Henley Winter Series Race II - Sunday 4th December 2011

Tuesday, 06 December 2011 07:39

Henley Race II – 3rd December 2011 The weather is beginning to change and now feels more like the weather we expect for Henley we started off with temperatures around 8 degrees in Bristol and these slowly dropped as we approached Henley. It was good to see Gary Corr in the car following his operations but I was concerned of his intentions surely he wasn’t going to be in or on the boat in the race. My fears were allayed he was only coming for the social side of the event and to take some pictures – was this the Gary we all know?

On arrival (late) we found that the rest of the team had dressed and launched the boat (must get there later more often :o) !) All I needed to do was to find the rafters and hand over Tom’s paddle to one of his rafting crew – I had a few offers of sabotage and inducements not to do this but I pointed out that they would still come first!!

Our hopes of doing reasonably well were quite high we still had a mixed ability boat but as we have proved many times at Henley it’s working for one another that counts and we have that in abundance. We set off in 8th place following Thames/Pershore and we were followed by Worcester, Execalibre, 1000 and bringing up the rear of the course the rafters.

On the last outing we were passed by Execalibre before Temple Island and whilst we could hear the drums behind we only set our sights on tracking down the Thames\Pershore boat. With each stroke we gradually reined them in – given that had a similar time to us at the last Henley outing in November it was going to be hard work but we set to it. As we came up to the Temple Island turn we were closing quickly and as luck would have it for us Thames\Pershore over-cooked the corner and lost momentum this was our opportunity to get ahead but it wasn’t going to be easy and Thames\Pershore got alongside but never got quite enough momentum to pull ahead – the closeness of the two boats no doubt helped them as they were being towed by us which enabled Worcester to pass and then followed Execalibre at this point we managed a slight pull away and we held that through the bridge.

What happened next beggared belief – a very large pleasure paddle boat left the moorings and pulled out into the race path. Rob our helm took the decision to go behind and to the port side whilst Worcester, Henley and Execalibre went to starboard. Thames\Pershore followed us and took the inside of us meaning we were the sandwich filling as we nudged ahead of the paddle boat the bow wave caught Thames\Pershore and the dragons head came into the side of our boat at seat two where I was sat (I think the dragon was hungry as it bit my hand). The impact was fairly hard but we remained calm and despite a full boat impacting on my hand I only missed a couple of strokes at one point paddling the other side of the Thames\Pershore boats dragon’s head. The left side paddlers in our boat had to fend off several tons of steel as we had been pushed by the impact into the side of the paddle boat – what seemed an age obviously wasn’t more than a minute of pandemonium and we regained composure and paddled clear.

Now alongside were Henley who had come from the other side of the paddle boat and ahead were Worcester and Execalibre who had dipped in front of the paddle boat before things got tight. We pulled clear of Henley and got clear water for the turn (that was a first). Instead of the usual nip and tuck turn we went a little wider and into the flow we then built up pressure and could hear drums from behind but they didn’t catch us and we powered over the line. There’s never a boring race at Henley!

Once again superb catering at Henley provided refreshment and calorific intake to replace those calories used up and possibly adding a few extra?

We stood around and waited for the results – once again we were well beaten by Worcester, 1000, Execalibre and top of the heap The Rafters ending up 5th overall and 3rd fastest club crew.

I know we have the ability to do much better and as I have said for a few years “one day we will cause a shock”. I am still of that opinion we just need to train a couple of percent harder and set a New Years Resolution to attend more training sessions.

One last note Del Kyme attended an indoor rowing championship in Ales the day before racing over 2km and taking a 3rd place bronze medal for his hard work. He then turned up for Henley and as the pictures will tell he gave 100% all the way around. Congratulations Del. (see his article under race reports)

View from the back of the boat – Rob Britton

Not feeling too good after being ill all night my strategy for this race was just to get through it, I envisaged myself being fairly quiet and at one point whilst warming up did consider asking our drummer to give all the calls. I kept that to myself and if I did run out of puff I would direct her to take over.

Going through the pressures within the boat the crew responded well, I could see a good rhythm from the front to the back of boat by the rate set by Rob & Simone Rooks, we had been trying to get the married couple to be our strokes for a period of time now but for various reasons this was the first time they actually sat next to each other in race conditions, several sets completed the crew were ready. We took our place in the middle of the other crews waiting to be called forward for our start number of 8.

