The Hammersmith Head

Sparring with Bristol- they're about 3 or 4 seats up at this point, but it's the closest they got.

56/89 overall, 8/21 novice

Yesterday the Chesterton men made the first of two trips to the tideway this spring travelling to Tideway Scullers for the Hammersmith Head. The objective was to familiarise the HORR crew with the waves wind and general chaos of racing on the Thames which is so different to our own little Cam. Only two of the rowers and our cox had previously been on the Thames so there were plenty of nerves as we put our VIII together on the embankment but once we boated everyone settled down quickly.

After a brief warm up we marshalled above Chiswick Bridge and watched division 1 spin off the opposite bank and head off downstream. Soon it was our turn and we were off. The crews nerves showed at first and we started a little slowly with Bristol university gaining ground behind. A strong headwind and choppy river was hampering our style and just after Barnes Bridge the Bristol cox was calling her crew to push past us.... she didn' know there was no way Chesterton were going to be overtaken so soon. We matched their push and raced side by side around the long bend heartened by cheers from our supporters at Chiswick pier and overtaking another crew on the way. It was clear we were a match for Bristol and after James played some mind games with their bow pair we finally shook them off and pulled ahead by a length or so by the finish at Hammersmith Bridge.

The row back to Tideway Scullers was over very choppy water, including the wake of a lifeboat that raced past at full speed but the crew rowed well on the home run. Encouraged by the call of “push 10 for the pub” we were met on the hard by Emma, Sarah and Dan who ensured we got the shiny new boat out without a scratch. The boat was trailered in good time and we retired to the bar, first at tideway scullers and afterwards at The Ship Inn (excellent Spitfire on tap). Everyone enjoyed the experience and I think its sets us up nicely for the main event in 2 weeks time.

More pictures and a video or two to follow!

Crew: J Tidy (cox), R Hancock, J Howard, T Watt, W Connolley, T Mansfield, M Prior-Jones, C Wood, P Holland
More pictures and a longer report here: http://scienceblogs.com/stoat/2010/03/mothers_day.php

Results:

Finish Position, Start position, Crew name and Category

1 2 LONDON RC A SEN.8+ 11:00
2 1 HENLEY RC A ELI.8+ 11:02
3 5 STAR CLUB IM1.8+ 11:02
4 3 LONDON RC B SEN.8+ 11:08
5 15 BRISTOL UNIV A IM2.8+ 11:09 IM2.8+
6 7 BRISTOL CITY RC A IM1.8+ 11:13
7 49 BRISTOL UNIV B IM3.8+ 11:18 IM3.8+
8 12 LONDON RC C IM1.8+ 11:21
9 9 TIDEWAY SCULLERS A IM1.8+ 11:23
10 31 BIRMINGHAM UNI A IM3.8+ 11:24
11 10 HENLEY RC B IM1.8+ 11:25
12 16 W OF ENGLAND UNIV A IM2.8+ 11:26
13 6 THAMES TRADESMEN IM1.8+ 11:28
14 19 BATH UNIV A IM2.8+ 11:31
15 77 TIDEWAY SCULLERS B NOV.8+ 11:31 NOV.8+
16 14 PUTNEY TOWN A IM2.8+ 11:32
17 11 VESTA A IM1.8+ 11:32
18 18 IMPERIAL COLL A IM2.8+ 11:33
19 82 QUINTIN BC A VetD.8+ 11:34 00:35 10:59 Vet C/D 8+ C/D H'cap
20 4 LEA RC A IM1.8+ 11:35
21 46 BRISTOL CITY RC B IM3.8+ 11:36
22 21 MAIDSTONE INVICTA A IM2.8+ 11:37
23 37 IMPERIAL COLL B T/O 11:37
24 8 MORTLAKE AA A IM1.8+ 11:38
25 17 HENLEY RC C IM2.8+ 11:39
26 32 LADY MARGARET BC IM3.8+ 11:40
27 13 EXETER UNIV A IM2.8+ 11:43
28 55 BIRMINGHAM UNI B IM3.8+ 11:46
29 30 CARDIFF UNIV BC A IM3.8+ 11:46
30 33 UNIV COLL LON A IM3.8+ 11:49
31 61 BRISTOL UNIV C NOV.8+ 11:50
32 20 LEA RC B IM2.8+ 11:50
33 47 SWANSEA UNIV RC A IM3.8+ 11:51
34 56 PUTNEY TOWN B IM3.8+ 11:51
35 54 ST GEORGES HOSP IM3.8+ 11:55
36 52 CARDIFF UNIV BC B IM3.8+ 11:56
37 60 RUMS BOAT CLUB A NOV.8+ 11:56
38 51 AURIOL KENSINGTON A IM3.8+ 11:58
39 27 HSBC RC IM3.8+ 11:59
40 63 IMPERIAL COL MED BC A NOV.8+ 12:01
41 34 SONS OF THAMES A IM3.8+ 12:01
42 24 ELIZABETHAN BC IM2.8+ 12:02
43 48 BATH UNIV B IM3.8+ 12:03
44 80 THAMES RC B VetC.8+ 12:04 00:16 11:48 C/D H'cap
45 57 EXETER UNIV B IM3.8+ 12:04
46 35 PETERBOROUGH CITY A IM3.8+ 12:07
47 42 DE MONTFORT LEICS IM3.8+ 12:07
48 28 PARRS PRIORY RC A IM3.8+ 12:08
49 79 BRISTOL UNIV D NOV.8+ 12:10
50 44 W OF ENGLAND UNIV B IM3.8+ 12:10
51 76 EXETER UNIV C NOV.8+ 12:12
52 29 KINGS COLL LON A IM3.8+ 12:12
53 41 SONS OF THAMES B IM3.8+ 12:17
54 69 IMPERIAL COLL C NOV.8+ 12:18
55 83 TIDEWAY SCULLERS C VetE.8+ 12:20 00:52 11:28 Vet E/F 8+ E/F H'cap
56 78 CHESTERTON RC NOV.8+ 12:21
57 59 BIRMINGHAM UNI C NOV.8+ 12:23
58 22 VESTA B IM2.8+ 12:27
59 25 CYGNET RC A IM2.8+ 12:28
60 39 ESSEX UNIV IM3.8+ 12:29
61 68 THAMES RC A NOV.8+ 12:36
62 70 SWANSEA UNIV RC B NOV.8+ 12:39
63 45 HSBC RC IM3.8+ 12:40
64 75 LSE RC NOV.8+ 12:44
65 53 MORTLAKE AA B IM3.8+ 12:46
66 67 IMPERIAL COL MED BC B NOV.8+ 12:46
67 62 UNIV COLL LON B NOV.8+ 12:49
68 43 PETERBOROUGH CITY B IM3.8+ 12:52
69 58 QUEEN MARY BC NOV.8+ 12:53
70 36 MAIDSTONE INVICTA B IM3.8+ 12:53
71 38 BARTS & LONDON IM3.8+ 12:57
72 26 FURNIVALL IM3.8+ 12:57
73 72 BATH UNIV C NOV.8+ 12:58
74 64 RUMS BOAT CLUB B NOV.8+ 13:02
75 71 VESTA C NOV.8+ 13:04
76 81 PUTNEY TOWN C VetD.8+ 13:07 00:35 12:32 C/D H'cap
77 66 BIRMINGHAM UNI D NOV.8+ 13:09
78 74 UNIV COLL LON C NOV.8+ 13:10
79 50 PARR S PRIORY RC B IM3.8+ 13:15
80 40 KINGS COLL LON B IM3.8+ 13:16
81 86 LONDON RC D VetF.8+ 13:30 01:11 12:19 E/F H'cap
82 87 BEWL BRIDGE VetF.8+ 13:33 01:11 12:22 E/F H'cap
83 88 KINGS COLL LON C W.IM3.8+ 13:49 W.IM3.8+
84 84 QUINTIN BC B VetE.8+ 13:58 00:52 13:06 E/F H'cap
85 73 CYGNET RC B NOV.8+ 14:13
86 89 BATH UNIV D W.NOV.8+ 14:18 W.NOV.8+
87 65 AURIOL KENSINGTON B NOV.8+ 14:33
88 90 KINGS COLL LON D W.NOV.8+ 14:44
89 85 PUTNEY TOWN D VetE.8+ 15:29 00:52 14:37 E/F H'cap23 SUDBURY RC IM2.8+ DNS