Dear Everybody,

We had entries on both days this year (Cameron raced the 2k event on Saturday)

Short form: 2 wins (and 6 second places) out of 10 starts over the two days.

Holme P laid on it’s usual weather challenge.  This time it was a strong tail wind, which over the legth of the course made the bottom thousand most uncomfortable.  On the Saturday it got up enough that in the afternoon all single sculls events were cancelled (Cameron raced at 10:30, fortunately).  The wind continued Sunday (and the Met predicted thunderstorms – which mercifully held off), but the regatta held all events by shifting the 1k race course to the top of the lake.  A good move, but  following a race meant a long trek for the parents (and a long cycle ride for me), still, better than a cancellation. 

Cameron’s row on the Saturday was principally to prepare him for the Junior Nationals in July.  This is the only convenient 2k event on offer until then, and he had to race a straight final in J16s against James Forward of Union, who I reckoned would be 20 seconds quicker over the course than Cameron.  Cam got within 12 seconds, bettering expectation.

The next day (on the shorter course) Cameron won a straight final of five entries (one of which was Josh Rhodes) in J15 singles.  Adam Grundy was also entered, but did not enjoy the conditions much.  Cameron had some luck, in that he drew lane 1, which offered better water (Josh was next to him in lane 2).  Adam was unlucky in getting lane 5, and got the worst that the course could offer.

Our other win was in J13 doubles.  Jake and Sam had a Beckett double to beat, and were half a length up at 250 or so when the Beckett double caught a crab and stopped (the umpire had to tell them to get moving again), so our two had an easy row in (not that they slowed down that much).

Luke’s opponent in J12 singles scratched at the start of the day, so he got his money back (not to be sniffed at, considering the due to the cost of hiring Holme P for the weekend, entry fees are double anywhere else), but I’m certain he would rather have had the row.

Second place finishers included myself (new chap from Norwich got the better of me in the second half), David Phillips (racing a chap who also raced in the J15s), Josh Gledhill in J16 singles, Ethan and Alex in J17 doubles (racing a year up), and the women’s J15 quad (Beth, Tilly, Charlie, Gracie, and Luke as cox).  This latter was the most exciting race I saw all day.  Tilly was in the crew as a sub (a one-off, as technically she is J13, and not allowed in a J15 event – but the regatta had already waived this rule for other boats).  The oppo were Rob Roy, and Beckett.  We led off the start, and at 500 were half a length on the field, but could not get away, and the Beckett quad (in slightly better water in lane 2, as opposed to our lane four), were determined, and came through in the last fifteen strokes to win by half a canvas.  All three crews overlapping at the finish.  A really great piece of racing all round.

Gary and Andy raced in MasD doubles, but found the water too lumpy to put in their best show.  An increase in rig height is planned.

Yours,

Lewis