Great River Race 2011 - 4th placed Dragon Boat (6th overall) & a picture

Tuesday, 27 September 2011 20:58

Wow!! What an experience this was.

Over 300 boats or varying types but all paddled or rowed got together for London's Water Marathon 21 miles of great fun.

We arrived with one paddler short but full of confidence (or bravado?) our boat was there ready to be set up for the race the first and most important thing to do was to create a deflector to stop as much water as possible from crashing into the boat and swamping us.  Looking like cast offs from Blue Peter armed with plastic and gaffa tape we created a safe dry haven for Henry our drummer and a deflector.  I am not sure if it was our handiwork with the plastic or some other aspect of the team or boat but we got a paddler to fill our empty seat (Pete from Typhoon) - result!

As we waited for the tide and our turn to launch the wind had picked up and white crested waves could be seen out in the middle of the Thames this was going to be interesting.  After what seemed an age and following some banter with the other Dragon Boat teams we got the call to launch - well get stuck in the mud what a great start!  Once out in the mix of boats it wasdecidedly choppy and I must admit it wasn't a nice feeling.

Eventually all the dragon boats got the call and we were off, smashing into the waves and the defelector was working hard but doing it's job.  We chased Henley and held them for ages eventually pulling away from them at Tower Bridge when the heavens opened and we were greeted with a sky as dark as night a clap of thunder and hailstones.  The waves here were huge but at least the river water felt warm and counteracted the cold of the hailstones, one wave hit Scott so hard that it almost winded him but he didn't miss a stroke. 

Henry on the drum was smiling and Rob on the helm was full of calm authority (although we later discovered that there was some butt clenching going on!!).  By now Rafters were closing in and they eventually passed us and made off into the distance. We pushed on and to the far portside we could see the Masters boat still afloat they were too far away to give them a race but they eased off ahead of us and disappeared just like the Rafters. By now were out in the mid flow and then there was a crash of Thunder. The rain eased off but it was decidedly cooler now and the gaggle of boats had thinned out almost procession like. There was not much to do now other than dig in and keep paddling with around 5 miles to go drums could be heard and despite Rob’s calls there was little response from within the boat and after an age the dragon boat drew alongside it was the Concrete Dragons the Dutch crew. They had caught us up during our tired period they passed us and slowly went off into the distance. Again we could hear drums but this time the crew picked up and there was a noticeable surge that was maintained Gary Corr saying that he was in so much pain that he was really enjoying it!! At the sight of Richmond we really dug in and started to pass more boats, some cheering us on and giving us a race now in the distance and coming up fast were the concrete dragons, could we catch them. Powering on past the crowds we gained and gained but sadly ran out of water a few hundred metres more and we would have passed them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thEm0pMtTX4 we are the dragon boat in pale blue shirts racing for the line 50 seconds into the clip.

Both elated and tired we dragged the boat up the slipway it seemed to weigh a ton and we really struggled to lift it. Now the cold was setting in and all we wanted to do was get changed. It was a great experience that I would not have missed for the world – the team haven't stopped talking about it and that bodes well for the Henley Winter Series after 21 miles that will be a snip!!

We were the 4th Dragon Boat in the 6th fastest crew in the race - not bad for a first time out in the GRR.