Norwich Masters’ Sculling Ladder

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 IS IN its 11th Year: 2023/24!

Current Standings in The Ladder

Results of February’s Run (elapsed and adjusted times).

Results of January’s Run (elapsed and adjusted times).

Results of December’s Run (elapsed and adjusted times).

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

Newcomer’s medal and perpetual trophy
The first sculler to break one hour got a special medal in 2022
Women’s winner

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?

Unbridled joy!

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

The start, at The Old Chestnut Tree