Saturday 8th May 2010 saw the 2nd Thatcher Rock 8k offshore rowing race.

We had five clubs contending in various boats. The first race due to be held at 12.30 was delayed for half an hour due to start boat difficulties but eventually the Ladies Race went off at 13.00 in which there were eight boats.

All boats started well with Exmouth and Teign Scullers pushing their noses in front favouring the coastal side of the course. By the first mark off Daddy Hole Plain both these crews led with Teign Scullers 30m in front. This first leg gave the crews a gentle North Easterly swell fairly sheltered from the wind but at the buoy the crews were rowing straight into a stiff force 4-5 NE wind. First around Thatcher were the Ladies Quad Four from Teign Scullers, their first ever race in this type of craft. Second was Exmouth Ladies and third was the second Exmouth boat.

The crews now had the wind behind them and the skill required is to run with the swell. Not as easy as it sounds especially when you are in the trough of the wave feeling as if you are going backwards. All the crews were in a line in batches of two for some reason, competing their own individual races within the one big race. It’s a straight leg from Thatcher Rock to Livermead head around 4k long. Blade work has to be at its best in these conditions but all crews had their share of mistakes missing strokes and coming off their slides.

The gap between first and second varied all the time sometimes Exmouth would gain and then fall behind. At the back of the race Teign Scullers second Quad boat were fighting it out with the fixed seat rowing of the Paignton Ladies Gig.  Eventually the race was won by the Teign girls crossing the line 15 seconds and about five lengths in front of Exmouth Ladies who were one minute ten seconds in front of their second ladies crew. The Torquay crew of Ali Bennett, Izy Shaw, Sarah Baker, Charlotte Smith and Zoe Dinsdale were sixth, a good effort for first timers Ali and Izy.

In the second event, the Mens Race, the Torquay crew of Russ Bammens, Mike Cresser, Nick Cleasby, Ian Wilson and Katie Cudmore as cox, took a standing start to breeze in front of the running start of the Mayflower youngsters and Exmouth who fancied their chances against the older Torquay crew. As it was, the battle between the two younger crews was for second place as the Torquay crew stretched their lead to finish a commanding 56 seconds in front of Exmouth in a time of 37 minutes 58 seconds. This was a repeat of last year’s result with Plymouth third.

Within the same race was a dual of doubles which had Teign Scullers reaching the first mark first and then the Torquay crew of Jamie Dawe and Gary Spencer rounding the Rock first but a problem with the Torquay blade work let the Teign boat retake the lead and finished 6th overall but taking the doubles pennant 11 seconds in front of Torquay. 9th were the Torquay second Quad of Paul Dallyn. Nick Gagg, Maurice Dunn, Chris Akers and Zoe Dinsdale as cox, behind them were the Paignton Mens Gig who won the Gig class.

The final race of the day was for mixed crews in which four crews entered. The Torquay Quad crew of Ali Bennett, Georgie Cleasby, Nick Cleasby, Russ Bammens and Izy Shaw coxing won 8 seconds in front of Exmouth. In third place was the only double entry of Jamie Dawe and Zoe Dinsdale with the Mayflower Quad fourth.

The prize giving was at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club where the trophies and pennants were presented to the winning crews by the President of Torquay Rowing Club, Mr John Pascoe.

More photos from Pre-Season races are in the Gallery or from Border Photos.

Race Results

by Richard Cudmore 8th May 2010