John Sabine

Shanklin and Sandown RC, Ventor, I o W

I have only been to Scotland once (when my brother Charles Sabine married a Scot's lass (Stephanie )a couple of years ago at Kincraig). I was only there for a weekend but it meant that I couldn't row with the Shankin crew in the SOuth Coast finals the same weekend. My replacement was very good but as my four came second by a canvas and all our other crews won their events, I thought that had it not been for the wedding, we might have won all three events that day. and I might have achieved what would have been my only win in a final. Anyway, I don't hold it against him, his wife (as she has a fantastic voice which you can hear on BBC tv almost every day) or Scotland as a whole. I even eat porridge every morning In fact I thought I must come back and teach you about the delights of coastal rowing (Ventnor used to have 3 rowing clubs in its Edwardian heyday) or some of you must come to the Isle of Wight and get a taste of our rugged charm and very good real ales etc
All the very best, John.