Monday 29 March 2010

HoRR/Vets Head Photos

Well done to everyone who rowed/coxed the Mens and Veterans's Heads at the weekend, especially the crazy people who did it twice! It was a great weekend for all concerned! Race Reports will follow shortly.

Mens Head
Crew

(302/420 with a time of 19.57)

Cox: James T
Stroke: Ralph H
7: James H
6: Tom W
5: William C
4: Tom M
3: Mike P-J
2: Chris W
Bow: Paul H



Vets Head Crew

(92/204 with a time of 15.04, beating loads of men-only boats!)

Cox James T
Stroke: Joss T
7: Claire H
6: Ralph H
5: James H
4: Tom W
3: Paul H
2: Bev E
Bow: Janice D



Here are some photos from the races and links to where there are more.

Mens Head of the River Race

BigBlade

More at : http://www.bigblade-photos.com/displayimage.php?src=http://www.bigblade-photos.com/rowing/events/2010/meh10/bydivision/&im=MEH_10_02645

Birdman (Hammersmith)

More at http://events.birdmanphotography.com/?Action=VF&id=3691778650&ppwd=nr6706kk

Jet Photographic

Hammersmith

http://www.jetphotographic.com/showphoto.php?id=199441

Start
http://www.jetphotographic.com/showphoto.php?id=199040



Vets Head of the River Race

BigBlade(loads!)

More at http://www.bigblade-photos.com/rowing/events/2010/veh10/bydivision/153%20Chesterton%20RC%20%28B%29%20MxVB%20C.html

Birdman

More at http://events.birdmanphotography.com/?Action=VF&id=3696888050&ppwd=nr6706kk

Jet

http://www.jetphotographic.com/showphoto.php?id=199650

Wednesday 24 March 2010

Victim identification

On HoRR/Vets Head weekend the tideway is home to many strange blades. Those of you heading down to London to support us this weekend may find yourselves wondering just which club those poor souls struggling in the wake of the mighty Chesterton men belong to.

May I suggest you use this handy guide to tick off our victims.

Monday 22 March 2010

Video of WeHoRR- under Hammersmith Bridge



From 4:30 onwards. Only a little snippet, but it's worth seeing.

Friday 19 March 2010

Hammersmith Head 2010 BowCam

Look out for the unsat sky....

Wednesday 17 March 2010

Blog Layout Edit

Follwing Will's comment below, I've had a bit of a fiddle with the settings. Comments very welcome, and I know the title image isn't great quality! I'm working on it, I just need the TT font that we use so that I can create a better version.

HORR 2007

For those doing the HORR, here is a pic a friend sent me from 2007, when the weather wasn't so good.

horr_2007

Glug glug glug...

BTW, don't you think our blog is a bit thin, in the sense of not-very-wide. How about someone tweaks the settings a bit?

Monday 15 March 2010

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

Sunday 14 March 2010

Tideway results

As most of you know the Tideway VIII raced in the Women's' head of the River race yesterday and are delighted to report we came 248th out of 289 with a time of 22.29. This is a big improvement on recent results where we have come in the 280s. The time on its own does not mean that much as it depends on the weather conditions of the day, but we finished 11th out of 17 in our category of novice club.

I think the most telling fact is that boat 199 who chased us all the way and only overtook us on the finish ended up with a time of 22.08 (ie 20 secs faster) and position 219 - well within our grasp.

Other Cambridge crews who took part

City A IM1 19.56 25th
Claire A's boat 20.41 79th
City B IM3 20.42 81st
Cantabs A IM2 20.57 104th
City C IM3 21.43 181st
99s IM2 21.48 - must be annoyed to be beaten by City C 190th - but only 40 sec faster than us
Champs 1 IM3 21.50 195th
Cantabs B IM3 21.59 210th
City D 22.29 246th
Chesterton 22.29 248th - City D just beat us by part of a second - presumably the same crew who made a dramatic improvement in Winter league last week


In the novice club category (our category)
Winner was Bexhill and Worthing RC 21.12
Last City of Oxford 24.35
A 3 min range of times - and we are nearer the winner than the loser.

The clubs that beat us were Norwich, Nottingham (both very big clubs), 5 clubs from the Thames and Aberdeen RC. We beat Lea, Eton Excelsior, Kingston, Vesta, Doncaster and City of Oxford.

Thanks to everyone who made it possible for us to go especially Claire, Kate (our cox) and Andy S for making sure the boat would pass the inspection and giving me every single spare part he could think of.

Anne

WEHoRR 2010

2700 athletes, 300 boats, 8 Chesterton rowers, 1 cox, and a day to remember! For several of us is was our first experience of rowing the Women's Eights Head, or 'Tideway', but even for those who had raced on the Thames before, it was still a fantastic experience.




Under Hammersmith Bridge (birdman photography) more here

The forecast was for sunny spells, and although we could have done with a little more sun, we were still lucky to have a bright, not too cold day without a lot of wind. We were boating from Tideway Scullers School, which is positioned exactly on the start line, by Chiswick bridge. We all arrived, some by train and some by car, by 12:30pm, and the boat was waiting for us. Once we had put the boat together, we had plenty of time to eat, pose for crew photos, and try to calm each others' nerves! At 2pm, we went hands on the boat, and took our place in the queue to boat. It all happens very quickly, as there were so many boats waiting to push off behind us. We were very grateful to Janice, Emily and Jo, who helped us with our blades and wellies. And then we were off! Rowing on the Thames! It was pretty exciting, and for many the race nerves fell away.





