1999

 

One Million Meter Indoor Rowing World Record Breaking Attempt 26th October 1999

Christchurch Rowing Club was proud to be a part of the world record attempt for the One Million Meter indoor row.

This event was organized by Simon Oxlade, a former Christchurch rower. Another Christchurch rower (Ed Lakin) went up to Bristol to support Simon. A team of 11 rowers (6 men and 5 ladies) spent 3 & 1/2 days in The Mall shopping center, Bristol. The two teams rowed in 5 hour shifts, each rower completing 10 minute sessions on the ergo. It was a rare sight for the security guards to see the ergo spinning away in the early hours.

The team were just denied the record by a team of male prisoners. We do therefore hold the unofficial mixed team record.

The team raised £400 during the event (mostly through people putting coins in our buckets and a further £6,100 from local businesses afterwards! This money allowed Avon County RC to successfully apply for the Project Oarsome initiative, which resulted in no fewer than ten new boats being purchased for use by school kids. Three secondary schools in the Avon area now offer rowing as part of their sports program, all serviced and run by Avon County Rowing Club, and ACRC now has about fifty kids in the Junior squad! Although the team missed the record, the knock-on effect has been fantastic.

Well done to the organizer all those who took part. They must be mad!

Here are some of the photos of the event

This is Simon Oxlade the culprit, I mean founder of the event. Along side him is Ed Lakin, another Christchurch rower, and then we have the ladies that took part in the event or to put it another way, how many girls can you fit on an ergo at once game.