To commemorate their huge achievements at Beijing, Bann Rowing Club grabbed this unique, historic opportunity and, after formally inducting Ireland's Richard Archibald with the Club's highest award of Honorary Life membership, Club Captain Keith Leighton went on to present all three Olympians with their special Bann Club blazers.

The captain mentioned Richard Archibald particularly for his incredible services to Irish rowing, being an excellent ambassador for his hometown, and for being a true role model to Bann, in his whole approach to rowing. The sincerity of Richard's acceptance speech of how much this honour, and being invited into the rowing family at Bann meant to him, gave everyone a rare insight into the passion of one of Coleraine's greatest sportsmen.

Big Alan Campbell was eager, as ever, to quickly move proceedings away from his eternal quest to win, just once , the Bann Boxing Day scratch races. He made particular mention of Seamus Reynolds the Bann Coach, supported by Geoff. Bones, Jeremy Johnston and Julie Campbell, saying it was the quality, enthusiasm, vision and determination of these voluntary Club coaches, day in day out, that creates great rowers.

Richard Chambers presented the Bann Club with a superbly mounted and framed, signed GB. international one piece rowing top which he had worn in the Beijing Olympic final. He also announced that, as a way of giving back to the Club, he had just introduced, with his brother Peter, the "Chambers Pairs ladder" to provide the ultimate in sweep rowing competition.

European double scull champion Peter Chambers, home for a short Christmas break from Oxford Brookes and the GB under-23 squad, then made a personal presentation to the Club. He paid enormous tribute to his Bann coach Seamus Reynolds and encouraged all rowers to participate in success through hard training.

The racing itself saw well over fifty contestants bravely compete for victory in one of rowing most prestigious events. Club President Bobbie Platt 'craftily' delegated his starters duties over to Richard Chambers and the racing schedule soon went smoothly to plan with big Alan being knocked out in his first race.

Enter Stephen Feeney at stroke, the leader of the next crop of young Bann lions aspiring for the London Olympics, with Jeremy Johnston at 3, producing some serious horsepower and, former Scull ladder champion Miss Stephanie Boomer returning at 2, the winning quadruple scull was completed by ace bowman Ryan Houricane, and well coxed by Miss Mollie Campbell.

Wild celebrations broke out all over the clubhouse steps and were only subdued when a heavy weekend's training was announced by the Club captain. With stars like Campbell, Chambers, Chambers, Feeney and Archibald all promising to return , and all promising to win, Bann's Boxing Day Scratch races in 2009 already look like being the biggest and best ever.