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Stourport Regatta
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Dart-Totnes rowing club's veteran coxed four
crew managed a two pot win at Stourport Regatta at the weekend,
winning veteran D on both the main regatta on the Saturday and
the sprint regatta on the Sunday.
Rowed over 1100 metres in the same direction
as both the current and wind the Saturday event saw the crew of
Nick Price, Mick Rolley, Alan Langmaid, Steve Lamkin and coxed
by Steve Grimes up against Northwich, a crew they had never met
before on the regatta circuit. A dire start had Lamkin at stroke
pulling his blade through thin air causing the boat to slew at
an awkward angle. However some quick thinking and masterful
stearing by coxwain Grimes had them charging after Northwich and
into a commanding lead which they held to the line, winning by
three lengths.
An unfortunate draw caused the Totnes crew to
have to row straight back to the start again for their scheduled
veteran C race against Minerva Bath which proved their undoing.
They struggled to hold the younger crew after a good start and
lost by a length.
The following day was the sprint over just
400 metres, but against the stream and a blustery cross head
wind. No excuses for losing the veteran C event this time as it
was their first, against London club Quinten. The Totnes vet D
crew rowing in the younger category were clearly outclassed as
Quinten punted into the lead and across the line a length ahead.
But there was a sufficient break then to recover for the vet D
event and the semi-final against City of Sheffield. Totnes made
no mistake and soundly demolished the Yorkshire club setting
themselves up nicely for the final.
The biggest surprise of the day came with the
other semi-final between hot favourites Bewdley and the
Northwich crew Totnes had raced the day before. Northwich won.
This left Totnes kicking their heals impatiently on the river
bank waiting for their finalist rivals to tire themsleves out
further in two eights races before climbing wearily into their
coxed four boat to face a refreshed Totnes crew hungry for
battle. It was almost a forgone conclusion with Totnes, making
no mistakes this time, jumping straight into the lead despite
the disadvantage of a half length course stagger . Two lengths
up and with just ten strokes to go the Northwich crew suddenly
stopped as their stroke's rigger disingegrated in terminal
shipwreck. However they very sportingly acknowldged afterwards
that the race was won by that time by Totnes.
A good weekends racing with mixed fortunes,
but good practice for the rest of the season. This Dart-Totnes
veteran crew has somehow missed their rythem this year despite
being runners up at Henley Veterans regatta in June. Racing has
been patchy with crew having to drop out occasionally and some
uninspiring training. However there was no mistaking the sparkle
at Stourport even if they proved they could not compete so
sharply with the youngsters at veteran level.
Alan Langmaid, vice-chairman and PR,
Dart-Totnes ARC.
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