Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Leander Club on Monday to talk about women in sport. With the Olympics in mind, this was a good opportunity to give our female rowers a platform. Much of what was discussed were our concerns regarding our polluted waterways and the impact it is having on the sport. The Prime Minister met President Dick Lester, Chairman Pete Bridge and General Manager Al Heathcote along with committee members Monica Middleton and Vicki Thornley. He was quickly recruited to clean a boat by coach Harriet Taylor and Shauna Fitzsimmons. He then talked to Phoebe Snowden, Abigail Topp, Isy Hawes and Cam Nyland about their training.
We appreciate that the election is imminent and, despite the club being neutral when it comes to politics, it was an important opportunity to voice the apprehensions many athletes have regarding issues affecting the sport of rowing.
