St Neots Rowing Club was approached recently by a researcher working on Channel 5’s The Gadget Show to ask whether the club could loan out two single sculls as part of a gadget challenge. The challenge is to pit two-time Olympic Gold medallist rower Alex Gregory MBE to a 500m race on a lake at Wyboston Lakes, against presenter Georgie Barrat. This will form part of their “Vs Olympics Special” in which each of the 4 presenters will use technology to take on an athlete or team whose sport would have been represented at this year’s Olympics.
With a flurry of activity at a week’s notice, and with strict hygiene and distancing protocols, two single sculls were provided for a successful day’s filming in early June. The challenge will be aired at 7pm on Channel 5 on Friday 24 July and should be a good watch. Who will win?
The rowing club decided that it would donate the £300 hire fee to SERV (Service by Emergency Rider Volunteers), a voluntary organisation delivery service for our local NHS hospitals. The club chose this charity because one of SERV’s volunteers has generously built an online booking system to enable our members to get back onto the water once the coronavirus lockdown started to lift. Further donations can be made through their website at https://servhertsbeds.squarespace.com to help with fuel costs in support of this invaluable delivery service.
