International Time Trial Success for WBC rowers

St Ayles Skiff rowers from Wormit Boating club took part in an International time trial last weekend. Both boats had to row a 5 mile course under timed conditions.

Flying boat went ‘flying’ both days and Friday’s crew a ‘open’ category crew had a time of 54.37. In the International ranking that put them 5th. Great result.

Saturday crew were in the mixed 50 + and had a time of 50.04. This put the crew in 1st place for their class.

A great result against international crews. Another Great result !

Both teams did so well.

Congratulations

#Dundeekindness: No 7 – Catalina Rowing at Wormit Boating Club

Dundee Kindness celebrates some of the people, organisations and businesses who have gone out of their way to help Dundee during the present pandemic. David Scott, who is a rower at Wormit, was instrumental in WBC being included in the exhibition.

Photographed by David P Scott. All rights reserved. http://www.davidpscott.com

Catalina Rowing at Wormit Boating Club, 07 November 2020

Margaret Brown, Joan Cunningham, Alex John, Dai John and Jock Owen take to the water in The Flying Boat early on a foggy Saturday morning.

Named after the Catalina Flying Boats used by 333 Squadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force while based on the River Tay, Catalina Rowing at Wormit Boating Club is part of the Scottish Coastal Rowing Association, an organisation formed in 2010 to encourage community boat building, rowing and racing around the Scottish Coastline. With a membership of over 70 people, most with little or no previous boating experience, Catalina Rowing row socially all year round while also competing in regattas across the country. Before the pandemic free taster sessions were offered every Saturday alongside larger events like the Dundee’s International Woman’s Day celebrations which saw woman of all ages try coastal rowing for the first time. After lockdown they were among the first clubs back on the water going to great lengths to ensure Covid safety and in September won East Fife Sports Council Club of the Year in recognition of their generous, inclusive community spirit.

“It’s been a great experience and to me three things are important. The sport itself is a growing, vibrant, pan-Scottish international organisation which is both fun and competitive giving people a real sense of shared endeavour. The second thing is the community which is all inclusive and welcoming of people from all walks of life and all ages who have in common a desire to do something challenging and rewarding. The final thing is the setting, this is putting people in the community back in touch with their river and more broadly with the Scottish coastline and countryside. That is a really important part of the overall benefit that people derive from this sport in terms of their well being and their awareness and enjoyment of the country that they live in.”

Dai John, Catalina Rowing

To view the entire #Dundeekindness exhibition online click on the link below:

https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/gallery/dundee-kindness

Wormit Boating Club wins Club of the Year Award

Community-based Wormit Boating Club has been named Club of the Year at the East Fife Annual Sporting Awards 2020.

The award, sponsored by Howe of Fife Rotary Club, is presented to the club that has made a significant impact on the development of its sport, which for Wormit includes sailing and rowing.

The group uses wooden St Ayles Skiffs, built by members and based on a traditional East Neuk design.

The club welcomes people of all ages, encouraging non-rowers to try ‘taster sessions’ when current restrictions allow.

The sailing season runs from April to October, and rowing continues throughout the year.

As well as being strongly tied to its community roots, the club takes part in competitions and regattas across Scotland and beyond, including the SkiffieWorlds World Championships at Stranraer in 2019. Their first significant trophy was the Fife Cup at the 2019 Gathering at Lochore Meadows.

Other activities include an annual Perth to Wormit row, which brings together clubs from across Fife and beyond, and starts the rowing season.

The club also has a long-standing friendship with 333 Squadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force.

Every year, squadron members visit Woodhaven, the base for their Catalina flying boats during the Second World War.

The Norwegian flag is still flown regularly at the club, and the Skiffs, Catalina and The Flying Boat, are named to acknowledge the Squadron’s ties with the town.

Photographed by David P Scott. All rights reserved.

Perth to Wormit Row – 13th April 2019

What a great day we had for our Perth to Wormit Row. Beautiful and calm on arrival at Perth and then a challenging head wind on departure all the way to Newburgh, onto Balmerino and arriving at Wormit for homemade soup and cake. It was great having 9 clubs involved this year from Troon, Broughty Ferry, St Andrews, Newburgh, Kinghorn, Pittenweem, Queensferry and Eskmuthe, Here’s a selection of photos of the day courtesy of Mandy and Richard.

‘Oar’ the Tay! To the V&A!

41741071_1835996326453877_3179396536396152832_oDid you see a large number of skiffs on the Tay last Saturday (15th October)?

Our V&A flotilla row was a sight to behold with skiffs taking part from Broughty Ferry, St Andrews, Elie, Kinghorn, Anstruther, Pittenweem, Eskmuthe, North Queensferry and Dunbar – along with Flying Boat and Catalina from Wormit.

The event was organised to celebrate the opening of the new V&A Museum in Dundee.

It was also an opportunity to highlight the exceptional nature of the Tay which provides an environment for water sports and it was amazing to have attracted clubs from beyond Fife and Dundee to take part.

Thirteen skiffs left Wormit at 11am in perfect conditions to row close inshore towards the railway bridge led by Flying Boat. The flotilla passed the remains of one of two barges used to recover the railway engine after it fell when the original bridge collapsed in a storm in 1879.

The flotilla then rowed through the high girders and back downriver and the visitors shouted out in delight to hear their voices echoed by the girders.

The passage downriver, with a gentle following breeze and favourable tide took the skiffs quickly through the road bridge and then across the estuary to land on the beach at Broughty Ferry beside Royal Tay Yacht Club.

There was a welcome here to share their facilities and coffee and cakes were very welcome. After some social mingling the skiffs were once again on the water to tackle the row upriver past the oil rigs and Dundee Port.

A brisk westerly breeze made progress a little harder but despite this the flotilla emerged through the road bridge on schedule to gather in view of the V&A balcony where visitors were able to wave to acknowledge and oar salute and a rousing three cheers to the V&A.

Finally the skiffs were led back to Wormit where many willing hands were available to lift the boats from the water and carry them to their waiting trailers. A sense of achievement was held by everyone after the 11 mile row.

After home made soup and delicious baking provided by Wormit Boating Club members to more than 80 visiting crew, everyone went away with a commemorative badge as a memento of a day blessed with calm weather.41935327_2301972686482770_6259356032904986624_n

Kinghorn to Inchcolm Island

Some photos from Saturday’s picnic row Kinghorn to Burntisland to Aberdour, to Inchcolm and return. 12 skiffs left Kinghorn just before 10am and returned at 5pm. Weather was sunny and bright, company was great and the scenery and wildlife on route was most enjoyable. And a big thank you to Jim for towing Flying Boat and Alex and Dai for taking Catalina. And a big thank you to Kinghorn for the invite.

Photos and text courtesy of Mandy, Gail and Jim (the Roadie!).

 

A busy day for Flying Boat

What a difference a few hours can make, the morning crew launched into a slight mist then into brilliant warm sunshine, so down through the Road Bridge & back up & through the Railway Bridge. The afternoon crew up past Birkhill house against a good breeze & turning tide. After break for tea & biscuits – a quick return home with the wind & tide, A busy day for the Flying Boat – over 5 hours on the water.