Race Report - Bristol League Event, 13th May 2007

The Runners and Riders

Premier Teams	Standard Teams
Bristol Empire Dragons Kingstone Royals Thames Taniwhas Batchworth BA Hurricanes WAM Amathus DBC Henley Dragons Amathus Bees	Typhoon Tigers Ex-Calibre Worcester Dragons Thames Raging Dragons Colenorton Secklow 100 Amathus Wasps

Junior Teams	Scratch Teams
Amathus Dragon Jockey	Canadian Brit’s

The Report

Following on from the Liverpool League event the previous week all eyes were on the weather forecast, surely it wasn’t going to rain!  Several weather forecast web sites were monitored and each day the forecast for Sunday got progressively worse.  Oh well it can’t be that bad – it was and if anything it got progressively worse. 

Scott was asked to provide a tent for the race control but being a Scout leader he brought three tents.  One became Bristol’s base and another put up for teams that were also optimistic about the weather. 

At 07:30am on the day it seemed reasonably good and the tents erected in the dry.  Teams arrived and boats off loaded and launched.  Bob arrived later in the morning due to the distance he had to travel to the venue (about 500 metres).  The rain started and didn’t stop.  It got so bad that the 500 metre event was shortened with two crews retiring and one race not competed because the points for those teams were already sorted. 

During the day crews huddled together and the sight of tents and plastic covers looked like something from the aftermath of a disaster.  Bristol looked very much like Emperor Penguins huddled together and this became part of the warm up and warm down routine.  The warmest place appeared to be in a boat racing – the water temperature was, in the mind, warmer than the air temperature.  However you were in danger of drowning either by breathing, such was the amount of rain or by the rain filling the boat – indeed a number of teams appear to have elected a boat bailer some poor wretch that either said or did something wrong no doubt and was relegated to periodically going to the boat and bailing out the several inches of rain water. 

Tim was on race start and was out in the rain all day – I hope he’s OK – well done Tim for toughing it out, what a star.  The finish at least had a cover of sorts although I think at one point in the day the safety boat was called to retrieve part of it. Carol boat marshalled all day and would not have got any wetter had she jumped in yet all day she kept smiling and wishing teams luck.  Thanks to all the officials who made the event a success in adverse conditions it is much appreciated.  Of course special thanks go to Nic who organised the event single handedly – what a star.

The racing was good with some very close racing as encountered by Thames, Henley and Secklow 100 I one race and Bristol and Amathus in another!  Apart from that races progressed and ended with a showdown between Amathus, Batchworth, Thames and Kingston. 

Bristol were in the minor final where they lined up against Typhoon Tigers, this seasons most improved team, and Henley.  Bristol started in lane 2 and got off to a reasonable start getting out of the blocks ahead of Henley but half a boat down on the Tigers.  Once into the stroke we edged clear of Henley and waited as Tigers and Henley were calling for power and reach, still we waited, Henley made no ground on us and the Tigers were gradually being reeled in. With two hundred metres to go the race was very close and soon the time to make our break was made the shout came from the helm and the boat surged, Will double beat the drum and we took the lead.    Despite a strong challenge from the Tigers it was to be Bristol’s race and a third successive 5th place. 

In the final despite a strong start and finish Batchworth just couldn’t reel in Amathus who now have maximum points in three races.  Will it be a second league title for Amathus??   

Big thanks to all the Bristol crew especially the two drummers Emily and Will.  To the Canadian Brits who brought some colour and enthusiasm to the event and the Bristol paddlers that joined them. 

Ian Elliott

The Bristol Empire Dragons' Boat

Drummer	Will Rushworth & Emily Britton
Crew	Left Side	Right Side
	Pam Beattie	Ian Elliott
	Scott Elliott	Gary Corr (Vice Captain)
	Heather Driscoll	Stuart Patten-Lawrence
	Shaw Beattie (Club Captain)	Del Kyme (Coach)
	Chris Rusworth	Bob Meridith
	Tim Donovan	Matt Hodgson
	Candy Elliott	Rob Britton
	Ginnett Corr	Adam Mills
	Ben Callaghan	Darren Duval
	Bharti Tailor	Gemma Saunders
Helm	Bill Beattie (Assistant Coach)
Team Manager	Shaw Beattie

Results of the 500meters to be confirmed by the BDA

Premier	Crew	Points	Position Overall on the Day
1st	Amathus DBC	16	1st
2nd	Batchworth	15	2nd
3rd	Thames Taniwhas	14	3rd
4th	Kingstone Royals	13	4th
5th	Bristol Empire Dragons	12	5th
6th	Henley Dragons	11	7th
7th	BA Hurricanes	10	8th
8th	Amathus Bees	9	10th
9th	WAM	8	12th

Standard	Crew	Points	Position Overall on the Day
1st	Typhoon Tigers	16	6th
2nd	Raging Dragons	15	9th
3rd	Colenorton	14	11th
4th	Worcester Dragons	13	13th
5th	Secklow 100	12	14th
6th	Ex-Calibre	11	15th
7th	Amathus Wasps	10	16th

Junior	Crew	Points	Position Overall on the Day
1st	Amathus Dragon Jockeys	16	17th