Some familiar rivals were at the start with us including BA Hurricanes and the Thames Taniwhas. Our favourite international team, the Titanic Dragons had made the trip to London again. Henley got off to a quick start as the dragon boats set off. We quickly pulled ahead of all the dragon boats. Due to the tides the Great River Race this year started in London and finished in Richmond. Not only did we have to contend with the waves through London but also weave our way through the boats and under the bridges. Soon after the start Henley lost their head, literally. The lock on the dragon's head on the boat was broken and the waves dislodged it. A couple of paddles jammed into it as it floated past.
It didn't seem long until we could hear the sound of the Dutch drum getting closer. Each year since 2006 where we each passed the other several times there's been a friendly rivalry between the two teams. This year they took a different route through the traffic to get ahead without a fight. We followed their line under the bridge where we had a bit of a dispute with a rowing boat and their large paddles. The Dutch team managed to stay ahead this time. We'll see them next year.
Soon after the Rafters got by after serving their one minute penalty for using cranked shaft paddles. Henley's biggest challenge came in the middle of the race from a team of rowers who used Henley's motivational calls to put in a spurt of their own. We had to pass them seat by seat and then they came back at us as we did a rolling break and we had to pass them again.
Henley finished with a club best time ! Thanks to Wendy and Allie for the motivation during the race, Chris P was volunteering to organise the event and the training and Chris F for organising the bus. Also thanks to our supporters: Emma, Nadine and Tanya's mother who made the trip into London to cheer us on.
Team photo
2009
2008
2007
2006
Finishing Time:
2:19:37
2:30:15
2:24:39
2:32:05
Position
(Based on Time):
4th
19th
3rd
8th
Position
(Based on Handicap)
16th
65th
14th
24th
Team Speed
For photos from the Great River Race, click here .
Riding high on the crest of a wave from our success at London Henley Dragons were full of confidence. The next BDA league event took us to Nottingham. A day of competition lay ahead on a stretch of the River Trent in the heart of the city.
An eventful first race of the season with high winds, big waves and the cancellation of the 500s gave us more time to celebrate the hard work of the Henley members representing Great Britain at the world championships in Tampa Bay, Florida. We also said good bye to last year's captain who will be paddling (and working) in Australia for a few years.
With trophy wins from the last two league events, would Henley make an addition to the trophy cabinet for the third time in a row ? It was going to be a challenge.
It may have been the day of the football world cup final between Holland and Spain, but for Henley Dragons there was a far more important sporting event taking place.
With the first event of the 2010 season, it was time to blow the cobwebs off the race boat and get that bad boy back on the water for some serious racing action.
