Tiny and Nancy Knight races report 2009

Well, we seem to have had the best of the bank holiday weekend weather for the racing yesterday ! It was a pleasure to be out on that reach with the backdrop of Home Park and Hampton Court.

The Tiny and Nancy Knight is one of the smaller events in terms of entries - mainly because it is an event with no classes / statuses. There were 5 gents and 4 ladies crews competing yesterday, for 2 prizes. It was a perfect day for it, and well hosted by Dittons, with prizes presented by T&NKs' grandson.

Skiff Club's 3 crews performed creditably - our Ladies (Janet Mehers and Amanda Leach, coxed Heather Bateman) coming rather closer to winning than the gents - finishing 2nd in 31:11, just half a minute behind the winners from DSPC (who included their fierce vice-captain Claire Yates). A very good pair and a very good pull, they gave their best. Hopefully we will see much more of them in competition this summer.

In the Tiny Knight, Michael Westropp made his skiff-racing debut (though he has a distinguished fine-boat racing history) with Tony Gordon, who has been training regularly in the gym and on the water through the autumn, winter and spring. Coxed by Bill Taylor (many thanks for stepping into the breach) they pleased themselves and their captain, enjoyed the race, and have some learning points to work on. I will admit that Tom Lee and I in the other gents' crew - coxed in a highly motivational manner by Paul Gregory - were pleased to an unconscionably unfraternal degree to beat them by 59 secs in a time of 30:27; though they doggedly held us off in the final stretch to avoid being overtaken.

The prize meanwhile was being fiercely contested way ahead of us : the first 3 crews finishing within 6 seconds of each other in just over 28mins, with TVSC's Flint & Fairbairn (combined age 57) just pipping DSPC's Shipley and Weiss (combined age 125!). An inspiration to all us mature folks.

Although we won no cups, Skiff Club were clear winners on the supporter head-count : with Stephen and Lesley Russell and Tim Harness, who skiffed a double up to Dittons (and back) to give us some rousing words at 10am, and Chris Coveney who arrived in a single to do the same shortly after, then Martin Black who cheered from the start-line on his way back from taking blades for repair at Windsor, and my wife, sister and brother-in-law from the Pavilion Terrace on the Middlesex bank, plus vice-captain Bob and senior coach Dave and ex-captain Roger, with president Gordon (umpire and numinous presence) - we were fantastically well supported. A great show of club morale.

So now it's the MDM next Sunday, and all hands to the pump. It looks like we will have entries in most of the 8 categories. Thanks to all in anticipation. Racing is in 2 divisions (probably) starting at 10 and 11.

Tom Millest