Men's pair wins at Peterborough Summer 2010

Another successful regatta for Drago this season. This time he paired up with Hadrian to win the IM3 category at Peterborough Summer on the Saturday. And they even came in faster than the IM2 wins. Congrats!

Women's Elite 4+ takes silver medal at Nat Champs - 18 July 2010

We sent our Henley winners (James + Cat, Emily, Lyndsay and Pippa) to National Championships in Stratclyde Park. It was a tight and exciting race with Sons, City of Oxford and Reading at the head. City of Oxford took an early lead and Sons battled side by side with Reading. Sons pushed out 1/4 length to Reading and started to come through City to take first place at the 1500m mark. In the last 500m, Reading put in an enormous push and came through both Sons and City to take the gold with Sons just 0.46 sec behind. All in all, a tough but satisfying race. Well done ladies!

Sons wins M.IM2 2x at Richmond Regatta - 26 June

The Masters were out in force at Richmond Regatta and brought home a pot for the Men's Intermediate 2 doubles - many congratulations to Brad and Drago.

Sons also raced a Master's C quad, a Master's C double and a Women's IM3 coxed four.

Sons win the Frank Harry Cup at Henley Women's Regatta!!! - 18-20 June

In a superb final, James + Cat, Emily, Lyndsay and Pippa won the Frank Harry Cup at Henley Women's Regatta against Reading. And let's not forget the minor detail of also setting a new course record of 5:18, two seconds faster than the previous record!

In the open heat on Saturday, Sons beat Maidenhead by 1 1/4 lengths; in the quarter-final, they went on to beat Marlow/Osiris by 4 lengths. In Sunday's final, they got an early lead on Reading: the 2 seat, 3/4 length, then 1 1/4 lengths. Despite taking clear water, Reading pushed hard and came back to overlap by the finish. Sons won by 3/4 of a length. What a race!

Sons bring home 2 wins from Barnes and Mortlake Regatta - Saturday 12 June

Another exciting day of racing for Sons! We had two crews entered in the Women's IM3 4+ category and they faced off in the semi-final. Also racing were a Men's IM3 2x and a Men's IM3 4x. Hilary Cook (coxing the Hilary Cook) guided Gemma, Katie, Louise and Jayne to victory in the IM3 4+ category after 3 rounds of good racing. Despite her many wins, this was Hilary's first win in the boat named for her; also a first for Louise who lost her novice status. And in the very last race of the day, Drago, Andreas, Rune and Martin won the Men's IM3 4x in a straight final. Hearty congratulations all round!

Sons Women take 2 medals at the Met Regatta - 5/6 June

On Saturday, the Sons women sucessfully took on the Putney Bridge Bowl (IM1 4+) with a comfortable 7 second lead. And then did it again on Sunday! This time in Senior 4+. Congratulations to James + Cat, Emily, Lyndsay, Pippa! They also raced for the Matt Wood bowl on the Sunday: a mere hour after their Senior 4+ win.

We also had several other crews racing on the Sunday: a Men's IM2 8+ (recently bumped up from IM3 by their Twickenham win), a Men's IM1 4x and a Women's IM3 4+. Good showing by all!

Sons Men win at Twickenham Regatta - Saturday 29 May

Sons' crews were out in force at Twickenham regatta on a drizzly Saturday. First up was the men's IM3 4+ (Paul + Kenny, Rory, Matt, Andrew). A challenging draw meant an additional race (8.15!) against Surrey University. In determined mood, Sons put down the fastest time of the day in their category to make it through to the next round where the other crews were waiting. After two more rounds (and three hours on the water) Sons arrived in the final, finding themselves up against Tideway neighbours Putney Town. It was neck and neck as the two crews came down the 1250m course and there was nothing to separate them at the end. The race was judged a dead-heat and the crews were sent back to the start to re-row immediately. This time, however, Sons couldn't quite recapture their form and were narrowly edged out. An encouraging result though for a new combination.

After this, Sons were in no mood to settle for second place in the next event, the IM3 8+. This time Sons won the final comfortably against Cygnet. A good result for: Paul + Kenny, Rory, Matt, Richard, Stephen, Barney, Matthias, Andrew.

Other results

• W.IM3 4+ (Treanor): semi-final.
• W.IM3 4+ (Nickerson): semi-final.
• M.N 4+: semi-final
• W.IM2 4+ (Nickerson again): semi final.

For full results see: Twickenham

Thanks to everyone who came down and supported.

Sons Novice 4+ wins at Chiswick Regatta

Sons wins the Men's Novice Coxed Four category at Chiswick Regatta. They won their semi-final by 1 length and the final by 1/3 length. Well done to Paul H + Kenny, Rory, Hadrian, Emile.

