By Aaron Sims
The weather was evidence for the end of summer as members of Lancaster John O’Gaunt came together for the first Red Rose Head of the 2011/12 head season. Calm weather and sunny skies from earlier in the week were cast aside in place of gusty winds, darkening clouds and brief spots of rain. As ever, the elements did not stop the club from giving some pleasing strong performances over the 4km course on the Lune and almost all of the 16 times being personal bests in these crews, something not expected in the conditions.
With the plan next year to try and qualify a crew for Henley Royal Regatta, the aim was for all contenders in the men’s squad to set a time in the single scull, creating an initial ranking that can be measured as the season progressed. Eight candidates entered of the ten single scullers who set times.
Back in training following the birth of Baby JLS, Steve Sullivan took the top two spots in the handicap rankings with his first and second attempts netting respective raw times of 17.23 and 17.26 giving him times of 19.22 and 19.25 following the handicaps. An excellent start to the season and evidence that any prospective HRR crew for the 2012 competition are likely to include him.
With this event being Aaron’s last ever session at the club, this inevitably meant this was his and Matt’s last time ever racing their double which had been the club’s most successful crew for the 2011/12 season, winning seven of their nine races together ranging from novice to IM1. Having done so much together, their target was a course record in the double and had proven their ability to do so earlier in the week, clocking a 15.30 in calm conditions, well under the record. The winds however were not as kind to them and with headwind gusts coming from both directions, they only managed to come third on the day with a time of 16.56 and a handicap time of 20.13. This was however, a new best for the crew so they did leave on a high.
Matt then had a go in a single, setting an incredible time of 18.21 with a handicapped 20.20. This, being his first time doing a single in the Red Rose Head gave him fourth place overall and second place in the singles trials. Following him, fifth and sixth place were taken by Drew and Wilson who set respective times of 19.11 and 19.37 with handicapped times of 21.20 and 21.36. Some more excellent times given the conditions they were racing in.
Up next was the coxed quad of Glenn, Phil, Martin, Phil and Dylan who, without realising, broke the course record for the boat class with a time of 17.07 and a handicapped time of 21.44. A cracking job from them for which Dylan was quick to accept the praise, claiming all was due to his steering. The course record was enough to warrant them coming seventh overall.
Another double racing potentially for the last time at the event was the classic combination of Amy and Laura who had not rowed together for quite a long time. Amy will be leaving the club soon to start her studies at Leeds Metropolitan University. They got right back into their old ways, setting a very pleasing 20.28 with the handicap of 21.55 which kept them in the top half at eighth place.
Next up, following his success in the quad, Phil Bell had a go in a single and came ninth with a time of 20.02 and a handicapped time of 22.01. This time was closely followed by the coxless quad of Ellie, Hannah, Jess and Shona whose time of 19.41 was handicapped to 22.07, earning them tenth place. Chloe and Rhianne entered in their usual doubles combination and came eleventh with a time of 21.12 and 22.39 following the handicap. Hopefully this will be a crew they will focus on more this year and get faster and faster each time.
The final five entries of the day were more single sculls with the twelfth to fourteenth positions all coming within six seconds of each other. Steve Holmes set a time of 20.44 and a handicap of 22.43. Meanwhile a second separated Kieran and Tom who put down times of 20.49 and 20.50 respectively with handicapped times 22.48 and 22.49, much to Tom’s annoyance. Fifteenth place went to Oliver who after a great regatta season in a J13 single, comes into his J14 season setting a time of 22.30 which is very respectable for his age group. Finally in sixteenth place, Rich, who is new to sculling this summer, crossed the line in his single on his first attempt in 23.29 with a handicap of 25.28.
With the most successful season for the club in recent years just behind them, the new challenge for Lancaster John O’Gaunt this year is to continue the hard work and better the results with every possible opportunity. Judging by many of these times, this will not just be a possibility but an inevitability. So as I finish writing my last ever article for this website, all I have left to say is ‘Good luck Lancaster! Gaunt to the Fore!’
Comments are closed