|
|
 |
| Eton is fortunate to be one
of the best equipped schools in the world, and many of its extensive facilities
are made available to the students of the Rowing Courses. The rowing facilities,
in particular, are second to none, with three boathouses adjacent to the
River Thames, and the newly built international standard 8-lane course (complete
with world class boathouse) at Dorney Lake. Rowing is today a hugely
popular sport at Eton, and the College's Boat Club has a larger membership
and fleet of boats than any other boat club in the world. |
|
The majority of facilities used on
the Rowing Courses are accessible on foot from within Eton itself, with
the main exception of Dorney Lake, which is reached in 15 minutes by minibus.
|
|
 |
The development and construction
of Dorney
Lake has been a project entirely funded and managed
by Eton College. It is designed to meet regional, national and international
needs with particular emphasis on youth and training, as well as the school's
own rowing needs. The finished project consists of a 2,000 metre rowing
and canoeing course, a boathouse, a park and arboretum, and a nature conservation
area. The first real test for the Lake was passed in the summer of 2006,
with the successful hosting of the World Rowing Championships, and it has
also been selected as the venue to host the rowing events of the London
Olympic Games in 2012. The Lake has been actively used by the Rowing Courses
since 2000, providing as it does a safe, still-water training facility for
rowers and scullers of all abilities. |
|
|
 |
| The boats to be used on the Rowing Courses
are all generously provided by Eton College Boat Club, from a total fleet
of more than 400, almost all of which are built to the highest standard
by Eton Racing Boats. The Rowing Courses' fleet includes the following: |
| |
Sculling Boats
- Single sculls (whiffs for novices, tracers/Eton Phoenix boats for others)
- Double sculls (coxed and coxless)
- Quad sculls (coxed and coxless)
- Octuple sculls Rowing Boats
- Pairs (coxed and coxless)
- Fours (coxed and coxless)
- Eights
Also:
- Dragon Boats
- Bell boats
- Concept II rowing ergometers (for use with projector & big screen)
|
|
| |
| A variety of Macon and Big Blades (cleavers)
are available for use with the boats above. Other equipment available includes
rowing ergometers and land-tubs that are used for coaching purposes. |
|
|
|
The Rowing Courses operate on a fully residential
basis, so all participants are housed in two of Eton's boarding houses,
(one for boys and one for girls) using individual rooms normally occupied
during term time by Eton College boys. A House Supervisor and several other
members of Rowing Course staff are also resident in each house to ensure
that the correct ratio of staff to students can be maintained at all times.
The houses are very well equipped with bathroom facilities on each floor
and the use of a ground floor common room for TV & video, table tennis
and snooker etc. Snacks are also served in the houses after the evening
outings.
|
|
 |
Three main meals (breakfast, lunch and
supper) are provided every day in the College's main Dining Hall (called
Bekynton). Bekynton is a short walk from both the boys and girls houses.
A wide variety of food is on offer to accommodate all tastes, and the three
main meals are supplemented by healthy snacks served at the Boathouses between
the morning outings, and by a "tuck shop" that is open every evening
in the Social Room.
|
|
 |
The School's many other facilities are
also within walking distance, and are made available to Rowing Course participants
free of charge. Examples include Eton’s indoor pool, tennis
courts, squash courts etc. |
