George Parsonage - Riverman

15/08/2026

"Children, abandoned to fun,
aren’t always alert to danger."

Wise words penned in a rowing magazine.

Be careful out there.

"

13/08/2026

latest TaLEW

09/08/2026

A bit of fun.

A stroll around my garden showing the flowers and sculptures. Fil...

08/08/2026

The team flew from Italy to London Sunday night and Ben and Chris had the long drive home. Ben’s boat will not arrive in London until the end of the week, giving him a well-earned rest. Sculling is a hard game, at times a lonely game. It is you, no one else to blame if things go wrong. Perhaps that is why the professional races that took place all over the world in the 1800’s, were almost all in single sculls, one to one combat. Things did not go wrong at Varese, Ben gave of his best, he could not have tried harder, he gave up so much to reach this standard. Ben follows in the footsteps of the great Peter Haining, three times world champion and now one of Ben’s coaches. It was an amazing achievement to reach what is called the A final and to finish 6th. It is perhaps unfair to mention that the British heavyweight sculler finished 12th in his event. To give of his best in Italy, Ben did not defend his British title, he was unable to go for selection to the Home Countries International. Sculling at world level is a big step up and Ben will now try to close that “magic” 10 second gap; difficult when you are not a full-time paid sculler, do not have a squad looking after your every whim, but, Ben has managed to reestablish lightweight sculling, so roll on the World Cups and the World Championships. Everyone who competes at this level is a winner, though the greatest victory here is that lightweights are back in the GB squad.

07/08/2026

Can I ask anyone wishing to contact me to do so through e [email protected] Thank you

05/08/2026

03/08/2026

It’s important to talk to children and young people about their safety around water. Have a conversation about it today and explain:

• They should never swim in an unsupervised area like lochs, rivers, sea or ponds where there isn’t an adult to help if they get into trouble
• It’s much safer to go to a swimming pool where there’s a lifeguard on duty
• They shouldn’t play with or touch lifesaving equipment like life rings by the side of waterways. That equipment might be used to save someone’s life.

Download our leaflet now: https://rb.gy/oc79bl

More info: https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/outdoors/water-safety/

02/08/2026

Ben finishes 6th in Europe against a stacked field of top scullers with many gold medals and titles to their names. It was a magnificent achievement for Ben to make the A final in his first ever race in a GB event. Photos and details to follow.

31/07/2026

From GB website. Ben Parsonage made his international debut for Great Britain and came from behind to win his heat of the Lightweight Men’s Single Scull. Despite a rocky start in the fast conditions, Parsonage rowed through an old rival to win on Lago di Varese.

“It’s a dream come true. It was my first race for GB, and it couldn’t have gone better. Well, I lost my blade in the first 500m as it was pretty wavy, but that’s normal for me so I’ll take it,” said the Clydesdale ARC rower.

“I raced Luca Borgonovo earlier this year, and he beat me every time. Coming into the last 500m, I saw I was level and thought, ‘Right. Here we go, the rematch.’ I’m so glad I pulled through. I’ll see him again in the final but, as an opening race, I’m thrilled.”

31/07/2026

Says it all.