Cover image credit @teamGB
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:
“Stay home, protect the NHS, save lives…”
On Sunday evening as the death toll in the UK passed 280, the Prime Minister addressed the nation with renewed urgency to fight Covid-19 in two key areas:
Firstly, the most vulnerable in society will be advised in the coming days that they should remain at home for an initial 12 weeks. The total number expected to be asked to ‘shield’ is 1.5 million.
Those who need shielding are those on certain types of immunosuppressant therapy, people with severe respiratory illness, and those with certain types of bone and blood cancer, amongst others.
Shielding will involve a period of extended self-isolation, which as journalists quickly pointed out, could lead to a deterioration in both psychological and physical conditions.
To combat this, the Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick was quick to confront these fears with a variety of promises and pleas, such as the delivery of food parcels to those without a support network, and encouraging families to contact loved ones to boost their spirits.
The full list of those who will be asked to shield is available on gov.uk/coronavirus
Secondly, Number 10 reinforced the policy of only at “the right moment”
Mr Johnson delivered a stark warning that if the public fails to follow social distancing advice to curb the spread of the virus, more extreme measures such as curfews and prohibitions will be introduced at the time when they can have “the maximum effect”.
The PM said he would think “very actively” about the implementation of further measures over the next 24 hours.
In the meantime, he said he wants people to still access open spaces, but in doing so social distancing should be maintained with a 6ft isolation bubble around each individual.
British Rowing:
“British Rowing advises that all Affiliated Clubs should cease all club-based activity”
The big news from British Rowing also came in two major chunks, firstly that all BR affiliated clubs should suspend activity, and that the National Training Centre Caversham would close.
The move to close clubs around the country came as no surprise for onlookers, but the response represented a major shift in official stance from just 24 hours earlier when the advice for clubs was that there is no “one size fits all” model.
British Rowing also announced that the Go Row Indoor newsletter will become a weekly email as of this week to provide home training advice in an effort to keep the “the rowing family active and healthy in these difficult circumstances.”
The second major announcement was that the GB Rowing Team would transition to a home training model to minimise the contact between the squad and between support staff.
This again comes as no surprise to those who have watched the events of the last few days slowly unfold.
The national squad – much like any other high-performance team – continue to be at a heightened risk of contracting an illness due to the immunosuppressive consequences of regular, high-intensity training.
Suspending squad training is, nevertheless, a major step, and one that puts the future of this Olympic cycle at stake. The three World Cups have already been called off, whilst Tokyo continues to review the Olympic situation.
International Rowing:
“[The] Final Olympic Qualification regatta is cancelled”
The major global rowing news this week comes from World Rowing, who have confirmed that all Olympic Qualification Regattas have been cancelled, and will not be postponed or relocated.
World Rowing says it is seeking a pragmatic solution to the crisis, in line with regional, national and international health advice that is changing on a daily basis.
Paralympic qualification is a slightly different story due to the later nature of the games. Much like Olympic qualification, there are four major qualification opportunities for athletes. World Rowing state that “solutions are still being sought to possibly offer these qualification opportunities.”
In terms of the Olympics themselves, the IOC and the Japanese government have for the first time publicly considered postponing the Games. A four week deadline has been set for a decision to be made. This comes after Canada became the first country to pull out of the Games.
Around the world, Covid-19 continues to impact national and local rowing programs. In Hong Kong the 4th Master’s Regatta has been called off, just months after the nation hosted the World Rowing Coastal Championships.
In the hardest-hit regions such as Italy, all rowing has been suspended in line with social and economic measures being introduced to combat the spread of the virus.
That’s all for this week’s briefing. Be sure to tune in next week for the latest news, advice, and analysis.
Until then, keep up with our other Covid-19 content on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Stay safe.
Ed Evans
Opinions Editor
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