
The group were given hospitality by the Henley Royal Regatta HQ, who gave us tea, the Riverside Restaurant, Bray, who gave as overnight mooring and champagne, and Dittons Skiff and Punting Club who showed us their amazing collecting of boats and gave us drinks. There was a very special dinner for 41 hosted by our patron Francis Phillimore and his wife Natalie in Coppid Hall. The Phyllis Court Club and the Lensbury Club provided fine accommodation and we ate particularly good buffet lunches at the River House Restaurant in Windsor and the Prince of Wales in East Molesey. The final dinner in the Lensbury Club, after the last days rowing, was a convivial affair with good food and much singing of Venetain and UK songs. The most unusual presentation was a red jelly lady given as a birthday cake to Giovanni Caniato who has the same birthday as the queen. |
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On the 18th of January 2008 it was confirmed that a City Barge member, Juliet Dunsmure, had donated her fine gondolino to the club for general use. The gondolino is a fine marque of Venetian boat and is the version used by the gondoliers when they compete for the top racing prize at the Regatta Storica in Venice. This regatta occurs on the first Sunday of September every year on the Grand Canal and is watched by large crowds. The gondolino is a sleek, lightweight version of the traditional black tourist gondola and is the greyhound of the lagoon. She is designed for two rowers and requires good balance and some experience to show and propel her at her best.
This boat was imported from Venice about six years ago and was renovated by Tim Williams. Juliet Dunsmure donated some money for the repainting of the racing boat and this will be carried out by Avon Boating Ltd. under the expert eye of Nick Birch at Stratford-upon-Avon. When she is ready there will be a relaunching on the Thames at Oxford and the boat will be named, being presently anonymous.
The photo shows Juliet’s gondolino in action on the way downstream
from Lechlade, rowed by Piero Tapetto and Pigi Borella of the Settemari
Rowing and Cultural Association. The photo credit goes to Richard
Norton.
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