Last updated at 12:43, Friday, 12 March 2010

Hexham Rowing Club has named its newest boat in honour of Geoff and Victoria Wilkinson, the father and daughter killed in a tragic sailing accident on Kielder Water in July last year.

Poignant moment: Kate Wilkinson, whose husband Geoff and daughter Victoria lost their lives in a sailing accident on Kielder Water, “christens” the new Hexham Rowing Club boat launched in their memory with champagne at Hexham’s Tyne Green. With her are steward, Maurice Searle junior Joshua To, captain Douglas Bailey, club PR officer Gillian Orrell and past president George Doody. Photo D100313

The name of the boat is the inspired choice of Kate Wilkinson, Geoff’s wife and Victoria’s mother.

“ Smoke on the Water is a Deep Purple song,” explained Kate.

“Both Geoff and Victoria loved the Deep Purple gig they went to together in Newcastle, so the name represents them both equally, and together.”

At the funeral last July, Kate’s eldest son Jack spoke movingly of the many interests and experiences his Dad and sister shared, including how the Deep Purple gig was made famous locally by Victoria when she won the Courant’s Young Reviewer competition, describing the gig as the moment when she realised ‘Dad rocks’.

Around 50 current and former members of Hexham Rowing Club gathered for the short naming ceremony on Tyne Green on Sunday.

They were joined by representatives from Tyne Rowing Club, where Victoria did most of her rowing.

Both Geoff and Victoria were keen and successful rowers.

Geoff was possibly the longest-ever serving member of Hexham Rowing Club, which he joined whilst still at college and even served as club captain in the 1980s.

Victoria learned to row because of her dad’s passion for the sport and although most of her rowing time was spent at Tyne Rowing Club she also rowed for Hexham on some memorable occasions.

Those celebrating the memory of Geoff and Victoria included two members of one of Geoff’s first winning crews as far back as 1974, Don Elliott and cox Wallace Dickson.

Stories and memories of Geoff flowed thick and fast.

Geoff, it seems, was in a crew that rowed in the New Year through an icy River Tyne in the 1980s.

He was also part of the infamous four man crew that brought Durham Regatta to a standstill one year when first their boat sank and then the safety boat sent to their rescue also sank.

“I was still a novice when I first began rowing with Geoff and he was hugely supportive and great fun,” said Quentin Campbell, who raced with Geoff over a couple of seasons recently.

“Off the water he was laid back, amusing and hugely witty,” Quentin continued, “But in a race he was hugely competitive and it was firm rowing all the way then!”

Short speeches about Geoff and Victoria were made before Kate christened the boat with champagne.

The ceremony concluded with a toast to the boat and to absent friends.

“Although this is in part a very sad occasion it is also a huge celebration of Geoff and Victoria and all that the Wilkinson family has done for Hexham Rowing Club over many years,” said current club captain Douglas Bailey.

“ ‘Smoke on the Water’ is a great name for a boat, and particularly one that will be used by one of Hexham’s most successful men’s crews.

“It’s a heavyweight quad,” said George Doody, former club president and captain. “Geoff was looking forward to rowing in this boat when we got it, as it would better suit the larger men in the club.”

First published at 09:43, Friday, 12 March 2010
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk