16 paddlers, a drummer and a helm cautiously took to the River Thames to compete in the 22 mile Great River Race on Saturday 16th September. With 15 Great River Race virgins on board, not many knew what to expect.

Just over two and a half hours later we crossed the finish line, after a journey full of highs, lows, pain, fear and elation. Each of us has our own special memories, some of which are shared below. All agreed that we had together been through a unique and exciting experience, which would stay with us for a long time to come.

Henley Dragons put in the 8th fastest time overall (out of about 275 boats), which put us 24th based on handicap. We were the 4th fastest dragon boat over the course, and finished in 2:32.05, pretty good considering the fastest time of the day was 2:21.18.

A big thank you to our support team - Mike for loaning the towing van, Steve for driving it and Derek for helping him, Tanya for borrowing the minibus (and driving us there and back) and to Nick for taking it from the start to the finish. Without their help the day could not have run so smoothly for us.

For photos click here.

Below are some of our individual memories of the race.

Mark Hipgrave:

My memories of the day:

Thirty minutes in 'this is fun'.
One hour in 'are we nearly there yet dad?'.
One hour Thirty 'whose idea was this any way?'.
Two hours 'Oh shit we are going down'
Two hours 5 mins 'I can’t feel my arms'.
Two hours 15 mins 'The bastards have moved the finish line'.
Two hours 20 mins and Cutty Sark is spotted 'I knew I could do it!!' 
Thank god it’s over.
9.30 pm at the pub 'my arms don’t work I am going to die of thirst'.
In all a day to remember for all.

Tanya Van Der Werff:

Still aching……3 days on, but no regrets! What a fabulous event – I had a grin on my face the whole time, until the first of the big waves landed in my lap, and tears in my eyes at the finish! All hail the helm – it must have been pretty tricky and scary ploughing through all those boats.

Well done us!

Debs Mendes:

I think us performing as a united team is a big club achievement. I am not sure how many other clubs entered a full team, I think only one or two from the league. We will know when the results come out.

Also the fact there was a waiting list to get in the Henley boat and when I got to training the next day members were crowding round to hear reports and were very envious and full of admiration. It was good feeling to share the high.

Personally the biggest achievement was to totally let go and let someone else be in control. It's a difficult thing for me to do but when that big wave came along I was in Allie’s capable hands. In fact I was quite looking forward to the next wave as it seemed good fun to me as the adrenaline flowed! I think I haven't come down yet from the high!

My Dad could relate to my experience as he did the Head of the River on the first stretch of the race and knew the buzz. It took me about an hour to answer all his questions that night when I got back. He was really pleased for me.  

Don MacLeod:

Favourite quote from Allie 'keep pushing girls. Sorry I mean not girls ... umm ... yes I do mean girls. Girls keep pushing ...'

Don't remember the exact quote. One mistake isn't bad for talking for 2.5 hours. Nice recovery though.

Esther Mihalik:

If English was my mother language I could write a whole story - as it isn’t I have to constrain myself to only a couple of short phrases.

I still can’t believe we did it... when we passed through the finish line I was almost without my consciousness because of the pain I had in my body, so I turned back and only when I saw Tanya’s face relieved and saying `We did it!` could I believe I don’t have to paddle any more...

I will never forget the moment when the first tide appeared and was approaching towards the boat; in my mind I had the image of tipping into the water! Even if we didn’t from that point on our whole paddling was a constant fight against the waves, which seemed even harder as I felt a terrible stiffness in my bottom and my shoulders were aching so that I could hardly lift my paddle. I feared I would lose it in any minute because I could grab it only with the tips of my fingers as I grew a couple of blisters in my palm. I couldn’t believe this struggle would ever cease, but I had no other choice than keep paddling (though it was far from being proper paddling among ideal circumstances...) I tried to dig my paddle, as Allie was shouting, but the boat was hardly moving, all my strokes seemed futile. I regained my faith only when Allie cried out `4 more miles` which appeared so few after those 18 done that I finally realized I was not eternally destined to this awesome combat but there was going to be an end! The waves seemed to calm down at that stage and I felt much stronger. I was not influenced by any pain, and when she said the finish line was about 500m ahead of us, I felt as if we were racing at a usual league race; I gathered all my strength and concentration and went for it...

