University of London Trial VIIIs Highlights Strength & Depth of Local Rowing

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Event was fitting tribute to Club's President who recently passed away

The University of London Trial VIIIs event made a comeback on Friday February 23rd when the club held their first race-off in three years.

The event was a fitting tribute to Alan Watson, who was president of the club for 40 years and recently passed away. Following a 1 minute silence in his memory, the four crews, Fist and Fury, and Bubble and Squeek, boated and warmed up on their way to the start of the boat race course in Putney.

In the Men's race, Fist, stationed on Middlesex, were aggressive from the off. Rating 40 for the first two minutes, they opened up a length lead coming through the Harrods Depositry. Fury pushed back, but a big push at Hammersmith bridge, signalled by a Pete Wells (Athens Olympics) grunt, helped ensure victory by a length and a half.

In the second trial, from the Eyot to Chiswick Bridge, Fist once again took an early lead, hitting Barnes a length in front. As the water cleared, Fury's stroke pair Pete Stuart (Junior Worlds 2006) and Rich Smith (former GB Under 23) took the rate up to 38, piling the pressure on Fist in the process. Unfortunately for them, they ran out of river, losing narrowly by half a length.

In the Women's event, Squeek, with Women's captain and GB Under 23 Lizzie Hodges on board, took an early lead but were eventually overhauled by Bubble, who won the first trial by half a length. In the second trial, Bubble took full advantage of the long bend from the bandstand to the University post, manufactoring an early one length lead they then held through to the finish.

With Olympian Simon Cottle, Junior Worlds Gold medallist Nathanial Reilly-O'Donnell and GB oarsman Tom Broadway due to return to the Men's boat, and GB athletes Fran Houghton, Jess Eddie, Katie Grieves and Anna McNuff all expected to compete in the Women's boat, prospects for Head of the River look promising.

Pete Wells, beer in hand, said after the event - "Today highlights the strength in depth of University of London rowing, and bodes well for the Head season and beyond that the summer".

February 28, 2007