Fours Head of the River 2010: Unlike the year before, Fours Head 2010 actually went ahead on a cold Sunday morning in the middle of November. ICBC fielded eleven crews, with six coming within the top five of their categories.
Once again the dream team of Jamie Kirkwood and Josh Butler (Pairs Head Winners) was combined with the extra might of Sam Scrimgeour and Wilf “Safe Blud” Kimberley in the Elite Lightweight 4x. Jamie didn’t quite manage to add Fours head to his multiple wins over the year, as the quad came in 4th overall and 3rd within their category (18:24.84).
Photo by Hal Bradbury
In the Elite coxless fours, Will Todd was reunited with ICBC legend Ole Tietz, along with Olaf “stiffmiester” Beckmann and Martin "crazy" Eirmann [no prizes for guessing Mr Todd gave Press Coordinator Richards the details!]. For much of the afternoon, the quartet thought they had won their category, only to have it snatched away from them once the final results were released with their position being 5th in their category and 64th overall (19:32.21).
Photo by Hal Bradbury
ICBC had three crews in the IM1 4x. The half lightweight half heavyweight crew of Tom Pearson, Alistair Hudson, Ben Spencer-Jones and Alex Gillies seemed quite confused when questioned on how their race had gone. Shouts of “UNBELIEVABLE TEKKERS” [which PCR has been informed means technical genius, thank you Soccer AM] were combined with the confession that “tekkers totally went out the window and was replaced by [the crew] hooning it the whole way down”. Despite this, the crew were the 12th fastest crew on the river, coming 5th in their category (18:44.61). Also in the IM1 4x category were Rory Sullivan, Iain Palmer, Ben Anstiss and Matt Lunt. University rivalries were sparked in the crew’s journey along the tideway when the quad received a good old fashioned joust from Loughborough [or is that Luffbra?]. In reaction to this gross injustice; Matt Lunt took out his anger on some schoolboys from London Oratory [perhaps taking hints from Wilf Kimberley and his rage towards Latymer?]. The boys were eventually 28th in category and 81st overall (19:44.13). The third and final entry in this category was the quad of Tim Barr, Tom Shaw, Finlay McPhail and Matt Taylor who were 36th in category and 142nd overall (20:14.08) and unfortunately had “no amazing banter”.
Photo by Hal Bradbury
The one and only coxless four representing ICBC, consisting of Tim Richards, Jake Lea-Wilson, Adam Seward and Tommy “Sugarbags” Hilton, put in a strong performance to come 6th in their Category (IM1) and 66th overall (19:33.56), just one place behind the club’s IM2 Academic 4+ (Matt Whaley/Henry Goodier/Simon Steele/Leo Carrington/Henry Fieldman (Cox)). The guys put in a strong performance, being the 7th fastest coxed four on the day and 3rd in their category behind UL and Oxford Brookes in a time of 19:32.8 0.
Photo by Hal Bradbury
Two further coxed fours raced in the IM1 category. ICBC VIII (Dom Meyrick-Cole/James Hobhouse/Danny Bellion/Sam Cottrell/Connie Pidoux (Cox)) came 3rd in their category (92nd overall) in a time of 19:49.00. ICBC IX (Will Laughlin/Jon Cook/Sam Lindsay/Ben Joakim/Jess Johnson (Cox)) were apparently not quite prepared as they turned onto the start; one cannot control when nature calls… Despite this the crew, put in a sterling effort, coming 14th in their category (20:44.25).
The Women’s Squadron of ICBC/SIBC fielded two quads on race day. The Elite quad of Leonora Kennedy, Zoë Lee, Amy Propsting and Kat Holloway beasted it down the course in an impressive 20:11.11 giving them 5th place in their category (138th overall) behind some very stiff competition. The quad of Chloe Symmonds, Helen Austin, Christina Duffy and Selina Graham were entered in IM1 and despite some confusion from marshals at the start who asked for all 8 to row on [about 4 months too early for 8s head of the river], had a solid race, completing the course in 21:15.67 (13th in category, 292nd overall).
Photo by Hal Bradbury
With the race starting particularly early this year (09:30 start), there was plenty of time for all those involved, and not so involved, to reflect and make the most of a long day (and night) of drinking. Some indulged in a pub lunch, some watched the final Formula 1 race of the season, some made the most of Thames Rowing Club’s German beer festival Oktoberfest and some continued well into the wee hours – Unbelievable Banters.
Libby Richards