Walton Reach Regatta report 2010

Another weekend, another regatta ! Similar effort from Skiff Club to last weekend; rather different rewards ..

It was (as they say in another sport) a day of two halves : of the 8 races contested by Skiff Club before noon, we won 4 - and one of those a Final ! But after 12pm, though we reached 3 more Finals, it was Played 6, Lost 6 (though some of them were damned close - more anon). Stars of the day were Lesley Russell and Jana Mandakova, coxed by Heather : making light of their promotion from Restricted to Novice following their victory at Sunbury, they trounced a Dittons pair (which included their captain!) to lift the Ladies Novice Doubles trophy in a straight final. And looked magnificent. Good luck at Henley !

Conditions were fast - a strong tailwind. Skiff Club started well, winning the first race on the card at 10.05 when Verena Diehl and I (coxed very encouragingly by Lesley) flew down the course to stay ahead of a strong Wargrave pair to clock a sub-3 minute time. An hour or so later, Lydia Blinston and Valeria Tretyak (sorry about mis-spelling in programme, same applied to Jana!) coxed again by Heather, took a fine win in the semi-final of the Ladies Novice Restricted Doubles under Valeria's mother's proud eye. First race win for Lydia and looking promising.

I notched up our 3rd race win in my heat of the Gents Novice Singles, despite twice being warned for going off the course and cutting the bend. Then came Lesley and Jana's pot.

Our second final came soon after lunch, when Valeria and Lydia took on Dittons in the Novice Restricted. It was a great race, with our girls closing all the time towards the finish and looking technically sound and strong - another 50 metres and they would have overtaken them.

Then came the greatest drama of our afternoon. Stephen Russell and Brind Waldron (coxed by Lesley) raced a Valley crew in the semis of the Gents Novice Doubles. After a mediocre first half they found their stride and it was side-by-side racing; as the line approached they got their noses in front but momentarily lost grip and were slapped with a dead heat. The half-course re-run was less accomplished. Should've, could've won. They will come again !

My final in the Novice Singles was not so close, less said ... So it was left to Stephen and Lesley in one of the last races and our fourth Final, to strain for our second pot in the Mixed Novice Restricted. It was a fine, gallant and dignified attempt, but the young Wargrave crew exploded off the start into a length's lead and it was a long way back - though they never let them get away.

Thanks and credit to our other crews who didn't score : Michael Westropp, Tim Harness (in various combinations), the Black / Coveney duo, and Nick Mattey who flirted with too many moored boats in his single (we'll give you a cox and a partner at Henley, Nick). And thanks to our dedicated supporters and coxes.

You can't win them all, especially when some of our winners insist on having lives to lead outside skiffing - until we change the rules and you have to submit an application to Bob for weekends off !

Onwards to Skiff Champs (and thanks to those who have kindly offered to help with food and bar).

It's being positive in adversity that shows our mettle; and we did that.

Tom Millest