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Olympic champion Triggs Hodge is our lunch guest

The SJA is delighted to announce that our guest speaker at our headline-making BT Sport sporting lunch will be Andrew Triggs Hodge, the double Olympic gold medallist and four-time world champion oarsman.

Four-time world champion Andrew Triggs Hodge will talk rowing, Olympics and the Boat Race at our lunch on Apr 1
Four-time world champion Andrew Triggs Hodge will talk rowing, Olympics and the Boat Race at our lunch on Apr 1

The event will be staged at a Thames-side Chiswick pub on Wednesday, April 1 – just over a week before the annual University Boat Race takes place on the tideway.

This is a terrific opportunity for the British sports media, rowing specialists and feature writers, to meet one of most successful members of the world-beating national rowing squad as he takes time out of his gruelling training programme to meet the press.

The SJA’s lunches are open to all working media, non-members as well as members.

There is a strict limit on the number we can accommodate, and priority is given to SJA members and those first to book.

Attendance at this two-course lunch at The Mawson Arms, costs £20 (including VAT) for SJA members (including associate members). For non-members, the price is £22 (including VAT). We anticipate high demand for this lunch, and recommend that you book your place straight away.

Members and guests should arrive at 12.30pm, and after an informal lunch, Andrew Triggs Hodge will be happy to take questions from the floor on an on-the-record basis (unless he specifically asks to go off-the-record on any point, in which case we expect that request to be honoured).

Since winning his first world championship medal 12 years ago, Triggs Hodge has been an ever-present on the podiums at international regattas, winning gold in Britain’s coxless four at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and again at London 2012. In 2005 when a student, Triggs Hodge stoked Oxford UBC to victory n the Boat Race.

He has won world titles four times, including at Amsterdam 2014 as part of the dominating British coxless four crew with Alex Gregory, George Nash and Mo Sbihi.

On his way to victory: Trigss Hodge stroking the GB coxless four to another wor
On his way to victory: Triggs Hodge stroking the GB coxless four to another international title

This SJA lunch represents an outstanding opportunity for feature writers, chief sports writers and correspondents from regional as well as national newspapers and broadcasters for some headline-grabbing copy.

Rights-free images from the event will be made available on request.

All attendees are also expected to make their best efforts to ensure that they make mention of the Sports Journalists’ Association in their published or broadcast reports.

HOW TO BOOK
The SJA lunch will take place in a private room at the Mawson’s Arms, Mawson Lane, Chiswick, W4 2QD

Places are expected to be in great demand and will be allocated on a first-come, first-reserved basis, with preference given to SJA members.

The cost is £20 (including VAT) for paid-up SJA members (full and associate members) , and £22 (including VAT) for non-members, which covers a two-course lunch, tea or coffee. All attendees are expected to buy their own drinks.

Payment should be made by cheque (payable to “SJA”). Anyone requiring a VAT invoice needs to advise us, and they will be sent such by the Treasurer.

Contact Mary Fitzhenry by email to maryfitzhenry@hotmail.co.uk (please indicate if you have any special dietary requirements; these have to be ordered in advance), and write “ATH lunch” in the subject field of your email.

Payment, with cheques payable to the SJA, may be made on the day, or can be sent to the Treasurer, Sarah Juggins, 1 Farriers Cottage, Lower Farm, East Winch Norfolk PE32 1NL. Payment may be expected from anyone who books a place but does not attend.

All details are subject to change.

First posted: January 18


UPCOMING SJA EVENTS

Mon Mar 23: SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, sponsored by BT Sport, at the Grand Connaught Rooms. Entry forms now available here

Mon Apr 13: SJA Spring Golf Day, Wimbledon Park GC. Booking details to be announced soon

Wed May 13: SJA York Races Day, sponsored by Ladbrokes, at the Dante Festival. Click here to book your places

Mon Sep 14: SJA Autumn Golf Day, Muswell Hill Golf Club