I could hardly get out of the boat or walk afterwards, I still have pain in my bottom when sitting, but it was such an experience I will always remember in my life. Thank you, Henley Dragons, for giving me the opportunity to share these moments with you! 

Mike Sheehy:

I really enjoyed the whole race, the tussle with the Dutch boat, seeing so many different vessels, so many different styles of powering them, the long pull to the second bridge, seemed like an even longer pull to the third, the following bridges seemed to come up very quickly, Big Ben striking 12:30…

As we went past, cheers of encouragement from so many spectators, Chris’s mum and dad, Chris replying “hello mum”. Allie telling us she could see Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge and then, finally, Cutty Sark. 

And then, ……….I cant feel my bum, my longs don’t work, standing up, Steve saying “its not deep, Mark saying “it is if you lay in it” then feelings coming back with the pain, counting the blisters, 5, Nick fussing about, getting me a pint and a burger, really nice!!, poor Steve being pilloried no matter what he did, drive back through London, thinking, it would have been quicker to paddle back!!!!, clipping the kerb outside houses of parliament, ensuing defence of Steve, who did a great job and then back to the Centre.

Back home to a hero’s welcome and finding out Ned has 2 teeth.

I really did enjoy the whole day, did a bike ride on Sunday, Michelle ran, and most of the stiffness was gone.

Wendy Brewer:

Pre-race

Oh my God it's 4.30 am and I'm getting up to paddle, I must be back paddling with Henley again.

Building the 80 ft Big Gig on the start line.

Over 3 hrs to kill before the start, never mind, time soon goes eating second and third breakfasts, padding out the boat to within an inch of it's life, joining the toilet queue for 30 mins at a time and Don's fantastic pronunciation of 'bottom', apparently that's all that stands between him and British Citizenship!

The Race

Wow, what an awesome sight, so many boats, like rush hour on the M25.

Feeling a bit nervous (this is gonna hurt a bit), but trying not to think about the distance or the time it's going to take.

Passing so many boats, I wish I'd tried to count them all, must be well over 200. Passing other Dragonboats was best, heading for those greenies next, they've got a fancy drumbeat.

Penny trying to drum, tell us the names and number of the bridges we were going under and holding the flag out of Esther's way and holding on, all at the same time.

The greenies are still there, why can't we get passed them?

Lots of crowds cheering, seeing Wendy's fantastic 'Henley Dragons' flag and cheering for us, I think they enjoyed our battle with the greenies.

One hour gone, that took a long time - don't think about it. Drinks breaks help, just a couple of gulps, then back to it.

Allie tried a different tack with the greenies, push them to the outside of the bend, that seemed to work, the fancy drum beat finally receded behind us, but didn't go away. Their drummer had a rest and I realised I missed the fancy drum beat.

Allie's calls helping us all the way, steering us through gaps that weren't there - that was a close one!

The OCUK outrigger went passed us, but they were the only ones who did.

Greenies are back again, but still behind us - just.

Big Ben striking 12.30, The Wheel and Houses of Parliament, haven't seen them from this direction before, probably never will again.

It's getting a bit choppy Allie, Christ that one nearly went over my head! It's fun though cos it's quite warm, not like Wellington harbour which was freezing. But if that hit us side on, we'd be over, Allie's got her work cut out - no worries!

Two hours gone, Tower Bridge, lots of cheering and a bottle neck of boats, there really was no gap this time, take off the pressure for a couple of strokes to get through, pressure back on, but we've got nothing left to give, it's hell from now on - so where's that damn finish line?!

The greenies are there and the fancy drum beat inches passed us, if we could just hold on to them, but they're gone - damn it!!!

It hurts, I want to stop, I can't feel my arms, my feet or my 'bottom', but I can feel my back and it hurts!

No cheering, no bridges, no boats to pass, just miles of soggy, choppy, grey, wide damn river and those greenies ahead of us.

Tourist boats charging in from every angle threatening to swamp  and sink us, not the cheering we wanted now.

CUTTY SARK!!!

Suddenly we were flying again, well, kind of inching towards the line, but it felt like flying. 'Go for the line' we're gonna make it - awesome!!

Seeing the Big Gig finish soon after us.

Post Race

Ouch!

Everything ached that I expected to ache, but the worse part were my thighs, I felt as though I'd run 22 miles, not paddled them!