Also racing were a WIM3 4+ (Em-J + Gemma, Katie, Louise, Jayne B), an IM3 8+ and an IM3 1x (Fawcett).

Sons WIM1 4+ silvers at Wallingford Regatta

After a slow start, Sons' Women's IM1 Coxed Four (James + Cat, Emily, Lyndsay, Pippa) rowed through 4 crews to place second with a time of 07:39.34 at Wallingford Regatta.

Sons enters 2 crews into the Henley Fours Head

Racing in Division 2:

• W.IM1.4+ (#239) finished in 12:59 (a very close 2nd place!)
• W.IM3.4+ (#255) finished in 14:25

Sons enters 3 crews into the Quintin Head

• IM3 (#40) finished 38th with a time of 13:17.3
• WIM2 (#69) finished 61st with a time of 13:59.1
• WIM3 (#81) finished 85th with a time of 15:07.1

Kingston report from the W.IM3.4+

It was determined not to rain badly last Saturday for the Kingston Head and the sun was rather sparkly even if it was fresh awaiting to start. Our mood was equally determined, sparkly and fresh. Madz coxing focusing us and encouraging (despite being jetlagged from her NY tour and concussed only days before!). Sarah on Stroke (metronome queen), Jayne B firmly backing her up, Lisa fearlessly following through and me in bow (in my first Head race).

Our start was tousled dealing with number challenged umpires and boats. We were committed to work together though and kept on it. I am also proud to say we also kept in mind Becky's wise words not to slacken in the mid section of the course. Our united front pulled us through yet again when we faced a sudden battle with a men's pair who decided driving into our blades on stroke-side was sporting. We weren't phased and kept working through to the finish. It truly was a fun race.

We appreciated the support too on all banks. We came in overall at 205 with a time of 21:13.2. 7th out of 9 IM3 boats. IM3 is a broad brush; the fastest IM3.4 was 18:08.7 (Reading University BC) and slowest 25:41. We may look for faster, more powerful and polished days ahead and will work for it...but we managed to come through very much together, with our heads up high (above the girl in front. ALL the time of course).

Jaynie

Sons enters 5 crews into the Kingston Small Boats Head

November 21 2009

Well done to James and Hilary whose composite Vet's 4+ won their category on Sunday and comiserations to all Fours Head crew's who were very disappointed that the race was cancelled minutes before boating.

We're not sulking for too long though! Sons will be out in force at Kingston Small Boats Head on Saturday. Crews and start numbers below. If you're in the area please come by and cheer!

10.30 - Div 1

20 - W.IM1.4- (Wright)

32 - IM3.4+ (Mclure)

34 - IM3.4+ (Sloan)

1.30 - Div 2

276 - NOV.4+ (Straughair)

295 - W.IM3.4+ (Watson)

Lets hope the weather is better this weekend!

Hilary Cook's take on a triumphant Vets Head

15 November 2009

Sometimes the weather gods smile kindly on one. For James' youngsters on Saturday this would not have felt the case - but for his oldies on Sunday, Saturday's cancellation was huge result. It meant that Zoe - our monster erg pulling 2 girl - had fresh legs as she didnt race twice, it meant that I didnt have to spend the afternoon in the rain doing timing, and it meant that our bow girl Kathryn didnt have to cox crew no 520 and spend the afternoon not just in the rain but trapped and cold. Given that Kathryn is 14 weeks pregnant (!) this was a big result. And it certainly meant that we were very fired up to beat half of the crew that beat us to the veteran pennant in the 8s head by the required 30 secs to get revenge.

We're also a lucky bunch in that we were offered 3 boats to use for the race so chose the one located nearest the finish - Pauline Rayner's empacher based at Thames. Good call as our unconventional training - I'd been off sailng for a month, Kathyn's back at work after her first child, Zoe was busy with her quad and Lesley had been off walking in Scotland - meant that rating 31 plus (finishing at 35) down the course meant that we were hardly able to paddle even that far back after the finish.

But we did indeed get our revenge and won the C/D pennant - indeed we were the fastest coxed four of all veteran categories by 30 secs.

We're now all enthused to do lots of training for March. We'll see...

Sons enters 4 crews into the Fours Head and Vets Head

14 & 15 November 2009

Saturday 14 November is the Fours Head at 13:30 and Sunday is the Veterans Fours Head at 14:15. Please come down and support!

Saturday

• 379 IM2 4+

• 482 WIM1 4+ (James + Emily, Cat, Lyndsay, Pippa)

• 543 WIM2 4+ (Amy + Rachel L, Laura, Louise, Marion)

Sunday

• 152 WC4+ (James + Hilary in a composite with BBL and Thames)

Sons enters 5 crews into the Pairs Head

Sons has several crews in the Pairs Head on Saturday, 17 October so good luck to everyone. The race kicks off at 3.45 so perfect timing for some cheering from the pub! Crews and start numbers are below.

