The Club's Results

JPD got away very quickly, but luckily I was on the station with a half length head start, so with some aggressive steering I was able to hold him off until eventually hitting some sort of a rhythm. Some time after half-way he seemed to get a bit tired, allowing me to settle sufficiently to keep out of too much trouble on the waves. (Alex)

On the other station this time, I was initially a bit worried as Darcy began to give me a taste of my own medicine, closing the door as I attempted to pass along the bank. I dropped back a bit and started to move out wide, and luckily this and some heated umpiring from the towpath persuaded him to give me enough room to paddle through. (Alex)

Tom very kindly let me have the outside station. Lacking JPD's storming start, he gave me little cause for panic, and I soon settled into a controlled if powerful race.

On to the blade swapping... Luckily I was allowed to switch from my Empacher to Muddy Waters. Unlike some people with their detailed strategies, in my case prior planning was notable only for its absence, save for the fortunate precaution of removing my socks and hat.

After an initial false start when I forgot to undo one of my gates, I had managed to slowly slide my bowside blade round to the strokeside gate, which had been opened ready for the blade's arrival-or so I thought. Unfortunately, the strokeside scull, which I had removed from the gate and was gripping tight against the rigger, was holding the gate against the backstay, leaving no way of getting the bowside blade into it short of lying down.

With both hands more than occupied and under pressure from Darcy's swift success, I foolishly heeded Dubya's advice from the bank to try to edge my hand gradually towards the gate. Things soon took a turn for the worse and as I hadn't fallen in from a single for 6 years, despite recent swimming practice at Ely, an undignified scramble for the bank was soon to ensue... (Alex)