We then had a short row to our marshalling spot. Our cox, Kate (from Magdelene College) who had kindly stepped in to help out and get practice for coxing Magdalene M2 at the Mens Head of the River Race, very ably kept us on station. It was a constant process of rowing and maneuvering to keep in the same spot against the flow of the tide (the Eights Head races are always rowed with the tidal stream). As we moved up to the start, race nerves started to appear again for some (including me)! Under marshall's orders, we de-kitted and span the boat ready to race. This was it!

We felt like we got off to a strong start. Rowing on the Thames is different to rowing on the rivulet that is the Cam, but we took it in our stride, and kept a good rhythm, rating 28, and rowing quite long. We had gained confidence when we overtook the boat in front (a Durham college second boat) with ease within about 3 mintues of the start. This gave us a great boost and we maintained well under Barnes bridge, and past Chiswick Eyot. Tiredness began to set in, but before long we were rowing under Hammersmith Bridge where we could hear cheering from our enthusiastic support team. This fired us up, and we were determined to look good for them and the cameras. We pushed off Hammersmith Bridge, rating a little higher at 29 and relaxed into the long stretch to the Black buoy. Unfortunately it was on this stretch that the cox box battery ran out, and Kate's voice, which has been spurring us on so well, faded out. She didn't realise how badly we couldn't hear her, so for the last part we were on our own to an extent. Despite this we did still manage to overtake another boat after this point. Although my memory is somewhat hazy, the results tell me that it was another Durham college first boat! Not knowing exactly where the finish was made the final minutes somewhat difficult to judge, and we were overtaken by a couple of boats just before the finish line. Although we clearly all wanted to prevent them coming by, we weren't able to make a united effort to do so. But despite the lack of cox box, we all kept going strongly, coxing ourselves through it to keep pushing. We did lose length towards the end but we kept a good rhythm, and when we passed the finish line, none of us had that much left!



But we still had to row home, back to Tideway Sculler School at Chiswick. It was tough and it took a good hour against the stream. My hands were quite sore, as well as everything else, but it was not entirely unpleasant in the evening light to be rowing down one of the most famous stretches of river in the world! Upon arrival at TSS, we were greeted by our loyal wellie bearers and my James helped pull us in. Soon we were back on land, enjoying Freya's delicious flapjack, and putting the boat back together.

We retired to The Ship on the opposite bank after we had put the boat back on the trailer for drinks and dinner before heading back to Cambridge, tired but elated at having done it.


Chiswick Bridge as the sun set after the race.

Our category (expand for a better view)

Saturday 13 March 2010

Womens' Eights Head of the River Race

Congratulations to the Chesterton womens' crew who came 248th out of 289 crews at the WEHoRR race in a time of 22.28. A very strong performance, and a decided improvement over previous years. Well done to:

Anne
Joss
Amy
Freya
Mel
Ev
Sarah
Alison
Kate (Cox)

Thursday 11 March 2010

Tideway!

This is the standard video used to teach people about the Tideway. It's very much worth watching, to get a feel for the event and to see it in action. It's also compulsory for all coxswains to watch.

Search "Tideway Head" on Youtube to get some more classics. I particularly like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C9vCYGoPcY.

WEHoRR:

Useful documents here: http://www.wehorr.org/documents/2010-Info-Captains-Crews.pdf

Everyone needs to have read this!

The draw is at http://www.wehorr.org/documents/2010-Draw.pdf

Good luck to everyone racing! I'll be cheering from Hammersmith Bridge.

Hammersmith:

The map of the course is here: http://www.akrowing.com/download/CoursePDF.pdf

We're boating from TSS, which is by the start line, so we'll paddle a bit before marshalling.

Info on the start is here: http://www.akrowing.com/download/StartPDF.pdf

And the draw is here: http://www.akrowing.com/events.php?event=2010-hamh

Wednesday 10 March 2010

A timely reminder...

This is what we're not going to allow to happen this year:






City had a fast start, whereas we were a little bit too slow off the blocks. They gain about half a length in the first few strokes.

The Tidy 2k challenge

Surely I cannot be alone in wondering what Mr Tidys 2K score actually is. I therefore propose a little wager - everyone who wants to take part puts £2 in and guesses a time.

We will get James on an ergo the Monday after tideway and the person who guessed closest wins the pot.

I'm going for 9:24

Tuesday 9 March 2010

Men's Ergo Leaderboard



Tom set off with an early lead, but surprise contender Steven pulled a 7min 2k and knocked our esteemed captain down into third place. It looks like Steven has the potential to knock our current leader off top-spot- or is Tom's lead too great? Will Ralph overtake James, or will the latter have another go, with better pace? What's my 2k score?

Find out in the next thrilling installment...




Link at http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AjyCKTce_X42dDVWQWdNcGxWRWZ4RmNVdXRsZmFHY3c&hl=en

New Eight, new Blog



Photo courtesy of WMC

Hello, and welcome to the Chesterton Rowing Club blog. On here, we will post photos, videos to review, the ergo table, and reports and photos from races and events.

The first item of news is the new men's eight. The club now has two decent eights, for the mens' and womens' squads, which will help us to train well and become more competitive in races!
Forthcoming events for the women include the Womens' Eights Head of the River Race on Saturday 13th, and for the men, the Hammersmith Head on the 14th.