Reading the results and realising how well we'd done, the greenies turned out to be the Dutch Batchworths and only beat us by less than a minute and seeing that some poor sods took 5 hrs 28 mins to finish (I hope they stopped somewhere for lunch!).

What a fantastic experience, I'm so glad that I did it and would I do it again?  No!  But if you ask me in a couple of years, I might think about it.

Dave Allen:

I remember that dammed green team, why wouldn't they just give up, why did they make us keep pushing. I remember the pain of them disappearing into the distance and I remember the mutual respect at the end, the buzz of a hard battle well fought.

I remember the mixed feelings as each big wave came towards us, fun tinged with a large dash of fear and a splash of very cold water in a very sensitive place.

I remember countless rowing boats parting like the Red Sea at the last possible moment before disaster, as we powered our way through.

I don't remember the Millennium Bridge at all, despite really looking forward to passing beneath it, how I missed it I'll never know, perhaps I was in my happy place.

I remember the pain, oh the pain.

I remember cursing Allie every time she asked us to reach, or kick, didn't she realise I couldn't do those anymore, those muscles were gone, twisting however, that I could still do, it was pretty much all I could do by the end.

I remember four glorious words, four words so wonderful I nearly cried... 'Go for the line...'

Chris Fowler:

What a brilliant day, the best bits for me were paddling past the Houses of Parliament and battling through the washes. Malc even told us we had done 'quite well' praise indeed.

Jamie Castle:

I have so many thoughts where to begin?

The first has to be the fact that Penny was not our only passenger.  A spider on my cap had hitched a ride the whole way and spent most of the time on my back eyeball to eyeball with Jules.

My immaculate technique enabled me to skim the top of the wake on numerous occasions providing Wendy B with a cooling spray of water down the back of her neck - whether she realised she needed cooling down or not.

The hardest part of the race for me was the last section from Tower Bridge to the finish line.  It just seemed to go on forever and I do not think we would have made it had it not been for the encouragement from the back. All I can remember is paddling down the Isle of Dogs thinking 'where the hell is this finish line' and then the relief when it finally came into view.

My final memory has to be the searing pain that started from the seat of the boat when we went to easy.

James Hickey:

My overriding memory of the GRR was the rush I got from being part of something so spectacular. The first half an hour left me buzzing, realising crowds of people had actually turned up to watch and were cheering from the banks and the bridges.

The first half of the race was a gritty, determined dash to get past the mad Dutch team, my paddle clattering theirs, as our boats came together to pass under the bridges. An unspoken respect quickly grew between paddlers on each boat, as I feel each relished the chance to race against an equally matched team over such a long distance for international glory.  Racing paddle to paddle with those guys while crowds shouted “Come on Henley!” from the bridges above, was the best rush I’ve had in my Dragon Boating experiences.

I’ve never raced in deep wash before but coming through the centre of London, battling fatigue, unstable waters and other teams for position made it all worthwhile. I zoned out from the pain and constant rhythm of paddling and soon realised water was coming in from all directions, soaking me to the skin. I actually started laughing.

I was drenched, water was dripping off the end of my nose and I realised I was ankle deep in water in the boat, as my refreshments floated helplessly around my feet.  Every time my paddle hit the water, huge splashes would rise up and hit me in the face, my eyes half closed, the taste of salty Thames water in my mouth. I’d never been as uncomfortable as I was at that moment and yet I’d never felt so exhilarated. And still the crowds cheered. NOW I realised why I had joined this club. I wanted that moment to last forever and in my memory, it probably always will.

Penny Thompson:

If there is one memory to choose from, it has to be the waves that started up around Westminster Bridge and carried on up until Tower Bridge, and Allie’s warnings to say that we have a wave coming in from the left or head on! And then Esther and Wendy's faces as we were swamped by brown smelly water which almost came up to chest height!

Another one might be the anxious and chaotic loading of the boat down the slippery mud bank, pushing and shoving with the other boats - we all looked a bit like rabbits caught in the headlights as we began to contemplate the paddle ahead.

Wendy Fowler:

My memories of the Great River Race:

Allie leaning on my shoulder when we hit some bad waves and me thinking we might be in trouble!

The spectators on bridges and recognising some of them, good old family!

