This time last year, after a few of us raced at HRR for the first time for well over 10 years, we decided that the aim for 2023 should be to qualify an entire crew of ‘young masters’ for the 2023 regatta.
With limited time on the water all season due to lots of family commitments, as recently reported in the Henley Standard… https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/henley-royal-regatta/181332/regatta-defeat-for-dads-army.html
…our moment in the sun came at Friday Qualifying, knowing that we’d achieved what we set out to do 12 months previously – qualifying for the Thames Cup! We knew it would be a close-run thing following results at Marlow Regatta, the week previously. But taking our times from our GoPro’s which were mounted on our hull revealed that we were probably just half a second ahead of the fastest non qualifier – Vesta C – whom we’d only narrowly beaten at Marlow.
Racing at HRR the following Wednesday was a huge bonus and although we gave it a good go, we were always going to be up against it. Royal Chester are a good outfit and a lot younger, plus we were all reminded in the HRR commentary that they were of course founded a year earlier than HRC were, in 1838!
There were some amazing highlights this year from Thursday evening post ergo beers (thanks Phil and Bruce) to our summer 8pm water sessions when we always had the river to ourselves!
We can’t wait to get back into it all next season.
HRR Crew: Tom Jost, Dom Pivonka, Robbie Kennedy, Rob Edmondson*, James Padmore, Nick Friend, John Gelling*, Elliot Cole and Rose Copus
*HORR Dave Read replaced John Gelling
**Marlow Robbie McGow replaced Rob Edmondson
