The Crew Cut

As a mischievous teenager Carlos Rybeck threw some eggs at a car and, as a punishment, his Dad forced him to join the local running team. Now a dedicated long-distance runner, Carlos is store manager at Intersport City, where Crewroom has become their best-selling free-stand brand in the store’s history. Aged 16, Carlos was growing up in Minneapolis, Minnesota in America. He was full of energy and, like most teenagers, enjoyed larking around. “I got into trouble for throwing eggs. It was just kids being mischievous but my Dad was real mad. I was a rebellious teenager doing a lot of the wrong things. I had so much energy and was throwing eggs at houses and cars. As a punishment, he made me join the cross-country running team at my high school. “It ended up being the best punishment I've ever had in my life. Since then, running has kept me in focus and it's been my backbone for solving any problems,” says Carlos, now 28, who runs Intersport City, near the Bank of England, at 48-51, Bow Lane. Every day Carlos runs the five miles to work from his home in Canning Town, east London, and he also puts in speed-work track sessions in the evenings. “I run 70 miles a week and I love to wear Crewroom’s kit. I always wear the Current Tee, the North-West Hoodie and the Retain Leggings. I think Crewroom’s kit is fantastic. It's made for the runner, whereas other brands often don't fit the runner’s physique properly. I run in it and love it and that’s why I’m very happy to promote it in store.” Intersport City is a multi-sports specialist store, meetings the needs of runners, tennis players, footballers, cyclists, skiers and people interested in general fitness training. Crewroom launched its products in-store in January and have become the customers’ top free-stand choice. Adds Carlos: “The fact that Crewroom is based locally in Putney is fantastic. We are doing phenomenal sales figures in the store. Crewroom does really well for us. We’ve stocked maybe 20 other different ranges in the past, but last month Crewroom became our best-selling free-stand range in the history of our store.” Intersport City stock the North-West Hoodie, the long-sleeve Backdraft Tee, and the Retain Leggings. “They’re slightly thermal which is proving very popular with people running in London at this time of year,” says Carlos. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychological sciences, Carlos competed in his college Division One squad, as a track specialist, specialising in the 5,000 metres (his PB is 13mins 52secs). “I love encouraging new people to love running as much as I do. I love running, it takes up a good part of my life, and now it helps me focus and stay happy. Running in Crewroom kit makes me real happy too.”

Crewroom was making waves down by the water’s edge this month thanks to two influential journalists and bloggers. Lucy Wyndham-Read, (pictured above, right) the well-known fitness and nutrition expert, was our guest at Crewroom when she joined our Kate at Warrior fitness training. The Saturday-morning workout is designed for all levels of fitness, but Lucy, who is ex-British Army, got stuck into the workshop with gusto. Hosted by Paul Gascoyne, of UCAN Fitness, the sessions involve core and strength stations, based on the Putney Embankment outside Crewroom’s HQ, followed by running sorties up and down the towpath. Read Lucy’s fun blog here, and you can also tune into the videoed chat she shared with Kate after their exhausting training session. Fitness strength and conditioning coach Paul hosts Warrior workouts at Crewroom every Saturday morning. If you’d like to take part or find out more, check out the Crewroom website or contact Paul on 07786 301934 or [email protected]. Another journalist paid us a visit, and we were pleased to welcome Tom Morgan, the Editor of the influential rowing blog Junior Running News. Tom, an accomplished junior rower in his own right, chatted with our Kate about Crewroom’s history and recent appointment as kit suppliers to the 2015 men’s and women’s Boat Races. The journalist was wholesome in his praise for Crewroom, writing: “Crewroom are arguably one of the greatest success stories to emerge from the rowing community over the past decade.” He added: “Having been the official kit supplier for the BNY Mellon Boat Races in 2013, Crewroom have the contract again for 2015, a success which coincidentally occurs in the same year that the women first grace the Tideway.” Read Tom’s blog here.

To mark next month’s historic Boat Races, in which lady rowers will compete alongside the men for the first time in the events’ history, Crewroom is planning a special exhibition in their honour. We are collaborating with our friends and partners at the Putney Exchange shopping centre, home of the popular Crewroom Pop-up store. Also involved is the prestigious River and Rowing Museum at Henley on Thames, who are generously loaning us the use of an archive of historic photographs. The images, depicting Edwardian lady rowers, show them wearing an array of amazing rowing gear, from culottes and long, woolly skirts, to neck scarves and cravats. Blown-up images of the photographs will be on display at the Putney Exchange from Friday March 20 and the photographic exhibition will continue for four weeks. The timing of the event is designed to run before, during and after the Boat Races on Saturday April 11th. As a company at the cutting edge of technical sportswear, in rowing and a host of other sports, Crewroom’s Boat Race and rowing kit today is worlds apart from the clothing worn by lady rowers in yesteryear. “We are especially grateful to the River and Rowing Museum in Henley for so generously giving us their permission to use these fascinating archive pictures,” said Crewroom. “We think people will be amazed when they see what lady rowers used to wear on the water, with some of the garments appearing very cumbersome and outdated by today’s standards.”

