Good news on the promotion front
P6: Danny and Fernando (1st and 4th in Div 7)
P7: Michalis (2nd in Div 8) and Claire/Karin (2nd in Div 8 K2)
P8: Trishan and Harvey (4th and 5th in Div 9), and Claudia/Fabrizio & Louise/Ingrid (1st and 3rd in Div 9 K2)
Good news on the paddling front
Tom won Div 1 (6 boats)
Lizzie/Jane were 3rd in Div 2 K2 (7 boats)
Freya/Luke won Div 3 K2, having seen off some hefty bloke boats (from Royal, 2nd and RAF, 3rd). Afterwards, Freya was unimpressed by the opposition who tried out their repertoire of underhand tricks and skulduggery (holding back the RIC boat at the portage; edging the RIC boat towards the weir etc).
On the return at Hampton bridge Freya/Luke jumped away from this group and kept away to win comfortably. Luke said that Freya really knew what she is doing when it came to good steering within the group.
Mike, Devin, James, Joshua, were 3rd, 7th, 8th 10th in Div 4 (17 boats).
Adam was fearful that his promotion (having won Div 6 K2 at Reading) would be a promotion too far. Not a bit of it, he, finished in the middle of Div 5 K1.
Faye (8th in Div 7) and Julia (5th in Div 8) continue to finish in the top half of their Divs.
Hiccups…
Jack was miffed at being wash hung, fell in, and finished in the middle of Div 4.
Ludy/Boris and Kevin/Nicole (see photo, two boats in middle of river) moments later only narrowly avoided a intra-RIC crash.
Ludy/Boris finished ahead notwithstanding stopping to help a capsized Div 3 K1.
Melody/Dylan looked good (see photo, 2nd off the start), were 1st in the provisional results, and were given their prizes at the prizegiving. The final results put them 5th out of 7.
In Div 9 the Robyn/Tony C2 came to a halt about 100m off the start and at right angles to the direction of the race. Steering issues subsequently resolved.
Injury corner…
Judy laboured witha sore shoulder.
James Hills laboured with a sore wrist. Note to all: do NOT paddle if you have a sore wrist. Tendonitis means rest, probably for a few weeks.
Finally, good to see Kirsten, Morgan, Rafa back in race mode, and, other paddlers.. Guy, Tim,
Andy, Alex, Gareth, Chris, Sue, Una, Teresa, Will/Ben, Iain (shortly off to New zealand for 2 years)/Annette, Caroline/Nicky.
Richmond race on 23rd.
