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 2022/23 Ladder is now in its 10th Year!
Current standings on The Ladder
Results of December’s Virtual Run (elapsed times). It was too icy to safely boat for Paddy’s Run on the water.
How did The Ladder finish in 2021/22?
The Ladder 2021/2022 (opens in new tab). Medal winners are highlighted, congratulations to:
- 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
Roll of Honour – All medal winners (opens in new tab)
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
Trophy for fastest Newcomer (first year of participation)