And my back being the worst it's ever been!

Jules Doman:

05.00 – I’m rudely awoken by my alarm after what seemed like only 15 mins sleep (actually I’m sure it was only 15 mins sleep).

07.00 – Arrived at launch site and as everyone disembarked, all I wanted to do was to stay in there and sleep until it was our time to go!

09.35 – OK, so my body’s lost the argument that it isn’t going to get anymore sleep until tonight - I’m awake! and bouncing; get me in the boat, get me in the boat, sitting in my place in row three; it was not only the most comfortable place to spent the 2.5 hours until our start time, but I wanted to get on the water  AND I WAS UP FOR IT!, Grrrr…

10.45 – And, finally… it was our time to go – 3,2,1 GO! – 100% to the first bridge

12.00 – Oh, no it’s happened much sooner than expected, my back hurts and we’re only half way through, oh god, this is going to be hell!

12.10 – There’s a spider on Jamie’s back and we’re eyeball to eyeball down the course – good job I don’t mind them, otherwise could have been an issue, as didn’t have time to swipe it off, more important things to do! – at least it took my mind off of my back – thank you spider

12.15 – We hit the wash – mostly made by the rescue and tourist boats, we had it coming from all directions, and it was coming in!, OK we didn’t sink that time, but…oh no there’s another wash coming in from the left, made it again, thanks to Allie having the forethought to steer into it (unlike Masters, oh was I not supposed to mention that!?!?!?)…and another pesky rescue boat going at what must have been 25mph, sh*t, we’re going in!…

12.45 - …we’re still here, and this must have been one of the longest half-hours of my life, phew it’s over… but where are all the rest of the other boats?, as we entered The Isle Of Dogs (that name will come back to haunt me again, I’m sure!), there may just as well have been tumble weed blowing across the water in front of us…and…oh…is that the Mary Celeste I see before me, or am I hallucinating with the pain – it could easily have been either!!!

13.15 – approx. – CUTTY SARK – THERE IS A GOD!!!!!!!!!!!! (I was beginning to wonder!!!) – the call that I NEVER thought I’d hear came from Allie, ‘OK Henley there’s the finish line, go for the line, last 30, 3,2,1, GO, where had I heard those words before, oh I remember, (just) 2.5 hours ago at the start!… and I gave it my all, well if I broke something, I broke something, it couldn’t have been any more painful that what I was feeling now… I think Nick captured the moment perfectly when he asked me as I got out of the boat (just about able to walk) ‘so, Jules are you going to do it again next year, I gave him the look… but really would I? – You bet yer!.

Allie Lane:

Some of my random thoughts during the Great River Race:

Did Esther really think she could get away without a paddle?
Where’s the start? Oh well, I guess we’ve passed it already.
Oh my god – how am I going to weave through all these boats?
Derek was right, I can’t do this.
Hello mum and dad.
I know, I’ll follow the ‘green team’ helm for a bit
Must prove Derek wrong – I can do this!
Lost count of how many boats we’ve overtaken already.
The ‘green team’ are doing a push.
Our Henley flag looks dead cool trailing out behind us.
It’d be great if we could get past the green team
I need a pee
That green team drum beat is beginning to annoy me
I wish these little boats would look behind before changing direction
It’s great to have the green team alongside us pushing us along
Oops, sucked into them, must improve my wash hanging
Bugger off Malcolm, I’m helming not you.
That green team is going to hit the bridge. Blimey their helm is good.
That’s bridge 13 out of 28
Wash hanging – yipeee!!
The green team is dropping back – have we lost them?
Shit. Thank God for Wendy’s shoulder
We’re paddling past Big Ben, how cool’s that!
The Greenies are pulling away.
Oh my god, that’s a big wave
Shit, we’re going in
Are we still alive?
What can I say to motivate them?
My back hurts.
Derek was right.
James looks like he’s going to die.
Woops nearly fell over.
Oh no, I can see another tourist boat in the distance, it’s going fast, and that means waves
What’s the best line to take when a massive set of waves hits you from behind?
I can’t believe they’re still responding to my calls
I’m talking gibberish.
Where are we? 


Other crew members who have yet to comment, either still recovering or wanting to forget it ever happened are: Malcolm Burfitt, Chris Pearson and Mo Gannon.