VetB.2x Ed and Matthias *62*

Mx.VetB.2x Sanne and Drago* 238*

W.VetB.2x Steph and Jenny *298*

W.IM1.2- Emily and Cat *331*

W.IM2.2- Lyndsay and Pippa *405*

Please come down and support.

Sons success at FISA Masters, Vienna

James Renwick and I raced as Sons last week in the annual FISA Masters Regatta - this year in Vienna. Conditions were less than perfect, with crews falling in on Saturday in a huge headwind on a course which makes Nottingham look sheltered. But it was warm and sometimes sunny and much fun was had by all.

Our lovely crews from Henley Vets and Molesey couldnt race as the rest of them didnt want to come to Vienna so I rowed with older people. James and I won the opening race of the event, Vet D4+, composite with Strathclyde Park, Medway Towns and Leicester. I also won F4- in our Thames composite (a crew we'd actually trained in) and was 2nd in D4x in another geographically challenged mix. I won Mixed D 8 with the Scots and Croatians but we were off the pace in other 8s - bit embarassing to go from racing elite 8s at Henley Women's this year to losing F8s....but a lesson that women's veteran rowing is getting organised even at the older levels (F is average age min 60) and that an outing first might have been an idea.

Richard and Fred were out there racing as Quintin. Saturday's hideous conditions suited them ideally and they won D2x. They also towed me up the course as cox to win E8s in the impressively fast time of 3.06 - the fastest by some way of any crew in that event. We were 2nd in D8s to the Dutch.

Back to sailing now until the vet fours head

Hilary Cook

Sons win at Peterborough Summer Regatta

Sons of the Thames notched up an impressive four wins at Peterborough Summer this month and finished in the top three overall at the regatta, behind Nottingham but beating The Lea.

Showing our strength across the range of events in women's rowing the wins were in elite pairs; IM3 quads and Novice VIIIs. Demonstrating considerable promise for the coming year this rounds off a strong season that has seen wins at Kingston Head (IM2), the Dewar Shield, the Met (IM2), a HWR Final (Senior) and now four pots from Peterborough summer

Women's 4+ FINAL at Henley Women's Regatta

On Women's Henley Sunday, Sons A raced Furnivall/Mortlake composite in the semi final of the Senior coxed fours, which Sons won by clear water to put us into the final against Stratford Upon Avon, who had beaten Durham in their semi. The final was a tough race, and although Sons produced their best time of the competition, it wasn't fast enough to beat Stratford. Stratford were 2 seconds short of the course record. A very good performance. However Sons are already looking at next year and getting their hands on the title.

2 Women's 4+ qualify for Women's Henley

Both Sons A & B coxed fours qualified for the Senior 4+ event at Women's Henley. Sons B were drawn against Osiris in their first round and unfortunately were beaten after putting in a strong performance. Sons A beat UWE easily to get into the next round of the regatta.

WIN at Met Regatta - Women's IM2 4+

A great result as the Women's 4+ cruised to victory on the Sunday at Met regatta to gain the gold medal position by 8 seconds to Kingston RC. The girls had previously won their heat and showed from the offset they were a force for others to catch.

Peterborough Spring Regatta - Both womens crew reach the final and the Mens IM3 beat Vesta and HSBC

Both Sons men and women's crews raced at Peterborough Spring Regatta. The men's IM3 8+ won their first heat beating Tideway neighbours HSBC and Vesta amongst others, but lost out in the semi-final. The mens novice 8 got through the second round of their event. The women's novice 8+ won their heat but unfortunately couldn't re-capture their earlier form in the final. The womens IM3 4+ were also finalists at the end of a day which saw lots of racing for all those who went up.

Novice Women's Eight also reach final at their first regatta appearance

At their first regatta of the season (Putney Town), the novice women rowed to victory in their heat against Barnes Bridge B, before a close win against Kings College London in the semi final. Unfortunately they lost out in the final to Trinity College Oxford. They are going to build on this experience for their next regatta. A promising start to their season.

Novice Men's Eight reach final at first regatta

The novice men knocked out both Vesta and Cygnet at Chiswick regatta, before unfortunately being knocked out themselves in the final by a stronger crew from Kings College School. A good start to their season.

Women's IM2 Senior 4+ comes 3rd at Wallingford

After winning their heat, the crew fought hard in the final and came in bronze medal position.

==George Walls== Some sad news -- George Walls died on 14th February, aged 96. He was a professional oarsman, back when the professional / amateur divide really meant something, and was an Apprentice to Walter Luckett of the Hammersmith Mall 80 years ago ! George was a former president of Sons of the Thames. He did a lot for the club in the 60's, 70's and 80's and he was also a great supporter of Women’s Henley.