The IM2 8+ is a relatively new combination, and despite having a winning start to the season last week at Borne we knew that this weekend would be a different proposition. At this early point in the season, we're not really a crew yet, but we just wanted to get out there and race and see what we could do.

With our stroke man missing for Chiswick regatta, we reordered ourselves and had a good crack at Lea in the first round. We stuck with them off the start, but as the race unfolded it was clear that we didn't quite have the pace to keep with them, and they drew away to win by about 2 lengths. 

The next day we assembled the full crew and set off for Wallingford Regatta at Dorney lake. We knew the standard at Wallingford would be very high, and the real aim was to set benchmark 2k time to work from for the rest of the season. The three school crews in our heat predictably shot out of the blocks, but we were able to work off a Putney Town crew, who were a similar pace to ourselves. In the end they pulled away in the last 500 to beat us by 3 seconds, but we now have a good view of the work we need to do over the next few weeks. 

We came off the water, and knew that in terms of preparation, race tactics and just gelling as a crew there are some very obvious things we can improve, and have to improve, in order to perform better. The good thing is that we'll soon be in Bulgaria on training camp, where we will be working on all these things, and we'll be back stronger than ever come June. Our next regatta will be back at Dorney on the first weekend in June, and then we'll see if all our work has paid off.

Emile Farley

I joined Fitness First last year and I'm not sure I'll renew. It's warm and dry in there, you can't get run down by the Tupperware Navy and unless the fountain is even less salubrious than it looks, there's no risk of contracting a water-bourne disease. The thing is though, it's boring. And that brings me to this weekend's regattas. After the euphoria of last week, it seems we have no wins to report. A despondency hangs over our little corner of Hammersmith, but here's the thing - I haven't heard anyone say they were bored. Win or not, I'll bet that this weekend will have sharper memories for our competitors than the gym for all those people who did that. Anyway, here is an account of how our novices (except we can't call the IM3 girls than any more), got on from Andrew, news of the Sons-Furnival VIII from Graham and of the Sons IM2 VIII from Emile. Thanks to all three - it's easier to write about a win but, to me, weekends like this last one are still important in the life of the club. 

There'll be a good and logical reason why there were some Maoris at Linden House today, even if none of us know what it was. They were nice guys too, posing for loads of shots and it didn't take too much thought to decide which one to put on this page. They provided an oddball moment in a day of bizarre incident. As the crews came past the Sons of the Thames Rowing Club, it could scarcely have been closer.  Oxford appeared to be making a huge push and were within a canvas of Cambridge who then seemed to counter with a push of their own. As it turned out, neither crew need have bothered. Just round the bend, Trenton Oldfield was lowering himself into the water...

Back at Linden House, a big effort by the staff attracted a good number of customers to the barbecue despite the crowd being one of the sparsest for years. A few were game enough for the Sons ergometer challenge, including one or two who had definitely rowed before. With this, and our new banner and flags outside, people in the passing crowd will have registered that there's a rowing club operating out of Linden House - a definite improvement on previous years when you wouldn't have known that. 

Where the Cambridge victory leaves the club sweepstake is currently unknown, but if today shows anything, it's the importance of the cox in a Tideway race

At a guess, Trenton Oldfield is not the toast of Oxford tonight - and thoughts have to be with Dr Alexander Woods the valiant Oxford bowman who rowed himself into unconciousness after Oxford lost an oar in a clash. 

Eights were the duelling weapons of choice in the Sons of the Thames Rowing Club scratch regatta on Saturday 14th April. ( Incidentally, anyone thinking that I keep writing Sons of the Thames Rowing Club simply to improve search would be absolutely right.)

Now then... after a complex crew selection procedure involving a specially written computer programme and a hat, three mixed Eights took to the water for a sprint from the green post below the island to the LCSC mast. You might think that a friendly club event such as this would never generate quite the adrenalin of a regatta, but there again - there's something about being judged by your peers isn't there? All three Eights moved off together and it looked to be close until a backstay collapsed in the Colin Price and a seat something-or-othered in the Spirit leaving the crew of the Les Scrine to cross the line first. I've got some film of this which I will be putting up soon. 

