Tyrian was formed in the teeth of National Squad opposition during the summer of 1981. This select group were all ex-University of London disillusioned with the machinations of the Squad. Its purpose was to produce the fastest crew in the country in whatever event best suited to the group. Where U.L. had merely feuded - Tyrian was overtly anti-squad and all it stood for, prepared to forgo selection, rather than be forced into a system that they had no confidence in.
A late developer, I had already spent some years at Leeds University before deciding that really I would like to row. Subsequently I transferred to London University, the stepping stone to scores of junior internationals and other young aspirins to senior international level.
The 1986 Tyrian coxless four had evolved from various national championship combinations since 1982. The first full season of competition was 1984, but it did not become selective until the 1985 world championships in Belgium. Upending particularly fierce squad opposition that refused to select any Tyrian crew, 1985 was the turning point. We had one crew change for 1986 - the order remaining the same. Though despite the previous season's fine performance, all squad facilities were withdrawn.
Mannheim was to be our first showing and Penny Chuter had packed our event with three squad crews - two from the Great Britain VIII. Disaster struck on the Saturday, when rough water and a new design of gate combined to cause an almighty shipwrecking crab that left us stranded and unable to row any further. Sunday's papers made much of the squad's performance. We h:ia tremendous pressure within, the crew to really pull out something special. Again we had three squad fours to contend with, crews we had to beat, as well as the 1983/1985 reigning world champion German four. We were happy to have dropped the British opposition by the 1000m mark, and were still in touch with the West Germans. We decided not to push, but maintain a strong cruise. With 700m to go we raised our rate, and gradually inched back on our opposition. 500m to go and we were through. Could we hold on? The 1983 World Championships had seen this four row the Russians down from a 1/2 length deficit to a canvas within just 250m. Both of us were now rating 42, 50m to go and one length up, we knew we had made it.
Three weeks later we had our next testing. The chief opposition was from the French and Italian fours - both had beaten us at the 1985 Worlds and were basically unchanged. Using ,similar tactics to Mannheim we passed and dropped the Italians at the 1000m mark, and began the attack on the French. At this level of competition the race really begins at 1000m. This was tough and we were hard pressed to edge out the French by just 1/10 of a second in a photo finish. For Sunday we had to take on board a cox for the first time in three years - this was the directive issued by the squad supervisor. The intention was to allow the top four oarsmen in the England team to have the expected easier event at the Commonwealth Games, leaving us in the slightly harder event, in a boat we would only ow in twice.
Second only to the World Championships in importance, Lucerne was only one week after Henley. Nonetheless, we decided to go to the Royal regatta. The entry was only three but included the West German World Champions and half the Canadian gold medal Olympic VIII. We were relieved to gain a by to the final. However the German stroke became ill and a substitute had to be flown out the day before racing. This the left the Canadians an easy and valuable loosener before Sunday's final. Five seconds outside the halfway Fawley record, and three seconds inside the winning record sums up a desperate and hard fought clear water at halfway we had then pushed the flagging Canadians to within 1/2 length at the finish. Both crews were rowed out, but we were not dissatisfied with our performance.
Lucerne was crucial to our Great Britain selection and there we would meet all but two of the nations we would be racing later at Nottingham. Another disaster struck during the preliminary heats. Ten minutes before our race the East German four collided head-on with us. The race was delayed for an hour, but with no real back-ups, we could only attempt some crude bending of the convoluted stroke side riggers. We excelled ourselves in attaining a placing for the final, but we unable to repeat the performance just a few hours later. Nonetheless, we had reason to be both relieved and pleased over the five races we had rowed. We had improved on the expectations of the early season making the final in a very hot and packed event. It was already clear that only a couple of lengths would seperate gold to 10th position at the World Championships.
A few days in London and then off to Scotland for the Commonwealth Games. Here we would race the Canadians again, the Australians we had met in Lucerne and an unknown New Zealand crew containing some of their Olympic gold medal four. A virus sweeping through the Games village also struck me the day before racing. Though we qualified for the final easily, the race left me reeling and dizzy. All I could do was drink to combat the dehydration. The final was hard but we took the bronze medal. Again, we were not displeased, for though our performance was below par, we knew we still had speed to put on•
Next step Amsterdam, after a three day break. The Bosbaan was ideal for the two week training camp. Here we would add finesse and pace to our basic speed. A week of hard work was followed by a winding-down programme that would lead us into the first race at the World Championships in Nottingham. All nations had been put up at the University. We were amused that only New Zealand and Australia had such close rivalry that they were intentionally housed apart. On our first outing we found Nottingham living up to its North Sea reputation. We barely avoided sinking at the start. An hour later the Italian VIII sank at 1000m. All rowing was then stopped for the day. The strong winds persisted and up until the first day of racing only the outside lanes were usable to the halfway mark at 1000m. We realised that the wind might well prove to be an important factor during the week.
Thirteen entries in our event meant three preliminary heats; the first three in each heat going ,straight through to the semi-finals; the remaining four crews racing the repechage to drop one and complete the semi-final places. We moved directly through to the semi-final unprofessionally, but without alarm. Clearly the semi-finals would be very tough, only six of the ten front runners could make the final.
On paper we had drawn the least impossible task - but only just. Both heats were won within 3/10ths of a second. Only 5 seconds - under two lengths, covered the top ten crews.
Conditions in lanes 1, 2 and 3 were very rough. The Canadianns in 3 only just made the final, edging out the Spaniards by 3/1000ths of a second. The roughness of the water broke up our usual fast final 500m and in lane 2 we could only manage 5th. The surprise in the other heat was the failure in the same lane of the Russians - the reigning silver medallists, to make the final. The small final was going to be a very hard fought race of crews from low numbered lanes eager to prove their speed.
For the small final on Sunday morning, conditions were fair, butslow. The Swedish crew dropped out with an injury leaving us on the outside. Next to us were Russians, then Spain, Yugoslavia and Argentina. We decided to go all out for this race and brought our raceplan forward by 250m. This meant we would make a major move at 1000m, all out with 500m to go and try and find more to hold on for the last 250m.
A reasonable start put Yugoslavia, Spain and us about level but the Russians already 3 seconds clear at 500m. At 1000m Russia had pulled away from us by another second, and we were one second up on Spain. 750m to go and the Russians were just a length up. %00m to go, with the rate climbing we began to edge back on the Russians and draw away from Spain. With 250m left, the strong Russianfour were able to draw out their lead to cross the line one length up on us, and we had beaten Spain by almost one length. We had had our best race of the season, though our final ranking did not relect the performance. We had estimated a position anywhere between fifth and eighth and had performed outstandingly against the Russian crew - a four cruelly kept from the final.
Four weeks of formal training and we shall be back in harness for another season. For 1986 we had to buy our own boat and equipment. We funded ourselves and performed admirably in the most closely contested event in the Championships. Already though we have been informed by the rowing supremos that we will not be considered for inclusion in the National Squad and thus cannot benefit from much needed Sports-Aid, equipment and help travelling on the necessary regatta circuit. Such inflexible attitudes have not helped to nurture British rowing. Success since 1980 has almost exclusively depended upon endorsed 'private armies', the remainder being exposed to threats and sanctions designed to disperse and neutralise. Hopefully though, spirited individuals and small groups will continue to fight despite such blocking to elevate Britain again to the once true 'Best in the West'.