Rowers honour student

03/05/2008

THE memory of student Victoria Buchanan will be kept alive when Newcastle University rowers take to the water next Sunday. The university’s Boat Club senior men’s eight will be racing in a boat which bears her name.

The Vicky Buchanan is named in memory of the geography graduate, who was killed in a road accident cycling to work at Chelsea Football Club in 2006.

Former boat club members John Knight and Claire Allen, who were both close friends of Vicky’s, decided to immortalise her memory after John won the opportunity to name the club’s new boat in a raffle.

John, who graduated from Newcastle University in 1999 with a Masters degree in town planning, said: “It is a pleasure to be able to name the boat after Vicky.

“During her time at Newcastle University, she was a tremendous asset to the boat club. She served on the committee as social secretary, and was also coach to the novices for a short period.

“Vicky was very much in it for the taking part, and for the friendship within the club, which makes NUBC so special,” said John. “I hope that, like me, the current members of the club will still be in touch with the friends they made here 10 years after graduating.”

After her death, Vicky’s fiancé, Adam Chataway, launched a charity in her memory to raise money to provide clean water for Lera Town in Ethiopia, where she had spent time while studying for her geography degree.

To date, Vicky’s Water Project has raised over £520,000. Adam, and Vicky’s parents Jack and Val Buchanan, attended the naming ceremony for the Vicky Buchanan along with John and Claire and current members of Newcastle University Boat Club.

President of the club Dan Cupit said: “At NUBC, we have a tradition of naming our boats after people who have had strong links with the club, so we felt that John and Claire’s suggestion of naming the new boat to remember Vicky was a really good idea.”

Claire, who rowed for Newcastle University’s women’s first eight in the Northumbrian Water University Boat Race in 1998 and 1999, said: “The turnout from the boat club was really impressive and I know that both Adam and Vicky’s parents were completely thrilled with the boat.”

Among the club’s other boats are Ed, named after Olympic champion and former Newcastle University rower Ed Coode; Tom, after the husband of the late Dame Catherine Cookson, whose donation enabled the club to buy the boat in 1990 and Christopher and Salamanda, after the university’s former Vice-Chancellor Chris Edwards and his wife, Sally.

Tyne Challenge

THE rowing contest between Newcastle and Durham university boat clubs will take place on May 11.

Newcastle’s club president Dan Cupit issued the challenge to his counterpart Rob Stark by handing over the ceremonial oar blade at Gateshead’s Baltic Square earlier this week.

Dave Clasper, great-great-nephew of Tyne rowing legend Harry Clasper, will oversee the main men’s race which is named in his honour.

The races will be held along an 1,800 metre course from Dunston Staithes to the Millennium Bridge.

Journal Live - www.journallive.co.uk