Race Report - Bristol, 1st June 2008

The Runners and Riders

Premier Teams	Standard Teams	Ladies Teams
Bristol Empire Dragons Kingston Royals Thames Taniwhas BA Hurricanes Amathus DBC Henley Dragons Amathus Bees Thames Raging Dragons Typhoon Tigers	Exe-Calibre Worcester Dragons Wraysbury Dragons Colenorton Secklow 100 Amathus Wasps Notts Anaconda Cool Runnings Pershore Pheonix Worcester Dragonflies	Thames Amazons Kingston Ladies Secksters Sirens

The Report

There is something about racing at your home event it certainly makes you more nervous and wanting to please those that have turned out to watch you.  After last year all eyes were looking skyward not for divine intervention for the crew but to hopefully provide us with a dry day of racing following last years all day rain storm.

The team arrived early to help Nic set up the equipment for the racing and to marshal parking and arriving boats.  This went like clockwork (it’s only taken us three attempts!).

Anyway on with the days racing and a quick scan of the programme showed us that we had a decent first race with BA, Exe-Calibre and Pershore Pheonix.  Despite having home advantage, that certainly didn’t apply to boat advantage, and as luck would have it (it didn’t) we had a particularly poor pool boat that was determined to nose dive no matter what we did and also had a rotten steering arm etc etc.  Unfortunately we let that get inside our heads and from the paddle up it was clear this had affected us!  We line up and focus – we set off with our usual start but that just ploughs the head into the water and the boat slows a quick change of stroke and we are off again but now Exe-Calibre and BA are ahead and we battle with the wash and that makes the head drag even more in the water.  We really try hard and squeeze into second place with our heads now hanging in the water.

I speak to the Officials and get the pool boat removed it isn’t a decent boat and I wouldn’t wish that on any other team (no really I wouldn’t).  I’m just glad we used it first.

We now have to wait to see if our time is good enough but we don’t think it will be with two sprint experts still to go in the same race (Typhoon and Raging).  Unfortunately but to our advantage Typhoon and Raging want to take chunks out of each other and crash.  This puts Kingston Pretenders through in first place and Typhoon and Raging in the reps.

We now await the results to see who we get not surprisingly we get Typhoon and they have a point to make Amathus and Cool Runnings – an interesting first race for the Semis!  We stick to our game plan and at least have a decent boat.  In this race the boat responds and we chase Amathus down the course coming in a respectable 2nd in 47:52.  All the times are fast in the semis and so we end up in the Minor Final against Taniwhas, BA and Colenorton – another easy race then!

As we can’t see BA the team forgets they are there and we get off to a flying start and stay there we take 5th in a very decent 46:96 closely followed by BA in 47:20.

We get a bit of break now as we are not scheduled to race until 14:10 in a four boat race with you’ve guessed it BA, Secklow and Kingston Pretenders.  This turns out to be one of the slower 500m heats but we cross the line in front of BA – and that’s a first!!

BA cruise through the Reps so we know we are more than likely going to face them again and guess what we do in the semis!  We make a fatal error of judgement (well as stroke I do) and we chase after Amathus and try and stay with them we can’t see BA but know they are there, the stroke rate was too fast and despite a time of 1:53:40 we finish 3rd behind Amathus and BA (they got us again!!!).  Not only that the fast race sees BA through into the major final and we go into the minor final – it hurts but we live with it and prepare to finish 5th – we have to as we are at home and need to show our home support that we don’t give up.

A team talk and we are set we are against Taniwhas, Typhoon and Raging it’s going to be a good race and all four teams want to win.  Typhoon come out of the blocks first and Raging are alongside.  This time we are controlled and keep our minds focussed all around calls for power and reach can be heard but we stay there and Typhoon are reeled in it’s half way and we are clear but Typhoon and Raging come back it’s really close still we hold and then one last effort breaks the hold and we are out and hopefully winners.  It’s very close and even on the line a photo is required but we get the decision and we do our selves proud against three very good teams.  1:51:00 dead is our best time of the day but Amathus Kingston and Batchworth show everyone how fast they can go with 1:42:74, 1:43:67 and 1:44:11 respectively.  Batchworth were probably hampered by having a member of Bristol in their team – who knows.  Next stop Teesside.  HooHaaaaah!

Bristol photo gallery

The Bristol Empire Dragons' Boat

Drummer	Will
Crew	Left Side	Right Side
	Del (Coach)	Shaw loaned to Batchworth
	Candy	Ian
	Pam	Gary (Vice Captain)
	Chris W	Simon
	Chris R	Dave
	Heather	Bob
	Ginette	Janet
	Ben C	Rob
	Adam	Stuart
	Bharti	Mike
	Ben E
Helm	Matt Hodgson
Team Manager	Shaw Beattie

Results of the 200 meters

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

Standard	Crew	Points	Position Overall on the Day
1st	Colenorton	16	8th
2nd	Cool Runnings	15	11th
3rd	Kingston Pretenders	14	12th
4th	Secklow 100	13	13th
5th	Exe-Calibre	12	15th
6th	Worcester Dragons	11	16th
7th	Pershore Pheonix	10	17th
8th		9	18th

Results of the 500 meters

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

Standard	Crew	Points	Position Overall on the Day
1st	Colenorton	16	8th
2nd	Cool Runnings	15	11th
3rd	Kingston Pretenders	14	12th
4th	Secklow 100	13	13th
5th	Exe-Calibre	12	14th
6th	Worcester Dragons	11	15th
7th	Pershore Pheonix	10	16th
8th	Wraysbury	9	17th

Ladies	Crew
1st	Kingston Ladies
2nd	Thames Amazons
3rd	Sirens
4th	Secksters