SNOWDON ROWING CHALLENGE 2010: “…and I shit other people’s crushed dreams.”  ICBC Captain Leo Carrington was taking no prisoners in preparation for the Snowdon Rowing Challenge in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Lord Snowdon’s coxing of the 1950 Boat Race. Taking place in London’s Porchester Hall, it was open to six of the top rowing universities in the country: Cambridge, Imperial, Brookes, Oxford, Reading & UL.

The challenge was to cover the most distance on the ergo in 20:15 (Cambridge’s winning time in 1950). Each team operated in a relay fashion with eight athletes, four current students and four alumni, taking 15-20 strokes each before switching over. It was a tough field with over half the senior men’s GB squad in attendance. Overall winners: Reading University.

The fundraising event was part of the Snowdon Awards Scheme helping students with physical disabilities in further and higher education and was presented by Sydney Olympic Gold medalist Rowley Douglas. The Imperial line-up included Leo Carrington, Danny Bellion, Mark Mearing-Smith, Jonny Rankin, Simon Steele, Brendan Crean, Al Heathcote and Steve Trapmore. As Trapmore cruised up to ICBC to collect the student contingent, the alumni competitors were crest-fallen. Crean: “Is THIS the team? Oh man, we’re definitely not going to win.”  POD reported for duty, a camera was thrust into her possession, and with all aboard Trapmore turned to his passengers: “So, does anybody actually know where we are going?”  With the help of an already there Jonny Rankin, and the GPS (Turn left, turn left, and then turn left) they soon descended upon Porchester Hall, 40 minutes late. “We won’t have time to stretch at this rate.” Heathcote: “Stretched muscles are weakened muscles.”

Team ICBC (in their trackie b’s and hoodies), were escorted up a red carpeted staircase and past a fully seated dining hall. A black-tie event then? Turrific. (I’m OUTRAGEOUS!)

While the team got changed and signed their liability waivers (double-sided for Trapmore), official ICBC photographer POD took her position stage left. Six Concept II’s were lined-up in front of a large screen and the teams were called on stage by Douglas. Darkness befell the hall as 60 towering men flexed their way onto centre stage. As the teams practiced changeovers, a straining-to-be-heard Douglas narrated the slide show that nobody in the audience could see behind 120 bulging quadriceps. He eventually gave up and started introducing the teams, requesting a cheer from the audience for each crew. “First up we have... CAMBRIDGE!” Audience: “WAAYYYYY! “And second in line we have... IMPERIAL COLLEGE!” Audience: tumble weed/crickets, IC Crew: “WAAYYYYY!” “And it looks like Imperial have to cheer for themselves.” Audience: “Bahahaha.” (In fairness POD did cheer, but was drowned out by ergo flywheels).  

The race was run in time with a screening of the Oxford Cambridge Boat Race (2008). Strategy was left up to individual teams but most rotated after 15-20 strokes while others held down feet, kept the ergo from bouncing off the stage and offered moral support in the form of dripping sweat all over each other. After the first two rotations POD noticed a distinct change in facial expression from “Bring it On” to “Get me off.” Teams were urged on by Douglas who called out Boat Race landmarks and gave crew positions throughout the race. Reading took the early lead and held on to win convincingly. Two separate battles ensued between Oxford & Cambridge, and Brookes, Imperial & UL: crews finished in this order. Trapmore was satisfied: “Combined with UL we were fastest overall.”

Taking Imperial over the line was Jonny “LET IT COME DOON!” Rankin, described only hours earlier as “a real man” (source of quotation withheld.) Words cannot describe what POD witnessed in this final burst, but needless to say, pulling 1:12/500m splits is not a pretty sight. Imperial’s race average was 1:20.

As the presentations were made POD elbowed her way to get a photo of Team ICBC with all the Big Deals of Rowing. Bellion was in awe: “That’s the most Big Deals I’ve ever been around, and that’s saying a lot, I’m a pretty Big Deal myself.” But there were more important things on Mearing-Smith’s mind: “Did you get a picture of my back? At one point I saw myself on the big screen and was quite impressed.” The team was presented with club coloured cuff links, a pair of which was very kindly given to POD by MMS. “Thanks but I really couldn’t take your prize, you keep it.” “Oh I still have mine, we were given 12.”

The race was pre-described as “fun, noisy and highly competitive. A great spectacle.” Who could disagree?

And THAT’S how POD, sees it.

Christina Duffy

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