The Club's Results

Physically and mentally drained from the doubles race, I wasn't especially keen to participate in this race, and only slightly keener to win it. Sat at 32 pretty much the whole way, and didn't cope well with the slightly choppy water. The corners were pretty tough because I was almost too tired to notice them, and even when I did there was a considerable delay before I'd start doing something about it.

BJ did a pretty good job. I made it unnecessarily difficult by slacking off every time he said I was in the lead. Presumably I would've gone about 30 seconds faster if I'd taken the impeller off, but at least I know that my 500m splits were 2:00/2:09/2:06/2:06. (Tom C)

Logistically difficult, and I had very little chance of winning. (Tom C)

After my inability to get anywhere near someone vaguely my size in the previous race, trying to chase a sculler the boat race site proclaims to have: "Height: 2.03m, Weight: 95kg" was always going to be a bit futile. However, undeterred by either the loss of my bank steerer (to persuade coker to go round the corners), or by the marshals dire warnings about the binbag lying in wait for me on the apex of first post corner, I prepared my race plan which consisted of: rate so high off the start that stutt falls in out of surprise. Sadly, the only surprising thing I managed to do off the start was snake wildly, first due to indecision about which way first post reach actually went/which way I happened to be going when I looked round, and then due to the outflow.
As Stutt seemed not to have fallen in in spite of my best efforts, I spannered my way down the rest of the course, the binbag having found its way to a docile resting place on the bank, and grassy providing surprisingly few close misses. As I came onto the reach, the marshal cycling with me started saying things which sounded bewilderingly like "you're on station". As this was clearly entirely impossible, I eventually realised she was saying "you're gaining." However, it seems this was probably less due to my frantic attempts to get somewhere near a respectable mid-race rating for the last 250m, and more to do with Stutt winding down. Ah well, I learnt quite a lot about how to race in a single, even if I was entirely in isolation. It seems the answer is to put my blades in the water quite often, rather than trying to get the longest possible strokes, infrequently, by half-lying down in the boat. I should probably have realised that before. (Peter)

Having failed to draw anyone slow in all three competitions, I thought this race was my best chance of actually winning something. Sadly, it seems I would have needed considerably more of both fitness and ability to scull to beat him today. Still, it appears I surprised him by going off far too hard; he told me afterwards he got to first post corner with me just inside station thinking that we'd both gone off far too hard. Unfortunately, it quickly turned out he was right; approximately on station coming round grassy, he then disappeared into the distance somewhat as I returned to my "pretend its a 5k race" style of sculling, in spite of Bryn's best efforts to persuade me actually rating high might help.
Thanks are due to Bryn, who definitely gained me a good few seconds, to no avail. (Peter)

Not a bad row, clean and controlled. Steering was fine until Ditton which was a total mess. On top station without a bank party I misjudged the margin, thinking it was about neck and neck until I pulled away with my wind to the finish. Maybe if I'd known I was a fair way down by grassy I would've put a bit more into the middle of the race. But I don't think I've put enough effort in lately to win races. (Tom C)

Well, I didn't get passed (oh, right. I started last in the division), and I stuck to the plan. Rated 29-30 downstream, kept it strong and didn't try to catch up to the massive junior sculler who was ahead of me. Upstream, rated 30-31 and steered my best line yet. Except for almost hitting the tree at grassy corner because I took it a bit close. Took it up for the finish, gave a good growl at the end, and am feeling pretty good. Not bad for a couple weeks' training.

If Christian had paid any attention, he'd realise there was no one else in my division. He'll also find his math is wrong... or he's calling me a man. (Cynthia)

Only 2 minutes 20 behind the next person in her division. (S.C. Mertes)