Head of the River & Veterans Head of the River - 2014

A weekend of disappointments for MIRC, due to the full range of reasons: poor weather, poor race organisation and poor results.

The Head of the River was abandoned mid race this year due to extreme wind over tide conditions around Hammersmith, leading to multiple sinkings.

Our IM2 crew did get some racing in before the abandonment.

The next day, the Vets Head was held in much calmer conditions, however, and I am not totally sure what happened here, the race was badly mistimed.  The lead boats went off while the stream was still ebbing - ie INTO the stream.  It turned at some point around the setting off of the D category boats.

The impact on results was stunning; with clear discrepancies in timing as the tide got faster and faster with the older male Vets and ladies categories getting the most benefit. The consequence in times, made analysis of the results difficult: for example, a ladies 8 came 2nd overall!, and our F crew beat the C crew by a minute (compared to the Quintin Head, where the timings were correctly reversed). Consequently times and positions for the crew are not very credible.

That said, it was a very pleasant day, with good hard racing, so all was not lost.

 The Vet C crew.

The Vet F crew.

Thanks to our ever suffering coxes, Jo, Liz and Tui, and our small but very vocal band of supporters.

Head of the River, Lea Spring, Wallingford Regattas - 2012

Quick Reports from other entries this Spring.

Head of the River

The Senior Men put in two Eights at the annual HORR which fielded 399 entries.  Both playing at IM2, the first Eight finished a very strong 91st - 18th in a category of 74 - that's top quartile!  The time was fast too, at 19.18.13 only 30 seconds or so slower that the category winner (London RC).

The second eight came 240th and 52nd in category.

Lea Spring

The only MIRC representation was with Tony Marshall who raced in a composite double with Keith Jones from the Bewl.  The status was Vet G - That's 65-70.  They won the straight final against Lea by 1.5 lengths.

Wallingford Regatta

3 days after leaving his crutches behind, Chris Mollison rejoined Matt Nicholls in the Elite Pairs at Wallingford.  They came a plucky 5th in the 6 lane final.

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Note everyone, if I am not there, I can't do a report, so please feel free to send me your race reports and photos.

Head of the River Eights and Vesta Veteran Eight Results

Maidstone Seniors and Veterans were in competition over the weekend at their respective Head of the River Eights Events.

The results for the Head of the River can be found HERE

In the IM2 event, our crew came 42nd out of 77 with a time of  18.47.93.
In the IM3 event, we came 88 out of 128 with a time of  19.47.65

Pictures stolen from Oli Arscott's FB page.

Guys, please feel free to edit this to give the blow by blow of your adventures!

The results for the Vesta Veterans Head of the River can be found HERE

In the Vet D event, we came 12th out of 42 with a time of 21.15.55
In the Vet Novice event, we came 2nd out of 7 with a time of 23.21.86

Clearly the river was much faster on the Saturday ;)

Darren and Jez need to square earlier!

 Pics provided by Roger Mobbs and Graeme Hodgkinson.

Well done everyone - now for the regatta season!

2011 Head of the River and Vesta Veteran Head of the River Draws

Head of the River can be found HERE

Vesta Veteran Head of the River can be found HERE

HORR Saturday 21st March and Vets HORR Sunday 22nd March 2009.

For the first time ever the Junior Squad entered the Head of the River Race (HORR). As Maidstone's second eight they started 219th on Saturday 21st March racing in the Senior 2 category. The event saw over 500 eights race from Mortlake to Putney on the River Thames and was the first time many of the crew had rowed the event. Over the four and a quarter mile course the crew over took 7 boats and caught another two. The crew came 40th overall in a time of 18:38.65 behind some of the worlds best athletes including those back from Beijing. The junior crew finished in the highest place the club has ever achieved and were the highest placed junior crew in the event. Well done to the whole crew and thanks to the parents and coaches who supported the crew during the day.

HORR Crew MIRC II (Bow to Stroke):-Sam Blackwell, Ben Farrar, Morgan Hellen, James Crumpton, Alex Torbica, Will Tew, Josh Pendry, Craig Turner, Cox - Ross Porter.

The senior men also entered a crew and came a respectable 213th with a time of 19:45.75.

HORR crew MIRC I (Bow to stroke) Cox:  Alastair Cooper,  Geraint Evans, James Knight, Stephen Slade, Mark Tomkins, William Purnell, Rich Ridgway, Guy Sticklee, Cox- Sue Mobbs.

On the Sunday, Maidstone Invicta were back up on the Thames again for the Vets Head of River Race. This time they entered 4 eights, 3 Mens crew and a women’s crew. With over 170 boats entering into the race our Vet A mens (6 + the cox had raced the previous day in the senior mens HORR) crew crossed the line in a time of 20:59.15, the 36th fastest time of the day, followed by our Vet D crew with a time of 22:03.26, Vet C,D,E Novice crew came home in a time of 23:09.08 and not far behind them was our women’s Vet B, with a time of 23:14.26.

Kate Beaumont and Laura Johnson