Thursday 27 September 2012

The Great River Race 2013




This year turned out to be one of many firsts in London for the rowers - first time fielding an all ladies team,
 first Great River Race for Is and Sam, and first time we've towed the boats from Ham to the start at near
Wapping. 

RWYC Rowers with pennants prior to the start of the GRR

Stamina is everything in the GRR for the rowers and their supporters: jumping on the Eurostar to cheer us on
 (thanks Barbara!) ,dancing til midnight on Friday, up at 6am to catch the 6.30 shuttle bus to the start, stealing
mugs of tea from fellow team members, using muscles you'd rather be saving than using to unload your
own and any other boats, using all your feminine wiles to claim or steal a trolley to move the boats from one
car park to another, remembering to leave  time to queue for the toilets or being brazen enough to find a
bush, taping your hands and everyone else’s, hauling the boats by hand down the muddy slipway, drinking
enough water but not too much as the next loo is 3 hours away, 4 hours after arriving at start finally getting
in the boat on the water, remembering to listen to your patient cox while he/she manoeuvres around other
boats, landing stages, support vessels and gets into the start area in one piece mentally and physically. 

When the start came (no Barry cannon though) the ladies set out in style in Elen after a bit of a collision of
oars with Macsen (not anyone’s fault I'm sure Martin). Macsen soon overhauled Elen and cruised through
the field last seen by Elen at the aptly named Waterloo Bridge. Tower Bridge, St Pauls, The Houses of
Parliament and the London Eye flew by but not quickly enough for Elen.  A couple of yellow metal buoys
(quote of the day "what is that?")  threatened to scupper the crew but undaunted Elen ploughed on skilfully
coxed in turns by Angie and Debbie.  Coxing sometimes involves giving clear instruction to other boats in close 
situ to your own, Debbie proved herself adept at clarifying the rules on more than one occasion which
saved our bacon in Elen at least twice. 

The ladies aboard Elen: Is, Bethan, Sarah, Angie & Debbie

By the halfway stage spirits were still high, helped by shouts of encouragement from onlookers and other boats. 
Is, Elin and Bethan alternated between the 1 and 2 seats and chief photography/waving and smiling position.
Each crew had a different strategy (strategy? what's that?) to swopping crew into different positions - all members
 did in Elen at various times either all at one time or two then two, in Macsen Brian and Malcolm electedto stay in 
their seats while Meg and Martin coxed and Trevor and Sam swopped in the bow. Not sure whichis the best method 
but nobody fell out. After passing the crowds at Richmond the final four of the twentyeight bridges seemed the hardest
 but we made it hear the finishing cannon in one piece.  

Macsen and the men's crew in the mix

Re towing boats from Ham to Wapping - discovered three things - The big red C stands for Congestion Charges, Harrods
 is not on the way to Wapping, Rotherhythe Tunnel is only just wide enough for a Long Boat.