Following the
BBC’s alleged example, James and his band of mavericks organised a lightning
raid on Bedford Small Boats Head using his WJ14 squad as smoke screen….
Travelling light with one coxed quad and one coxless quad aboard the
lightweight trailer the raiding party arrived at Bedford sneaking un-noticed into the last
parking space on the embankment with just enough time to unload, rig up and
boat in Division 2.
The poster had
said no under J15s but the organisers had left a back door open with WJ14 events
listed on BROE. MIRC HQ had quickly filed the entries before the mistake was
spotted but not before 9 other crews had also entered. The girls were there to
gain some valuable racing experience and despite their tender ages (most are
actually WJ13s) most were set to race the 2,000m course twice each in three
different combinations, thankfully aided and abetted by a strong tailwind and
good stream. Time to show their coach some mettle…
The first
crew of Ella K, Ella M, Maddie and Charlotte were led out on a path finding
mission by Louise. The course at Bedford
is littered with tricky obstacles such as very low bridges (Duck! Where?), Goose Island
(bird variety not the unpleasant surprise… more later) and even a bridge hiding
behind a headland plus the danger of quick doubles overtaking. The girls put
down a marker for their compatriots of 9:13 but had craftily mapped the course
on the way.
The next crew
of Charlotte, Molly, Katie, Louise with Ella K steering (all WJ13) set off with
a hunger to match the previous time. They shot the Town Bridge
with panache coming past Bedford RC with a quicker stroke rate audibly spurred
on by their cox and were seemingly on target but once out of sight a
boat-stopping crab ended their chances.
The last crew
of Molly, Ella M, Maddie and Katie with Louise having seen the results of the
other crews in the event on the rolling
result screens and via twitter knew that they had to go hard or go home. Rating
low but rowing neatly together they succeeded in the best MIRC time of the day
of 9:06 valiantly holding off a double intent on ramming them!
The final
times against the other crews showed a way to go yet to catch the frankly scary
and large WJ14 girls from St Neots (7.38) who beat the winning crews in the
following categories WIM2 2x, WIM3 2x, WNov 2x, WJ16 2x and WNov 4x+! So the
girls now face a year of protein shakes, 1hour ergs, and constant squat jumps……
Meanwhile,
cannily hiding in the wind shadows the composite of
Medway/Maidstone/Monmothians (aka Emineminem) slunk their way past the
unsuspecting crews to the start. Positioned as third boat off in Division 2,
two keen J18 quads between them and the finish line, the Mas BCD 4x kept their
guns wrapped up warm until the last possible moment. Using the shadow of the twin
bridges the quad upped the rating and pressure and shot over the start line at
a rate of knots. Now the rules if you read them state that Thou Shalt Not Pass
Another Crew Before The First Bridge and if you have read them you’d think how
likely is that…. so after the MMM quad stopped for a breather and let the
youngsters pass through the bridge under fettered, they set to and promptly
goosed them as they passed the island and Star RC and despite the spray pressed
on and overtook the other quad right in front of the main Bedford clubhouses
for good effect before sprinting for the finish line. The cat was out of the
bag. The time went up, 6:15, fastest of the day so far easily securing the pots
for Mas BCD 4x. OED were now in the process of releasing the new verb “to be
codgered” (definition: to be ruthlessly and humiliating overtaken by a bunch of
veteran rowers)
Time for a
refreshing cup of tea and some figgy biscuits… that’s how Master rowers roll…
meanwhile the war machine at Star RC had started rumbling, the conscription
papers quickly dispatched to their Henley
medallists…..
Last up for
the MMM quad was a cheekily foray into IM1 4x territory… again the canny
Masters rowers keeping their weapons warm while their younger Maidenhead
opposition put on a full gun-show to display their shiny Hudson to full effect (must
remember that rack of lamb for the BBQ next weekend). This time the MMM quad
were leading off the Division so no worries about full access to the first
bridges. Knowing that a St Neots J18 4x had tried to save the collective junior
blushes by squeaking out a 6:14 time, and seeing Star’s Sen 4x race earlier but
no confirmed time yet, and after seeing Mr Dewhurst’s finest wares behind them,
the MMM quad simply went for it. The Maidenhead quad tried a blitzkrieg move
but left their supply lines too far behind and died off after 1k gone. The MMM
quad roared home in 6:08….. second pot of the day.
Elsewhere as
the ink dried on the Bedford-Star Alliance Pact, the times for the Star Sen 4x
and IM1 4- (Mulkerrins – sure I’ve seen that name somewhere before?) were
released…. 5:44 and 6:00… “fair play, they rowed hard, we will let those pesky outsiders
have third place”.
Report by
James inspired by the mad ramblings of Lewin
