A THRIVING rowing club has just added a new racing boat to its fleet thanks to the generosity of the people of the village who helped raise almost £5,000.

Calstock Rowing Club is going from strength to strength with a new surge of interest down to the success of the Olympic rowers — this year has been the most successful season the club has had in years.

Last Sunday evening the 18ft flashboat 'Jim Stacey II' was launched from the village slipway with the blessing of the Rev Canon Andrew Wilson, the rector of Calstock Parish Churches.

Ley Roberts, the secretary of the rowing club, said: 'The whole club was there to show off the "Jim Stacey II" along with all the trophies that have been won by the club this year.

'For the first time in about 40 years we have won a senior championship with our ladies' four oar winning the Cornish Rowing Association Championships and our under 18s girls' crew also winning their category.

'We hope to further these successes next year with the help of our new boat, named after Jim Stacey, a well respected former member and driving force of the club for nearly 40 years.'

The new boat has been specially designed and built by Andrew Avent, of Gunnislake, to accommodate these smaller members.

'At a cost of £4,850 it is a big investment and all club members would very much like to thank the Calstock community for its help and support in the raising of these funds,' added Ley.

The club has more than 40 members, 30 of whom are junior members, with more keen to join.

Chairman Nick Bradley, who has been involved with Calstock Rowing Club for 25 years, said two adults were due to take coaching exams, which would bring the total to four British Rowing-accredited level 2 coaches, enabling more sessions and maximising the potential for the juniors and adults.

'With more coaches and a new top racing boat to add to our seven-year-old racer we can be more competitive,' he said.

'We have a huge number of 10 and 11-year-olds coming through at the moment and we hope in a year or so we can have a really competitive under 14s crew.

Nick, whose five children have all been involved in rowing in Calstock, added: 'Rowing is a real keystone of the community and it is great that all the youngsters want to get involved. Some of our adult members are teachers and the enthusiasm has definitely rubbed off onto the children they teach.'