Bedford Small Boats Head - April 2014

MIRC achieved it's first victory of 2014 at the Bedford Small Boats Head this year with the Vet G4x (lovingly known as the "OAPs" with an average age c65) just winning a handicapped race by 1 second in a field of 5 crews, with an actual time of 7.32 over the 2k course.

However, note, this was in the Vet DEF4x category, so there was plenty spare in the tank if they actually had G competition.  Well done lads, and the bladework looks pretty good too.  Great start to the year.

MIRC fielded 4 other crews.  The Vet D 4+ took a break from their hectic weight training schedule to actually race and did superbly, only just coming second in their field of 5 with an actual time of 7.36, losing to a C crew from St. Neots by just 2 seconds. 

The Vet E4+ (who have yet to acquire a nickname) came 4th out of 5 in 7.52 in the E/F competition.

The Women's Novice 4+ (universally known as the "Harem") are showing slow but sure improvement, finishing 11th out of 15 with a time of 8.37.  Nice bladework ladies.

Finally Helen Taylor came 5th out of 6 with a time of 9.39 in the Women's masters A single sculls.  No picture yet.

Head of the River & Veterans Head of the River - 2014

A weekend of disappointments for MIRC, due to the full range of reasons: poor weather, poor race organisation and poor results.

The Head of the River was abandoned mid race this year due to extreme wind over tide conditions around Hammersmith, leading to multiple sinkings.

Our IM2 crew did get some racing in before the abandonment.

The next day, the Vets Head was held in much calmer conditions, however, and I am not totally sure what happened here, the race was badly mistimed.  The lead boats went off while the stream was still ebbing - ie INTO the stream.  It turned at some point around the setting off of the D category boats.

The impact on results was stunning; with clear discrepancies in timing as the tide got faster and faster with the older male Vets and ladies categories getting the most benefit. The consequence in times, made analysis of the results difficult: for example, a ladies 8 came 2nd overall!, and our F crew beat the C crew by a minute (compared to the Quintin Head, where the timings were correctly reversed). Consequently times and positions for the crew are not very credible.

That said, it was a very pleasant day, with good hard racing, so all was not lost.

 The Vet C crew.

The Vet F crew.

Thanks to our ever suffering coxes, Jo, Liz and Tui, and our small but very vocal band of supporters.