There was composure within the boat, relaxed, each crew member knowing what was expected of them. I felt sick, legs were like jelly, pull yourself together, get ready for the fight ahead, cleared the lungs, coughed up blood, the way to proceed for me was to go full out attack, if was to be quiet all my thoughts would have been for self-preservation, if I attacked from the outset any thoughts of being ill would go away. 30second call given by the pre-starter then the command to proceed was on us all too quickly. I did not want the crew to go off to quick, I wanted the crew to respond to Rob & Simone and get used to 80% pressure to the start line, building up pressure to 100% with 6 strokes to the line was perfect, saved the crew for the race ahead.

Once I could see the boat relax into the rate, a big power call for 15 strokes given, good response. I was searching for river flow and monitoring speed on the GPS, there as I thought earlier was not a lot of fast flow, what there was I found. In the distance 1000m away I could see at least 5 rowing boats turning, after they completed their change of direction they were staying static in the water. This is good as you can take a line and generally not be compromised by having to turn sharply, as we gained on the rowers the single scull indicated he wanted our boat to pass on the right hand side of him, I acknowledge his request by a wave of my hand and a thumbs up, we were through some minor traffic with no issues.

A look forward and the target was slowly being reeled in, a call of seat by seat given, various technique calls given to get everyone focused. A look behind and I could see Worcester giving a great push to catch us, after a big call of 20 strokes for our crew to go balls out I wanted to see if Worcester wanting to chase us down before the island which was still at least 1000m away, judging the speed both crews were travelling at I could establish that they would not try and take us prior to the island.

Try and let our crew relax for the 500m before the bend, the plan was to have a big drive into the bend at full power as I could see Thames/Pershaw had gone very wide and messed the bend up, a big call crew reacted, round we went neck and neck with the no.7 boat Thames/Pershaw. We had pushed hard going down the river, our boat speed was very similar to Thames/Pershaw and my tactic going upstream was to get our crew into a good solid rhythm up to the bridge, break Thames/Pershaw at the bridge and drive on from there. That was the plan, the solid pressures up stream was good, I could see Excalibre coming up fast in the middle of the river, I moved out to test the flow and our boat speed, no change, I would then try and get onto the faster crews wash and get a tow, again that was the plan, as I moved closer to them I could see this huge paddle steamer had left its moorings and was manoeuvring in front of four boats closing in on it.

I had to make a choice to which way should over take it, Excalibre and Henley went left, looking at the speed we were catching the paddle steamer and also allowing the speed Excalibre and Henley were catching it I knew if the steamer kept in the same course I could not get around the left hand side before the approaching island. If the paddle steamer decided to go right back into moorings I would have made the decision to have taken the island on the left hand side and darted through the middle part to get back on course. No need, I asked our crew for big response and we moved ahead of Thames/Pershaw.

I knew there would be sizable bow wave from the steamer and it would bounce back off of the wall, as our boat became twitchy I kept a good straight line giving Thames/Pershaw enough room, however their helm did not allow for the front of his boat to be pushed across from the steamer bow wave, he tee-boned our boat with their head coming in at seats 2 & 3, as soon as I knew he had lost it and was going to hit us I steered right taking the hit and then us being pushed onto the paddle steamer allowed me to keep a straightened line, an excellent call from the front to power on was given allowing us to break free. From this point in we were one and half boat lengths up, Thames/Pershaw trying to get the inside line, manoeuvring very slightly all the way to the bend I did not allow this to happen. Another power into the bend hand Thames/Pershaw beaten, I knew if I got the boat into the flow and pushed Thames/Pershaw down the inside they would not get past, no worries anyway as after a couple of pushes we pulled away.

What an eventful finish!! As the paddle steamer came back down I thanked their captain for being a total p---k.

It was a good solid performance from the crew, the clash cost us approximately 20 secs, the Champion boat another 45secs, we can do a 32mins 50secs with the right boat and this crew. The lungs were still burning, still coughing up blood time to relax, adrenalin pumping, great, love it.

I didn’t thank our drummer at the end, but an excellent performance by her, did not panic with the clashes, a superb shout with the power up by her after the clash, great composure.

Rob B

Captain’s View – Stuart Patten-Laurence

I had a text from Rob Lee on the morning advising that he was unwell so I had to look at the seating positions and do some moving around of paddlers, Greg our reserve for the day was available to slot in but he was a right paddler and Rob was a left paddler, I moved Liz into my seat and I had to move onto the left (the dark side) and Greg sat next to me on the right. Thank you all for accommodating the last minute changes.

We had a strong crew only 7 paddlers not associated with GB past or present. Of those 7 several were at only their second Henley.

I had great fun during the race fending off the paddle steamer and only had to stop paddling for 2 strokes but I then was able to get straight back into it and it was a great feeling as we pulled away from Thames\Pershore and then caught and passed Henley?

Well done everyone there's never a dull moment at Henley.