Alerts

MBM News Feed

About The TVR

The Five Clubs Rally was formed in 1984 by Bray Cruiser Club, Bourne End Cruiser Club, Harleyford Motor Yacht Club, The Windsor Race Course Yacht Club and The Windsor Yacht Club. At that time there were inter club boat handling competitions between each of these clubs, which took up so many weekends, that it was decided to join forces and hold all the competitions at the same time on the May Bank holiday weekend.

Things started with just a small tent in the field just below Temple Lock, boats were a lot smaller in those days so mooring was not a problem. There was fierce rivalry among the clubs with the Bray 'Yobs' usually winning the Tug of War and the Harleyford 'Snobs' taking most honours in the Boat Handling. The main stay behind the Rally in those days was Norman Joyce who was the Secretary and did most of the organisation work but as the rally got bigger a committee of 12 ( 2 Flag officers from each club, a Chairman and a treasurer) was formed to help spread the work load between the clubs.

The rally then moved up to Fawley Meadow at Henley which could accommodate a much larger event and even a marquee. This started to change the event into a much more sociable occasion. Firstly adding children's activities, a Dance and then Meals and eventually heating the marquee for those cold spring evenings.

As the boats got bigger and the ground at Fawley got soggier (one year you could paddle in the Marquee) we moved across the river to the existing site of Copas Meadow. With the demise of Race Course and then the Bourne End Clubs the name was changed to the Thames Valley Rally and other Clubs were invited to join. Oxford Ditch Cruising Club joined us in 1999. Thanks to the Financial assistance given to us by our sponsors and advertisers and a lot of hard work by the organising committee the Rally has grown into the major event that you see today.

Bray CC · Harleyford MYC · Oxford Ditch CC · The Windsor YC