What is the NMSL?
The Norwich Masters’ Sculling Ladder is competitive winter training for Masters from any Norwich rowing club, and occasional guest scullers, with a “leg” each month from September to March. (See “Participation”, below.)
The Ladder has started its 11th Year: 2023/24!
Current Standings in The Ladder
Results of November’s Run (elapsed and adjusted times).
Last Year
The Ladder 2022/2023 medal winners were:
- Women’s fastest (and overall fastest Mirella McGee)
- Men’s fastest Piers Herrmann
- Fastest Newcomer (first winter of participation only) Lizzy Johnstone
- Meynell Medal (trophy presented by Ant Meynell for the oldest sculler by date of birth to have completed ALL legs of the Ladder) Nigel Kippin
- The Wood Award for the fastest “supermaster double” Pam Turnbull and Keith Baxter (new trophy in 2022/23)
- additional medal to the sculler to break the one hour (on adjusted time) Vygantas Audinis (again!)
Roll of Honour – All medal winners (opens in new tab)
Trophies in 2021/22
The Ladder 2021/2022 medal winners were:
- Men’s fastest Lawrence Taylor
- Women’s fastest Mirella McGee
- Fastest Newcomer (first winter of participation only) Graham Sparkes
- Meynell Medal (trophy presented by Ant Meynell for the oldest sculler by date of birth to have completed ALL legs of the Ladder) David Wynne
- special medal to the first sculler to break the one hour (on adjusted time) Vygantas Audinis
Participation
- For each leg, the masters undertake a “Paddy’s Run” in their single.
- The Run is a time trial that starts at the Old Chestnut Tree by the entrance to the River Yare New Cut.
- Runs are usually on the last Sunday of each winter month. Starting with the currently slowest first at around 07:50.
- Scullers paddle downriver to “Paddy’s Pump” (a land mark used as a customary turning point for winter training outings).
- They turn at “Paddy’s” and come back to finish at the Chestnut Tree. That’s total distance of 14.4 km, taking them approximately 65 to 85 minutes to complete.
- Timers at the Tree take all start and finish times.
- The raw times are adjusted for masters age and gender.
- Adjusted times are aggregated for positions on The Ladder.
- A penalty time is awarded for a sculler not turning up or (rarely) not completing the Run.
- Participants have their slowest Run time deducted from the aggregate (so scullers can afford to clock up one penalty time and still be in contention for a good place!).
- This is not a race, but intensive distance training that tests endurance, watermanship and mental strength, and offers a competitive atmosphere to motivate the Masters in the long winter months.
- To make it more fun, the following medals are awarded at the end of winter:
- Men’s fastest
- Women’s fastest
- Fastest Newcomer (first winter of participation only)
- Meynell Medal (for the oldest sculler by date of birth to have completed ALL legs of the Ladder).
Can I join in?
If you are of Masters age and can boat in a single for the Runs, you are welcome to join in. You don’t have to do all the Runs, but you get a penalty time for each Run missed, for the Ladder standings. Guest scullers are welcome where entry numbers permit. Contact David Wynne, using nmsl@yareboatclub.org
Past Ladders
