15th June 2020: Your Weekly Briefing

This is your JRN Weekly briefing covering the developments of the last week in three key areas. If you have a story to share, contact our news desk at juniorrowingnews@gmail.com

Covid-19 Update:

“People should shop, and shop with confidence!”

Boris Johnson, Prime Minister

As one week draws to a close and another begins, we look back on some of the biggest headlines of the last seven days such as the review of the two-metre social distancing rule, the rise of illegal raves in the UK and the continued protests across the country.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has confirmed that the Prime Minister has commissioned a review into the two-metre social distancing rule. The distance the public is currently being asked to observe as part of social-distancing measures has been widely criticised, both because the success of other nations in reducing the distance, but also due to projections of massive unemployment and further economic restrictions that could come as a result of the two-metre rule hampering the rejuvenation of the high street.

Another area of contention this week has focussed on the rules surrounding the wearing of face coverings in public, with it being required on public transport, whilst regulations for masks elsewhere being less clear. Those who refuse to comply with the rules of public transport could be refused travel or fined, although the industry says this will be a ‘last resort’. Face coverings may consist of any type of fabric or material that reduces the passage of airborne fluids, although the efficacy of such measures is still being debated amongst the scientific community which may explain why Number 10 have fallen short of making coverings mandatory in all public settings.

In a statement last week, Mr Johnson told the media that ‘people should shop, and shop with confidence!’ It comes as concerns grow regarding how much of an economic comeback the UK can expect in the coming months; with expert opinion differing on how quickly nations can expect their economies to bounce back. The PM hopes that shoppers will be quick to return to help kick-start a post-Coronavirus recovery.

As secondary schools begin to accept their first pupils in almost three months, it remains to be seen what proportion of those invited back to formal education will attend. On the eve of teenagers’ return to school, a group of leading child psychologists called for the move to be scrapped amid fears that the drastic changes implemented in schools will negatively affect the mental health of pupils.

The news surrounding the number of Covid-19 related deaths in the UK continues to be promising, however, with Sunday’s records showing a further 36 deaths in 24 hours, the lowest since lockdown began on the 22nd of March. Despite this, however, a senior White House official has told reporters that it could be ‘months’ before we see the UK-US travel ban lifted.

As lockdown measures are eased, the number of illegal raves in the North East of England has increased with local police responding to a number of such incidents last week, including events that resulted in the death of a young man, three stabbings and an accusation of rape. Local police forces have reminded residents that gatherings of more than six are still not permitted, and that illegal gatherings will be disbanded.

Acts of gross misconduct were not limited to the North last week, with both the Cenotaph and a statue of Sir Winston Churchill being boarded up to protect them from the small minority of violent individuals who continue to disrupt the largely peaceful Black Lives Matter protests in the centre of the capital. Over the weekend the Metropolitan Police Service aired their concerns at the potential for clashes between demonstrators and far-right groups who travelled to London to ‘protect the monuments’. The second weekend of major demonstrations continued without any serious incidents.

Across the globe, cases of Coronavirus continue to rise, with Johns Hopkins University confirming over 7.7 million cases and 430,000 deaths worldwide. There is particular concern in India, who recorded a record 11,929 cases in 24 hours on Sunday, whilst the rate of deaths in Latin America continues to accelerate.

British Rowing:

“We want to ensure that when the team does return to full training, they are able to do so in an environment that is safe and effective.”

Brendan Purcell, Director of Performance at British Rowing

Amid a week of national turmoil, stories of rowing joy pierced the dark frontier of news, with broken records, virtual races and further news on the return to rowing all making headlines.

The news on the lips of many towards the end of last week was that the National Squad are set to return to the National Training Centre Caversham over the coming weeks as the easing of lockdown restrictions looks to permit the continuation of elite-level sports training. After a deep-clean at the purpose-build location, a small group of GB athletes living locally will be invited back to determine whether or not Caversham can sustain a Covid-secure environment with full-scale training, before the rest of the team returns after a ‘summer break’.

For the rest of the rowing community, British Rowing has also released updates guidance detailing how we can expect a phased return to the water to take many months yet. The latest version can be found online here. British Rowing stresses that individuals should only return to the water if government advice permits it, and only if they can maintain their usual responsibilities which should underpin additional Covid-19 precautions.

In the virtual sphere, we witnessed two events this week which have quickly written themselves into the history books: The first-ever virtual Boat Race, and James Cracknell’s record-breaking marathon row.

The first event – the virtual Boat Race – was sponsored by Power2Inspire and aimed to both provide a cathartic viewing experience for Boat Race fans, whilst raising money for the Power2Inspire charity which provides opportunities for disabled individuals to participate in Olympic sports. The race was held online with the teams including names such as Ollie Cook, Pete Reed, Pippa Whitaker and Tom Parish. The event was a hit with the virtual crowds, and although Cambridge were the eventual victors, the crews combined were successful in raising almost £20,000 for the charity.

Meanwhile, James Cracknell’s attempt to take the crown in the Heavyweight 40-49 Men’s category was another success for the semi-retired athlete, finishing in a time of 2:30.37 – a new British Record. The double Olympic gold medalist was catapulted to fame again during the 2019 Boat Race cycle, where alongside his Cambridge cremates he became the oldest Boat Race winner to date.

International Rowing:

“Because rowing at the Olympic Games in a final is one of the most memorable moments of my life, but it doesn’t top everything else.”

Kaj Hendriks, Netherlands National Team

Another quiet week on the international circuit as elite and club-level athletes ease back into training, whilst the break from the usual frantic world has given some the opportunity to reflect on the place of sport in their lives.

World Rowing have returned to publishing a series of pieces aimed at providing a light alternative to the normal onslaught of technical information with their Top Five rowing films, detailing some of the highlights of rowing in popular cinematography. They have also continued with the Coaches Corner initiative which provides coaches the world over with tips and tricks from the sports leading coaches and support staff.

As some European Nations manage a return to national training programmes, FISA sat down to discuss the impact of Covid-19 with Kaj Hendriks who decided to return to the wards of his local hospital to help with the healthcare effort during the pandemic.

Elsewhere, Junior Rowing News has the opportunity to discuss racism and inequality in sport with former CUWBC President Daphne Martschenko, former NFL player and BBC Pundit Jason Bell, and retired England and Great Britain sprinter Chris Lambert. The interview was recorded for a special episode of our podcast and can be found here.

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That’s all for this week’s briefing. Be sure to tune in next week for the latest news, advice, and analysis.

Until then, catch the latest episodes of our podcast here, and keep up with content from across our team on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

Stay Safe

Ed Evans 

Opinions Editor

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