Dittons Skiff & Punting Club

International

In July fourteen visitors from Rowing Club Argentine arrived at Gatwick for a 2 week British rowing experience visiting Edinburgh, York and Thames Ditton.

Their visit went extremely well and it seems that our visitors from Argentina and everyone from Dittons had a really good time. Let me tell you some of the highlights. A weekend of events started with Hampton Court and Dittons Regatta. A new event was laid on; "International Handicap Doubles" With mixed Dittons and Rowing Club Argentine crews j "and a crew from Skiff Club - who won). The runners up were myself and 18 year old Diego. Who had only rowed three times. Record. Their Club President, added some International flavour to our regatta by commentating on this even in Spanish. Everyone was delighted to see Diego presented with a runners up tankard. Punting fun clay lived up to its name on Sunday. In the evening Jan Pitcher and Sue Pittman's special roast dinner was an event all those attended will surely never forget. Simon Leifer delivered a speech in Spanish followed by an English translation which proved extremely amusing. We presented caps, ties and a blade spoon to commemorate their visit. Everyone laughed even louder when the Racing Club Argentino President Ricardo presented a blade spoon to us. They recognised various members of Dittons for their efforts in organising the trip with medals and gave everyone involved T-shirts. Ricardo's speech revealed that to the Argentinean rowers a visit to the Thames and particularly Henley was very special as this was the Mecca of rowing.

The three day row from Goring to Marlow was blessed with good weather and was a chance for us to get to know our visitors much better. We moored at John Calvert's the first night, the boathouse where they lived had been part of a large estate, and was fascinating to look round. That evening we dined in a local pub and the highlight was Ricardo's rendition of the Tango on the Piano, a great tradition in Argentina. Our second night was hosted by Wargrave Boating Club who generously, thanks to the Fennesey's, lent us 2 boats, found a place for the whole party of 23 to stay and a venue for a barbecue at Hilary and John Chew's house. Fiona Andrews really did us proud by providing a top notch barbecue and John Graham did the honours for the second time with the cooking. More presentations were conducted with Rowing Club Argentine thanking Wargrave for their generosity and presenting material to the Rowing and River Museum for their archives.

Probably the most unexpected but thrilling event happened on the last day of the row when we were invited by Bill and Penny Rose (granddaughter of Richmond boat builders Museum) to view their collection of boats. The collection of superbly maintained wooden boats was frankly awesome. We are assured by many that we were very honoured to have been invited and we really felt it.

I would like to give a very big thank you to many members of Dittons who were so generous it making this trip such a success. There isn't space to mention everyone but I must give a special thanks to a few others that I haven't recognised already. Lucy White (nee Richardson) for lending her house to 3 of the party whilst she was on her honeymoon, Mike Phillips for loaning two skiffs, Malcolm and Ruth for providing an outing on Lord Aragorn and for lowing the boats for our Thames row and Claire Wade and Sheila Broome for leading a walk. Also, Patricia and George, Caroline and John, Rowena, Alan Sutton and Jan for providing accommodation.

Since their return to Argentina, Maria the organiser of the trip, has been on television with Ricardo to report on the event, so I can assure you that Dittons Skiff & Punting Club is a big name in Argentina!

Dittons have a 16 strong party to visit Buenos Aires this November and we are looking forward to rowing in the Tigre Delta, learning to tango, visiting Uruguay, Buenos Aires and an Estancia (ranch) to see the gauchos (cowboys) at work. Interest in another visit to me UK. is mounting amongst rowers in Argentina and all the skiff clubs are being invited to a regatta in December of this year. This surely marks the start of a new and exciting opportunity for international skiffing for everyone on the Thames and for those who have not managed to find the time or funds to join the trip this year will I am sure have the chance to visit another time.