Three was most definitely the crowd last weekend for the 2008 Pair’s Head of the River Race. Putney embankment was a flurry of activity as crews boated in glorious sunshine and supporters positioned themselves along the course. The 4km processional head race took place from Chiswick Bridge to Hammersmith Bridge and attracted over 380 boats. The quality of ICBC’s pre-season training was evident with Imperial winning three categories and clocking the fastest time overall.
Pair’s Head is one of the few head races where coxes are unscrewed from the boat and let out for a few hours. The lack of calls for technique in the boat allows the guns to be taken out of retirement, and for as much banging up and down the slide as required in order to butch past other crews. It may not be pretty, but it’s fun.
Just about recovered from the celebrations of winning at Henley, Simon Hislop teamed up with ICBC’s GB representative Adam Freeman-Pask in the senior 1 (S1.2x) cateogory. Not only did they win their category but the double was the outright winner of the entire head race coming home in 11:44.0, solidifying Imperial’s domination of tideway races. This is 14 seconds faster than the heavily publicised doubles entry of Olympic kayaking champion Tim Brabants and Olympic sculler Alan Campbell, who only manged sixth place on the day. It is highly recommended that the Olympic duo see Steve Trapmore at ICBC if they wish to improve this result. The IC pair are available for a photographic shoot and/or an interview and will be signing autographs at the Toga Party this Saturday in the boathouse. Tickets still available!
Meanwhile the coxes were seeking solace in each other and huddling on the bank, whispering and tutting at the navigational errors unfolding while slowly coming to the horrific realistation that crews can actually steer and cox themselves.
In the Elite pairs category (E.2-), Will Todd and Ole Tietz were inspired by Pasklop and replicated victory in a time of 12:27.4. Unassuming and unpretentious, Will is reluctant to mention his former glory at Henley. This may shock some of you, but he won the Britannia Challenge Cup in 2007. True story.
It was Erica Thompson and Edmund Bradbury who secured the hat trick for ICBC, winning the senior 3 mixed doubles (Mx.S3.2x) category in 12:59.9, faster than many of the men’s crews on the day. This is another win for Thompson who has been dominating all summer collecting medals and pots at every race. She was particularly excited at the prospect of the lidded pot prize in this event. There is no motivation stronger than the thought of a lid and the prospect of the myriad of uses for such a device.
ICBC had several entries, all giving gutsy performances. Congratulations to all participants and to Adam Seward who is the unchallenged long-distance-IC-screaming champion.
With coxes rounded up and reinstalled into the boats it was pub time and ICBC made their presence felt along the embankment. ICBC always welcomes new members and there are Fresher’s sessions every Wednesday afternoons at 14:00 and Sunday mornings at 11:00 at the boathouse. See you there!