Unofficially Thames Rowing Club

Greetings everyone from t’other side of the world! It’s very hot and muggy here in Cambridge but luckily there’s no wind, so Lake Karapiro has been flat for both days of racing so far. Let’s pray it lasts!

The big news from yesterday’s racing was probably that Caroline Evers-Swindell got beaten by an Aussie in the heats of the women’s premier singles – she usually has that event wrapped up tight. However she’s just gone through winning her repechage reasonably comfortably, although the winner of the other rep was faster. Going to be an interesting final on Friday. Unfortunately it’s going to be one without Thames lycra in it – Helen Ratcliff had a tough rep against some of the regional high performance girls and missed out. Helen has the semis of the senior singles tomorrow and ought to go through to the finals.

Meanwhile Lucy [Smith] and I both had repechages for the senior pairs today, although we weren’t racing each other this time. My pairs partner and I (both non-Kiwis – Erika’s American) knew we’d have a tough race and it didn’t get off to the best start, we must have been a good half a length down on the field by 250m. Ooops. However we pulled through and ended up qualifying for the final, just coming third behind two local pairs from Cambridge. Lucy had an easier time of it, her pair winning their rep by a clear seven seconds. The final’s going to be fun but tough! Our club quad was less successful – we had interesting steering issues off the start, and were always off the pace, so that’s that for the week.

Day off tomorrow before racing on Friday; a chance for tired legs to recover. Will try and get some pictures of finals racing.

Missing that roar of “Go Thames!” – Joanne.