Greenbank Falmouth is a small, welcoming rowing club that is based on Stithians Lake near Redruth Cornwall. The club has a long-standing history being founded in 1949 by Roy Coote where they rowed and raced in 15-foot skiffs and flash boats, until in 1970 they made the transfer over to modern racing boats. They moved to their current boathouse in 2006 after rowing out of Greenbank Gardens before then. The club has a focus on providing accessible rowing to the local community with Junior men and women’s, Master’s men and women’s and recreational women’s squads currently operating. In addition to this, they also have a few senior team members who regularly compete.
The junior squad at Greenback Falmouth has members starting at around 12 years old. The current squad members are relatively new to rowing and at the moment are focused on developing their technique and boat skills as well as finding love and enjoyment of rowing. Before lockdown, the juniors were able to attend after school sessions at the river in order to help build these skills. The junior squad has the opportunity to be coached by long-term club members of the club, helping them to feel even more a part of the strong boat club community. Unfortunately, at the moment, they have been unable to gain much racing experience due to current Covid-19 restrictions preventing them from attending their first race in the summer. However, the club is optimistic in trying to organise some competitive racing experience for its juniors with plans to hold some form of racing as soon as possible either within the club or against other local clubs. The squad provides a friendly and warm environment with it not being uncommon to have siblings all joining the club to learn to row together. The junior squad has seen one of its members represent Greenbank Falmouth as part of the British Rowing Head Start Programme for indoor rowing with her brother also being a club member.
Alongside their relatively new junior squad, the club also has a well established Senior and Masters squad operating off the lake. One of the club’s senior members- T.Wilkinson, managed to qualify for the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta in 2019. The senior squad also have previously visited Turin, Italy to race in the SilverSkiff Race with four boats entered in 2017. The club’s coaches are long-term, well-established members who have had many years of rowing and club experience between them. As part of the close boat club community, some of the more experienced members also volunteer to row in sculling and sweep boats with the beginners to provide some in-boat coaching as well as a taste of the warm community that they have. The club also hosts its own regatta which provides racing opportunities for all of its members and an exciting day for the whole of the boat club community. All the members also have access to the club gym, lake, and equipment allowing them to develop their skills both on and off the water.
Greenbank Falmouth prides itself on its friendly and welcoming atmosphere that caters to a range of abilities from rowing for pure enjoyment to facilitating the more competitive nature of the sport. Recently the club has also proudly invested into a new blue eight that is named after a lifelong club member- Steve Wilmot. This eight is hoped to be used by the whole club and all its members for many years to come.
Want to find out more about Greenbank? Check out their website
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Images via Greenbank Falmouth Rowing Club
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