Abandoning camera duties I decided to occupy the six seat in the Spirit for the next race. The boat felt as if it was moving quite well and I was confident that we would win until the first start. This ended in a port and starboard with the Les Scrine crew a seat or two up. Restarting, it was close again until a crab in the other boat gave us several lengths lead which proved to be enough, despite a gutsy chase. 

There was an unconfirmed rumour that the Spirit crew were the winners, and with an eye on the very nice mint chocolate medals Drago had bought, I decided that this must be true. 

Big respect to Drago for organising and to Lu and Sanne for providing the excellent roast lamb (a whole one) and salads. The event seemed to work well both as a social and in simulating some of the tension of side by side regatta racing. 

Our two novice crews, containing many rowers who came to the club from our Learn to Row course last summer continue to improve. Alex from the men's Eight offered this comment:

 "Pre-race outing. Wet. Change into dry racing kit. Go racing. Wetter! Wait about. Cold. Race! Now warm but still wet! Good rowing. Head to head with Bath Uni. Almost holding them off. Too late. Still good rowing. End of island. Row hard! Sons cheering. Row hard + Look good! Finish! Cold and Wet. Tea. Food. Tea. Food. Drinks. Waiting...

Results. 14/30! Everyone happy especially Mirko. (Forgot shower before Tea)."

 And from the women's crew Lubica said:

"A fine effort by both novice squads, where both the women's and men's teams took considerable time off their first head race two months earlier. The men's novice squad had an especially good race, where they came ahead of many more experienced crews, and finishing middle of their category."

 Good luck for the summer regattas everyone. 

As summer faded, a single sculling mania gripped Sons of the Thames Rowing Club. We vets abandoned our quads and doubles for the gladiatorial challenge of the single - and jolly tiring those Saturday morning outings became. 

Speaking as the sap writing this piece, I hadn't done a Scullers Head before and wanted to compete in one before I move on to the challenges of Crown Green Bowling.

Jan was there too, after a summer in the single mostly acting as pace boat to Cat Hart; as was our Chairman Baldwin of the flowing stroke and Les who's won enough pots for Sons to equip a pub.

Faith was competing in her beautiful Stampfli, recently reclaimed from the above mentioned Hart, as was Ed Hillyard who has been placed in or around the top 100 for the last three years. 

So there were seven of us in the log-jam of singles floating down to the start, Colin's cheers of encouragement at Mortlake carrying above the ominous clonking of spoon on glass fibre. 

After the crush of queuing it seemed quite peaceful going with the stream in the middle of the river and I struggled to find my race rhythmn. It wasn't until Barnes Bridge that I was joined by my regular companion Mr Pain and started to settle down, the flash of orange Lee Rowing Club spoons in the corner of my eye giving me a target.

Happily, I struggled past the other competitor outside the club, cheers from the pontoon adding at least half a pip to my rating. And then it was just that watery road of pain down to Putney, and a big effort to pass another couple of boats before the line. 

As it turned out I was placed 211th which, need-less-to-say was not good enough to beat Ed Hillyard who was well out in front at 123rd. There were some good performances from other Sons too, often achieved without a lot of physical conditioning which shows the technical skill that many have.

The Sculler's Head is a strange way to spend a morning, but I think I may be there again next year. 

Let's just get this out of the way, your reporter arrived at Hammersmith Bridge too late to see our first men's VIII finish the race. Clearly, they hadn't factored photographic opportunities into the race plan and rowed too fast.  

As Rory commented: "We were only 11 seconds off the IM3 pennant - and it was easily achievable. Fourth, and the top club, in IM3 is good - and we would have been eighth out of 16 in IM2 (third club behind Scullers and Vesta in IM2) - had we raced the category above. It is all very promising for this season, especially as we are still three or four rowers short in the top boat."

Our second IM3 VIII was a "let's have a go" scratch crew but they were not humiliated and managed to beat local Tideway rivals Cygnet and Parrs Priory. Less than a minute behind on overall time, our men's novice VII burst out from under the bridge wearing their new all-in-ones and some serious race faces. They beat four other novice VIIIs in their first race and showed massive commitment - as did the womens' crew. With one member ill, an injured athlete showed a lot of grit in taking her seat. Cox, Andrew Maunder, was called on to show some steely resolve of his own in bringing an almost unsteerable boat to the finish. Well done everyone, lots of promise for the season ahead.