Imperial & Kingston R.C. Victorious in Visitors Challenge Cup While the women’s crews recovered from the trauma of their Henley experience, the men were still in training for their longer 2112m Henley races. The peak of the rowing calendar takes place over five days in the first weekend of July and is where Imperial continually adds to their impressive record of victories since it’s foundation.
On the final day of racing at Henley the pressure was on the men’s coxless four to bring victory to Imperial competing for the Visitor’s Challenge Cup. Don’t be mislead by the term coxless, this was a crew of pure 100% MAN, or beast/machine-hybrid, we aren’t sure, but thankfully there is no pending investigation from the powers that be. Triumph lay in the large, unmoisturised and capable hands of Imperial’s Simon Hislop and George Whittaker, teamed with Kingston R.C.’s Keiron West and stroke man Trigger. After months of intensive land training at ICBC and water sessions on the tideway the coaching team were in no doubt as to the potential outcome. The first race took place on Saturday where London R.C. & Wallingford R.C. became the first casualty and were easily defeated. Bad weather conditions hampered the final days racing schedule and after a restart, some paint chippings and more time delays, the race eventually got underway with the Imperial composite crew out muscling Martyrs B.C. & Christ Church, Oxford by 1 ¼ lengths. ICBC are very proud of all four crew members who were outright deserved winners. Much expensive champagne was sprayed around and the blazers were dusted off for the prize giving ceremony to collect their accolade for ‘Most Dashing Bow Pair’.
In the Open events, lightweight Adam Freeman-Pask was competing in the single sculls for the Diamond Challenge. Following qualification, the first race was on Thursday where he defeated D.E.B. Perrin from Hampton School in a time of 8:51. Unfortunately Freeman-Pask was beaten on Friday by N.Reilly-O’Donnell from the University of London by 2 lengths. The eventual winner was I.J. Lawson of Leander Club.
In the student events, two boats were entered for the Temple Challenge Cup M8+, an event which Imperial maintains the record for most wins since it’s introduction in 1990. Imperial College ‘A’ (Cox: Connie Pidoux, Adam Seward, Tom Sutherland, John Davey, Richard Winchester, John Dick, Adam Mayall, Iain Palmer & Andrew Gordon) were granted pre-qualification. Imperial College ‘B’, (Cox: Helen Waller, Tom Bell, Danny Randall, Carlos Schuster, Sam Lindsay, Ben Newland, Mike Zammit, Charles Saunders and Frank Murphy), were subjected to time trials where 75 boats had to be reduced to 32. The crew narrowly missed the cut after a gutsy performance.
Imperial College ‘A’ had their opening race on Wednesday and beat Exeter University ‘A’ by a comfortable 3-length margin in 7:07. A more experienced US crew from Cornell University came through on Thursday overcoming the Imperial crew by 1 ½ lengths. The eventual winners were the University of Western Ontario, Canada.
In the Prince Albert Challenge Cup, which Imperial last won in 2006, the coxed four was in action. Nicola Quinn Pyatt coxed stroke man Rob Manton, Dan Cadoux-Hudson at 3, Alex McLaren at 2 and Will McFarland at bow. The crew unfortunately did not progress beyond the first round falling to Isis B.C. on Wednesday, allowing earlier end-of season celebrations to begin.
Women entries are allowed in certain categories and representing Imperial in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup in the single sculls event (W1x) was lightweight Mathilde Pauls. South African H.J. Arthur from Roodeplaat Rowing Club was the first to fall to the wayside losing to Pauls in a time of 9:14 by 1 ¼ lengths, despite leading at the barrier and at Fawley. On Saturday, strong winds resulted in very choppy water conditions and it was the turn of J.L. Hammond of Antwerrpse Roeivereniging, Belgium to be defeated by Pauls in a gruelling 11:25 race in strong winds. The final on Sunday saw Pauls pitted against the heavier set C. Ryan of Garda Síochána Boat Club, Ireland, by 3 ½ lengths in 9:18.
Imperial also had an entry in the women’s quadruple sculls (W4x). The crew was a variation of the women’s Henley finalist crew, with super-sisters Ro and Nicky Smith replacing Carlyn Greenhalgh and Guen Bradbury as middle pair. The quad raced for the Princess Grace Challenge Cup and impressively rowed through Marlow R.C. in the final few metres of the opening round. The crew then proceeded to Saturdays racing but were beaten by the more experienced Upper Thames R.C. crew. Making it this far was a great achievement for an unpractised crew against other top women’s crews.
Meanwhile ICBC supporters spent much of the weekend sampling Cobra Beer, collecting Vaseline body lotion samples for healthy resilient skin, trying out the latest fad on the erg scene and generally cheering for anybody with a name that could be easily pronounced. For those of us lucky enough to be deemed worthy of the steward’s enclosure, the afternoons slipped away in a haze of oversized blazers, sunshine, Pimms and general poncing. Here one could purchase ladies hats, because ladies are encouraged to wear hats. Henley is a unique and prestigious event, one of the few places on earth where regatta radio is truly appreciated. ICBC will build on these results and look forward to next year’s competition.