The Great River Race: London 2010
Cadgwith Pilot Gig Club ladies raced in, "Rose of Cadgwith"”
14 Octboer: 8 new photos added by Katie
15 October: New full race report by Rachel Holder, Secretary
On 25th Septmber 2010, 8 of the girlies (Angie, Emma,
Dani, Katie, Kim, Rachel, Sarah and Sue) and Elly raced
21 miles down the River Thames in order to raise money
for the RNLI and Shelterbox.
The great river race is open to all traditional style,
coxed craft powered by a minimum of four oars or paddles
and works on a handicap basis. The rules also state
that we must carry a passenger - this time, we carryed
two running from London Docklands to Ham at Richmond.
Please read the full report by Rachel Holder, (Secretary) below (with 8 photos mixed in)
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London 2010 Great River Race 25 Sept. 2010, (Angie, Emma, Dani, Katie, Kim, Rachel, Sarah, Sue) & Elly photo1: 1440 x 900 photo by Les Steele, very kindly send in |
Rose,
London 2010 Great River Race |
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| Rose,
London 2010 Great River Race |
Rose,
London 2010 Great River Race |
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Rose,
London 2010 Great River Race |
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8 intrepid ladies from the gig club (Emma George, Katie
Jose, Dani Yeats, Sarah Hammill-
Rudd, Angie Richards, Kim Smith, Sue Atkinson, cox Rachel
Holder) travelled to London late
in September with Rose of Cadgwith to take part in the
gruelling 21 mile Great London River
Race in aid of the RNLI Lizard Lifeboat Appeal and Shelterbox.
The race is a spectacular
annual event involving more than 300 traditional craft,
ranging from small rowing boats, to
dragon boats manned by crews of 20 and an annoyingly incessant
drummer! Dan and Sue
Atkinson somehow managed to volunteer themselves for the
unenviable job of towing a 30’
boat to the capital and back, for which we’re very grateful,
and many thanks too to Elwyn
Jones for lending his car for the purpose. On Friday night
we gathered to unload Rose at
the finish at Ham, Richmond, from where she was towed
down river to the start at Millwall in
Docklands, this year the race running upstream with the
tide. Cadgwith have entered several
times previously, with Angie having completed the course
no less than 3 times before, most
recently in 2004. However, for at least half of us, it
was all a new experience, and particularly
memorable for 9 year old Ellie, Emma’s daughter, on her
first trip to the capital, who rode the
race in the stern.
Above photo: Being silly!
Saturday dawned bright, and we made the trek from our
hotel in Kew by train and
underground to the start – just fathoming out our shiny
new oyster cards was a challenge
in itself! Once at Docklands we were somewhat alarmed
that, despite some determined
searching, we couldn’t see the familiar blue and white
colours of Rose anywhere. Luckily
our fears that she’d been sunk enroute (which did indeed
happen to Devoran’s gig some
years ago) were allayed, as she was towed into sight.
Fluorescent pink tutus donned (thanks
to Dani), we hoisted our impossibly large RNLI flag and
made our way to the start. Around
40 Cornish Gigs had made the journey to London, and all
were given the same start time
of 13:12, the race being based on a handicap system. The
first mile or two were against a
tough wind as we battled past the skyscrapers of Canary
Wharf, but we soon turned the first
of the corners to see Tower Bridge looming large ahead,
from where our supporters Gemma
Lester Bennett and Dan waved us on. Then a number of famous
landmarks were passed
in quick succession, HMS Belfast, the Globe, Tate Modern,
The Eye and the Houses of
Parliament, rowing the Thames being a memorable way to
experience the heart of London.
Pint of Betty please or a bit of Doom?
"I can see the Lizard from here" Cadgwith girlies hit the
London Eye
Above photo: Working hard
There was a brilliant atmosphere throughout the day,
with many of the crews in fancy
dress (including cavemen, pixies, even white gowned brides), and all
the bridges lined with
spectators, who greeted the Cornish boats with shouts of Oggy Oggy
Oggy. For much of
the way we had Fear Not from Devoran close behind us, which meant
the competitive spirit
soon emerged, but with dozens of bridges to negotiate, and many smaller
craft to overtake,
it’s a race like no other! Some of the male crews in slower boats
looked perturbed to be
overtaken by an all female crew, but others accepted their fate more
light heartedly, striking
up a chorus of “we’re (not very good at rowing), and we know we are”,
to which we could only
give one polite response. The Irish crews in traditional Currachs
seemed to get along just fine
rowing with square sticks, but we did have to suggest they should
get themselves some oars,
which no doubt they had heard a hundred times over! Dutch crews were
well represented,
some rowing high-sided tubs, which called for such an unusual rowing
technique, the
oar handle taking an arc almost overhead, that we could do nothing
but stare in wonder!
were still in front!
Above photo: cool in shades
By mile 15 the pain was beginning to hit, with blisters and sores
galore, but everyone battled
on gallantly, lifted by the support from the spectator cruisers (a
fairy cake was thrown from
one in encouragement), and spurred on by the narrowing gap to Zennor’s
gig Senara ahead
of us. In the event they pipped us to the line, but we were pleased
with our achievements and
our time of 2hrs 58mins. We started in 287th, and finished in 142nd.so
perhaps the cox can be
forgiven for getting us tangled with one or two (or may be nearer
a dozen) of the 140 boats
we overtook! After a chaotic time loading up Rose, we collected our
certificates as evidence
of our efforts, and then headed back to the hotel for some much needed
sustenance. Thanks
to Katie and Emma for organising this memorable weekend, and to Mullion
Spar, Skinners
Brewery and Sharps Brewery for sponsoring tops.
Above photo: cheers, by the cup or the Bottle!
Our target was to raise £500 each for Shelterbox and the RNLI local appeal by our endeavours, and we hope to be within spitting distance of this, so thank you all for your support.
(above report by Rachel Holder, Secretary)
see all large photos:
