CYC Rowers in The Great River Race

CYC rowers had a memorable and extremely successful day on Saturday 21 Sept, participating in The Great River Race, a 21.6 mile race along the River Thames. The spectacular event, which is the largest and most prestigious of its kind in Europe, saw 270 fixed seat rowing boats and around 2500 competitors from around the world rowing from Millwall to Ham, under 28 bridges and past countless iconic landmarks. It was an amazing feeling to be on the water in Cygnet, our Celtic Longboat, with such a huge range of boats, including Traineras, Whalers, Skiffs, Skerrys, Gigs, Thames Watermen Cutters and even Hawaiian Outriggers.

The event is based on the tradition of the Thames Watermen’s Cutters and so each boat must carry a passenger, as well as a 3′ x 2′ flag, which added to the colorful spectacle. Cygnet had a team of 6 rowers. The two rowers in the stern of the boat rotated with the cox at set intervals and when conditions allowed and the 2 rowers in the bow rotated with the passenger, who also acted as a much needed extra pair of eyes for the cox. Our team had been training together for several months, practising rotations, rowing together as a team and trying to ensure we were all fit enough to row the 21.6 miles!

The first challenge of the day was finding the boat on the foreshore amongst the hundreds of others that had been craned into the river and towed to the start. Once Cygnet was located and set up, we took to the water but then had to mill around for about 45 minutes waiting for our start time. The beginning of the race requires a skilled and calm cox, which we definitely had, as 270 boats all jostle for position amongst a sea of oars, bows and sterns in a strong current, without incurring any penalties. The start was staged with the slowest boats setting off first. Cygnet got away well in very choppy water and rowed powerfully until we were past Westminster Bridge, when we had a little adventure! The current caught us out during a cox rotation and we were quickly swept onto a series of barges. Excellent coxing and a calm team meant that we managed to get back into the race before too long and we rowed strongly and without incident until the welcome finish at Ham.

Cygnet took 2 hours and 41 minutes to complete the course, placing 23rd out 121 mixed crews, 4th out of 17 mixed Celtic Longboats and 88th out of all 270 boats. We were thrilled with our results against some very stiff opposition, even with the addition of our ‘off-piste’ exploits! The whole event was extremely special, rowing as a part of a team on a beautiful day through central London in the company of 269 other boats will be a lifelong memory.

Cygnet has had a busy summer, competing in a number of events as well as going out on many local rows around the harbour. She is in action again this Saturday in the Cockleshell Challenge, a 7 mile race from Eastney, along Southsea seafront and back via Horse Sand Fort. We then host our own Celtic Longboat Regatta on the 19th October.

Rowing at CYC is thriving and we have come a long way from our beginnings just a couple of years ago. If you would like to find out more about rowing and/or coxing at CYC, please get in touch with the office. Whether you are a complete novice, a seasoned rower or are only interested in coxing, we would love to hear from you.

MILLING AROUND AT THE START

ICONIC LANDMARKS!

THE CYC TEAM