Great news for bargain-hunters: Crewroom is set to hold a series of “sample sales” offering top-quality sportswear garments at knock-down prices. Ahead of the BNY Mellon Boat Race and The Newton Women’s Boat Race on April 11, Crewroom has been named as the Official Performance Wear Partner of both races, and we have launched a new retail range of branded technical clothing to support the events. News of our new role broke on the Boat Races’ official website here and you can find full details of our new kit range at ww.crewroom.co.uk. Before those events, others are planned, notably the Women’s Head of the River (Saturday March 14), Schools Head (Monday 16th) and Men’s Head (Sunday March 29). And linked to those, we’ll be running snap sales featuring a wide range of pre-production samples. “Designers have to get through lots of sizing sets to get to the final product, so we have many unique pieces on offer. Some don't even make it to market, but they are all quality items, and will be going at cost price, ie a fraction of the normal price,” said Crewroom’s design team. Keep a look out on social media for details of these sales. Follow us on Facebook here and on Twitter @Crewroom. Because our Hub headquarters is a stone’s throw from Putney Pier, where all the races end, we look forward to welcoming a warm hand of hospitality to crews from around the world as the season’s winter races get underway. Many international crews will be competing wearing the award-winning kit produced by our friends and partners in sunny California, JL Design. They produce top-flight technical, quality rowing kit for rowers worldwide, including unisuits, splash jackets, tech tops and, one of our favourites, the Turtleshell. JL manufacture fully bespoke team wear and Crewroom, as their UK distributor, work with many British clubs, including Vesta RC, Thames RC, and Durham University Boat Club.

If you or any of your loved-ones are about to head off to Easter training camp, then Crewroom has some first-class advice on how to prepare. Now is the time to take stock and make sure you have everything you need. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your rowing training session to find that you don’t have that extra bit of kit you need to help you stay warm or dry. Crewroom is always here to support you, so we are pleased to offer you some top tips from two people who should know how best to prepare. Elite international rowers Charles Cousins (pictured above, left) and Jess Eddie (above, right) both have extensive experience of training camps and how to prepare for them to ensure you get the most out of your trip. Charles and Jess, who are both Crewroom Ambassadors, have attended camps both at home and abroad. Jess has posted a special video which you can watch here and Charles says taking the right kit, and plenty of it, is key. “I know it sounds obvious but have a think about where you are heading. It’s good to check the weather so you can gauge what you might need,” says Charles. “If it’s going to be cold I strongly recommend the North West Hoodie. It’s the warmest bit of kit I own. It’s versatile in that it’s stretchy enough to train in and it looks trendy enough to wear casually. “If there is rain, make sure you have something waterproof to go as a top layer. My choice would be a Gilet, if it’s cold opt for a fleece, preferably a lined one. "Also think about what training modalities you will be doing. If you are cross training, rowing-specific kit may not be the best for the job. A top like the Backdraft Top is great as it can be worn as base layer when you are exposed i.e. rowing or cycling. Or just as a top if you need something lighter, i.e running or weights. Other useful camp items include a visor. And always remember, it’s better to take too much, than not enough.” And finally, one last piece of advice you wouldn’t expect from such a dedicated athlete as Charles – remember to take something fun to enjoy in your down time. “As the old saying goes, ‘All work no play makes Jack a dull boy’,” adds Charles. “So try to also to take something fun to do. I usually take my guitar, a Rubik’s Cube and a good book. I also know people who take board games, juggling balls and telescopes. If you can fit your hobby into your bag, take it.” Thanks, Charles, great advice!

The Mayor of Wandsworth has singled out Crewroom as “a superb example” for other entrepreneurs and budding businesses in the borough to follow. And he heaped praise on the company’s Founder, Kate Giles, for showing how bright ideas can generate jobs, orders and exports to boost the local and national economy. Mayor Cllr Stuart Thom was speaking at Wandsworth Enterprise Week, the council’s prestigious, well organised event, staged annually to encourage business. In an interview with The Crew Cut, Crewroom’s official newsletter, Mayor Thom said he was personally “delighted” that Crewroom had recently been awarded the contract to supply kit to both Oxford and Cambridge’s crews for The Boat Race. He also urged other local businesses to follow Kate’s example and feel inspired to develop their own commercial enterprises. The Mayor’s remarks came after Kate, who was voted Entrepreneur of the Year by Wandsworth Council two years ago, launched this year’s Enterprise Week with a speech to young businesses in the borough. In her address on Day One of the event, to more than 100 young delegates at the Civic Suite in Wandsworth Town Hall, Kate offered advice on how to cement business relationships as a start-up. “I told them how important it is when you are starting a business to treat people with kindness and invest in the community,” she said. Kate also told the conference how supportive Wandsworth Council had been towards her company and how grateful she was. Wandsworth Mayor, Cllr Thom, told delegates: “Here in Wandsworth we are proud to have one of London’s strongest and most dynamic SME economies and the borough is home to some of the country’s most exciting entrepreneurs.” Later, he added: “I feel a sense of admiration that somebody like Kate has been able to take an idea and convert it into a reality. That I think is one of the great lessons to learn when you start off a business. I'm particularly pleased that Kate is here in Wandsworth and I like to think that she has the support of Wandsworth Council.” “As a former winner of our Entrepreneur of the Year award, she is clearly a great example for other aspiring businesses to follow, which is why we were so pleased she was able to speak at our Enterprise Week event. “People talk about the work shy, but here you have a superb example of somebody getting out there and making ideas happen, of generating jobs and opportunities and hopefully in due course exports as well. “I'm delighted that Crewroom’s offices are on Putney Hard on the River because the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is one of our great local events. The fact that Kate helps kit out the crews is highly appropriate.“ The Mayor concluded: “Given Kate's success as an entrepreneur, I hope very much that she will inspire other companies and up-and-coming entrepreneurs to take their businesses forward.” Among others taking part as guest speakers during this year’s Enterprise Week were Margaret Mountford, formerly a presenter on BBC Television’s popular business series The Apprentice.