Xmas celebrations for Royals.

The last Sunday before Christmas is the traditional date for the Royal Chester Rowing Club 'Icicle Eights', an informal and usually fancy dress race for all the clubs rowing on the River Dee.

Crews of eight of all ages and abilities from Royals, Grosvenor, Kings and Rex start at Eccleston Ferry with the slowest starting first, the fastest last. With luck everyone arrives at the finish at Sandy Lane in a celebration of eights. This year over twenty five crews competed with a Rex RC crew crossing the line first, the fastest men’s and women’s crews were both from Royal Chester but they were not quite fast enough to make up the handicap. Money raised from the race was donated to the Hospice of the Good Shepherd.

The celebrations continued on land with the naming of four new boats recently added to the expanding Royal Chester fleet. A lightweight cox less quad for the top juniors was named Marjory Boddy and financed with generous support from the Marjory Boddy Charitable Trust with Edward Walton from the Trust pouring the champagne.

Next, an Empacher coxed four was christened ‘Biglands’ by John Bigland in recognition of the support the club has received from Bigland family members since 1895. An Empacher coxless four was named ‘Judy Davies’ after another long-standing member whose support both on and off the water has stretched over many years. Judy herself splashed the champagne.

The club’s latest racing Fillippi eight for the top men’s crew was named after the outgoing club captain ‘Mike Palamaczuk’ in recognition of the tremendous effort he has put in in recent years to drive the club forward.

Finally, an Empacher eight for the Masters Women’s squad was christened ‘Sue Beaumont’ in memory of a squad member who recently passed away. The boat was part financed through the generosity of the Ursula Keyes Trust and Sue’s husband Tate Beaumont was on hand to complete the ceremony assisted by Euan Elliott of the Ursula Keyes Trust.

Every year the club recognizes a member who has contributed significantly to the club, which is run entirely by volunteers, with an ‘Unsung Hero Award’ and this year the recipient was Geoff Wynne, a coach who seems to dedicate all his free time to supporting and encouraging the Junior Squad.