And here it is finally! Our report on Hammersmith Head. First in my heart, the women. And what strong women they are! They did really very well and are showing us where commitment gets you. Let’s turn to our 4 seat, Kat Blomberg for her report on Hammersmith Head. She’s eloquent. So keep reading in the comments for the full report. Thanks Kat!‘When I returned to the clear, tranquil waters of the docks in January after an 18-month break from rowing, I was utterly convinced there was no way I could be fit enough to race again in only 8 weeks. There have certainly been times (i.e. every Saturday and Sunday at 6.30am when my alarm went off) when I questioned my own sanity at my decision to return, but every time I got onto the water with this wonderful crew those reservations ebbed away. New coach Joe’s training plan has certainly built a bridge over that fitness gap which I had convinced myself would take a lot longer to overcome, and I was absolutely delighted to be in a boat alongside such a powerful and hard-working group of women.
The morning of race day came. With the boat rigged and a pre-race paddle done, we set our boat on the water at 12.30pm and then… we waited. And waited. And waited. I’m not sure I’ve ever spent that long on the water prior to beginning a race. Since we were crew 296, we spent a chilly two and a half hours watching 295 other boats go past before we got to start (although at least we got to cheer on both men’s crews as they came through). Thankfully the sun was out to take the edge off, although maybe all that did was make us long for dreamy summer rowing days.Finally, finally, came our turn. Going from stationary to full-out effort when you’ve been sitting in the cold for several hours is a tough ask. I could practically hear my muscles screaming what are you doing to me??? as we came through Chiswick Bridge for the start. We ignored the protests of our bodies though, and held the discipline, building to a nice steady rhythm and overtaking three crews early on.’
Then it was just a case of following the race plan: regular bursts for 20 strokes every 1000m or so, keep the composure, keep the commitment, trust in the power of the crew. We did just that, and it paid off in spades: coming under Hammersmith Bridge at the finish, we knew we’d had a good row, and it was confirmed after the (long, arduous) row back to the start: we’d come second in Women’s Intermediate, only 3.5 seconds behind the winning crew.For a glorious half hour or so, we were listed on rowresults as the winners, but alas, Cantabrigian’s time reappeared on the results list a little later and they snatched away our well-deserved medal. Still, the result confirmed what a powerful and quick crew we have, and gave us a huge burst of confidence for the upcoming WEHoRR, when we just have to do it all again, plus an extra 2k… bring it on.’
And not just the women, we also had two men’s VIIIs, Curlew A and Curlew B taking on Hammersmith Head. For both it was a very solid race where they placed well and shows that post pandemic Curlew’s renaissance is continuing apace.
But enough from me, here’s some words from Men’s Captain Ben Mitchell:‘ Hammersmith Head was a great opportunity to get two senior 8s out on the tideway. With disruption in the past two years experience on the water and picking racing lines is invaluable. First, well done to our two coxes Issy and Charlotte who both picked very tidy lines on their first outings. Both VIIIs had solid rows, placing tenth and fourth in respective divisions. Post race video analysis and views from the bank paint a picture of tidy and efficient rowing in the conditions from both crews. With HoRR a few weeks away we are continuing our build phase to reel in, at a minimum, the six crews ahead within 8 seconds, and manage the increasing competition for seats. Very encouraging first racing outing of 2022.’
Exciting stuff! Well done to all the rowers of the senior men’s squad. We’re loving how you are shaping up! Now. Get back in the gym and train even harder.
