games, when clubs across the country were inundated with newcomers wanting to learn to row.

Project Rio will provide coaching resources and incentives for clubs, and feature a National Come & Try Week (18-26 June), Learn2Row lesson and a Rio Regatta (24 September).

“After the London Olympics there was a lot of excitement around sport generally and I’m sure watching will galvanise more people to get more active,” said Sally, who hopes to offer Project Rio Come & Try sessions after this summer’s racing season.

“It would be good to think that more people felt able to get involved in rowing – and rowing isn’t that easy to access like swimming or football is.

“I think coastal rowing can meet some of that demand and at EACRC we are keen to do what we can to promote our sport to new audiences.
 
“We’ve also attracted a lot of sliding seat rowers - it’s been good to more formally connect the two branches of fixed and sliding seat rowing.”

For further information on Eastern Amateur Coastal Rowing Club visit: https://eacrc.wordpress.com