Pairs Head of the River - Saturday 17th October 2009

On Saturday 17th October, two crews from Maidstone Invicta Rowing Club (MIRC) travelled to Chiswick for the Pairs Head of the River. With 372 crews from all over the UK competing, the MIRC Elite double scull consisting of Stuart Hampshire and Chris Mollison were thrilled and honoured to start the race in number one position.  The conditions on the River Thames were remarkably tame, with no rain and only a slight wind.  Hampshire and Mollison started the race exceptionally well and maintained their number one position for the majority of the race, as they approached Hammersmith bridge the MIRC double were being pushed on by University of London Boat Club crew who spurred them on and had a blinding finish.  Hampshire and Mollison completed the course in a time of 12.25 and finished in a very respectable 12th place overall.  The wind increased for MIRC’s Intermediate 2 double scull consisting of Matt Nicholls and Sam Blackwell who set off in 87th position and faced a head wind during their race.  Nicholls and Blackwell have not competed together in a double scull before but did not hold back, as they had a good start and went off rating 33 and settled into a steady rhythm and maintained 30 strokes per minute for the duration of the race.  Nicholls and Blackwell completed the course in a time of 12.34 and finished in 24th  position overall.  With just 9 seconds between the two MIRC crews they are all looking forward to the upcoming races in November to see who finished where.      

Laura McGrillen