Jack Waterfall – acknowledgement for a prime organiser
Jack Waterfall of the Isle of Ely Rowing Club was the chief organiser of the Diamond 44 event in which the 1944 Boat Race was reenacted at Ely in 2004. In spite of having no rowing background himself, he subsequently worked to ensure that this event spawned a permanent legacy in the form of The Isle of Ely Rowing Club. Not only did he act as ambassador for the Club, negotiating the loan of a site and the donation of two shipping containers, but he also took a lead in more practical activities such as digging foundations for containers and landing stage.
Since then his continued contribution to both liaison and hands-on work has been invaluable. The Club’s regattas in 2005, 2006 and 2007 were only made possible by his work in negotiating the use of a riverside field, the loan of marquees and arranging with other organisations, such as the Rotary Club, to provide catering and other infrastructure. Furthermore, he has continued to be at the forefront of the Club’s fund-raising activities. In particular he established an arrangement with Hughes, a local electrical, firm to provide large screen TVs for the club’s ‘Boat Races Bash’ events in 2006 and 2007 together with a TV set as a raffle prize.
More recently he has constructed a floating landing stage for use of World Class Start athletes and was the prime organiser of the Boat Race Founders bicentenary celebrations in March 2008 which gave added publicity to club.
It is no exaggeration to say that Jack’s help has been essential to the club’s birth and continued survival. Internally, the club has recognised this by unanimously electing him Honorary Vice-President but we now feel that it is high time his work was given wider acknowledgement.
