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ROLLS ROYCE CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN EVENT, 11 MAY 2008

City Barge boats appeared in a waterborne procession at Windsor alongside Dunkirk Little Ships and the splendidly restored Motor

Torpedo Boat 102. With 400 Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Ferraris and Aston Martins gathered on the riverside meadow, a Spitfire and

 Lancaster of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flew overhead to the sound of a brass band playing hits of the 1940s.  Guests of Honour

were Vera Lynn  and Prince Michael of Kent.

The Return of Settemari

Henley start

The Settemari, a Cultural and Rowing Association from Venice made a second major visit to England in April 2008, organised by City Barge. This was a resounding success and there were a total of 45 participants from the two clubs over the five day event. A fleet of eight Venetian boats set off from Henley and arrived after 45 miles at Teddington, three days later. The flagship of the fleet was the beautiful balotina, “Nicolotta”, a ceremonial gondola with six rowing places. Rowing was challenging as the prevailing westerly wind was replaced by a strong easterly, which produced a headwind for all three days.


Balotina


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.

 Red Jelly lady




Welcome Gondolino Donation


Juliet's Gondolino


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.


VOGALONGA   2008


VLstart

This was the 34th Vogalonga (and Rob Van Mesdag’s 33rd)

 26 City Barge members took part either standing or sitting and were accompanied by 21 friends and guests. We were kindly hosted by the Querini, who provided the boats for the 13 sitters and by the Settemari who let us join in with their Venetian crews
.
Some people stayed for a week or so while others arrived on Friday and departed on Monday. Apart from a threatening cloud one evening we were blessed with perfect weather and our hosts excelled themselves with their hospitality.
 
Those who could were invited by the Settemari on Thursday to the launching of a new Caorlina on Burano. Many of the club rowed over to the island and amid much merriment and sustenance the new boat was launched by Penny Williams. Some of us then rowed it at a furious pace back to Venice (nearly beating the others who returned by vaporetto) to further celebrations there.
Lady Clarke held her now traditional reception on  Friday evening which for many
marks the start of the trip.

On Saturday crews arranged their boats, practiced a little rowing and lunched at the trattoria on Vignole.

The Querini put on a splendid party on their new pontile on Saturday evening inviting all the crews from various countries who had borrowed boats for the following day’s excitements.

Again there was a record entry in the Vogalonga. This time almost 1600 boats and 5000 rowers. The breeze which had sprung up early caused some consternation but also had the effect of cooling hot bodies.
 Querini English rowers
 

With so many crews it was inevitable that the usual scrum would happen at the approach to the Cannaregio Canal. Indeed some people had to wait half an hour before popping like corks into the Grand Canal. Many of us put forward theories to avoid this in the future and having full confidence in the Italian organisers know that it will be the same next year.

The Settemari had invited all the City Barge party to their “Sede” that evening where dinner was served outside. In the balmy evening we listened to a soprano accompanied by a lute as more and more food appeared.

Many people departed Home on Monday or Tuesday and those remaining were invited to another dinner at the Settemari. This was a slightly more formal affair at which a slide and video show of the pictures taken during the visit to the Thames was given. Amid much merriment and friendliness all bade their farewells in the hope of a repeat next year if not before.
 




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