The Club's Results

Our training plan of 4 outings and 7 weeks of hard post-Bumps lazing around wasn't exactly ideal preparation for a 2k race against a Blue and a Blondie, but they didn't look that great on the row up and we let Bryn talk us into believing that we had a chance to take them and to beast it for the whole course. Unfortunately they were significantly better when racing and we never even got close.

That said, we still did ourselves proud with a better-than-expected row. Bit panicked off the start then a particularly manly stroke from me took us into the bank along First Post Reach. However, that seemed to calm us down and the three corners came very nicely with some good pushes in the straights. Was not impressed with having to go all out right after Ditton but something clicked and we flew down to the kink, although after that lack of fitness kicked in and it was a bit scrappy down to the line. Very happy with everything apart from the result, just think what we could have done with more than a week's training and a boat that steered, had actual shoes and wasn't weighted 20kgs too heavy...

Thanks to Will, Tom and Bryn for bank steering us last week and not getting too annoyed with our zig-zagging and lack of either rate or speed! (Charley)

Yeah, indeed it was unfortunate we had unmatched opponents but we had a very good row. Seeing how we improved from our first outing last Monday when we could certainly not go in a straight line, nor apply any power what-so-ever, to finish this race with a minor crash and good rhythm throughout, is a great achievement. Hambleden has got major problems and I cannot wait to row in the new women's pair weighted appropriately and with shoes two rather than five sizes larger than mine, and with a steering plate that works!

Also, forgot to mention the most important part! Even though we did lose this race, we won Foster Fairbairnes pairs by default being the only women's pair that entered (which is why we were entered into Magdalene silver pairs in the first place). We should have gone with the same strategy as the men: enter as many pairs from FaT as we can, so there is enough (any) competition and fair racing.

A good outcome nonetheless. Thanks to Bryn, Tom and Will for great bank steering and coaching. (Julijana)