Jeppe’s 60th Anniversary – 2018/2019


Calling on all Jeppe Rowing old boys and supporters


As a club, Jeppe had not won a Gold medal at SA Schools since 2003, a long drought for a club once so strong. A new wind is blowing though, and the boys set about the season with a view to changing that record, which they certainly managed!
At Schools Champs earlier in March, they won three golds, two silvers and a bronze. The growth of rowing in recent years has led to changes in format which mean that every medal is overall in the country for that category -there’s no A, B, C divisions anymore. 
These successes, as always, come through hard work and dedication, but the boys are additionally challenged by their desperately aging fleet – the majority of the boats are heavily outdated. 
KES have recently raised R2.5m through their old boys for a new fleet, and the results have started showing on the water, with wins across the board.
Our first target is to buy the boys a new competitive 1st eight – this year they raced in a rented a 20 year old boat weighing 104kg, against Olympic class Empachers, Filippis, and Hudsons all less than three years old, and we need to raise the roughly R700 000 by June to be able to get it to them before next season. Our longer term aim though is to re-equip the fleet and create a sustainable income stream for the club. 

So what can you do? Two things:
1.	Donate some money. Any amount is welcome, whether it can buy a new boat or a new blade or even a new slide.
2.	Spread the word. Get hold of your year and put a crew donation in, and reconnect with others you remember from school to do the same.