Sunday 16 September 2012

Gladys hangs on

What a great day. The weather was simply lovely, a cloudless blue sky with a light breeze to keep it nice and cool. If the breeze had been in the east instead of right on the nose it would have been perfect.
Langstone Cutters' Gladys with her crew of Veterans over 60 (from the stern, Geoff Shilling, Chris Bream, Alan Robinson, Mike Gilbert and me), rowed a good time of roughly three hours (no official times yet) and held on to the trophy again. We also got the cup for the fastest Clayton skiff.
Ahead is Coigach Lass, a St Ayles Skiff that had just overtaken us (grrrrr). An impressive performance - the St Ayles skiffs are going to be very competitive in the GRR in future.
The picture was taken by Glyn Foulkes of Hamble River Rowers and there are a lot more here. And we also got on Captain JP's Log.
The Cutters were out in force with seven boats - all three Solent galleys, both Clayton Skiffs and a Teifi. The fastest was Bembridge, but they still came in a couple of minutes behind Gladys (a situation they have sworn to remedy next year. Good luck with that, guys).

5 comments:

JP said...

Well done Chris - great rowing!

Keep Reaching said...

I know nothing of these boats - but it sure looks like the St Ayles skiff is headed the wrong way - that is really a pointy stern.

Chris Partridge said...

They certainly are pointy - the double-ended shape is a traditional Scottish faering tracing its roots to Viking longships. A lovely shape, I think.

Robbie W said...

Don't assume that all St Ayles skiffs go as fast as Coigach Lass! The Coigach crews have been dominant in all the Regattas they have been to this year. (~Says he trying to ensure that the handicap is not simply based on Coigach's Performance!) No sign of the results being published yet?

doryman said...

22 miles in three hours is impressive indeed. Congratulations!
Good showing by the Scots, too. I want to row a St Ayles! Maybe next summer at the Worlds.

michael