A 1997 Tour
Putney - Henley - Nottingham - Milan - Aiguebelette
It was good to witness some successes by past, present and future members of MCSBC during the 1997 season.
The Head of the River Race was rowed in good conditions, and Monktonians were as usual scattered amongst several boats including our own 1st VIII, rowing as Bluefriars. The highest position was gained by Steve Williams (Captain) and Rowley Douglas in the Oxford Brookes VIII which came sixth, only 20 seconds behind the winners - a fine achievement for such a young crew.
At Henley, Jeremy Hepworth continued his recovery from injury and his return to top class rowing in the Goblets. The writer arrived at the regatta on the Saturday just in time to see Jeremy go down by a foot or two in the semi-final in what was one of the fastest heats, and a very fine race. Steve Williams fared rather better and won the Wyfold Fours, with some fine stroking of his Brookes boat. His losing race in the Ladies Plate on the same day was also a memorable one in which the stroke very nearly pulled off a second victory in the day. Earlier, he and Rowley Douglas had won gold medals in Paris, and they were later selected to represent Great Britain at the Under 23 Nations Cup in Milan.
The National Championships were held at Nottingham two weeks after Henley, and it was good to see two Monkton Junior pairs there. The boys J16 pair - Alex Partridge (1st VIII), and John Mildinhall (ex-MCJS, and about to join MCS for the Sixth Form) - trained at Rudyard Lake for a few days under JMB, and won a Silver Medal in Mens J16 Pairs. The girls were represented by Caroline Dickinson and her partner from Bradford on Avon in the Womens J16 Pairs, and they won a Bronze Medal. This was the first time for some years that Monkton has been to the Championships, let alone won a medal there. All four of these competitors are now preparing for National Trials for the 1998 season. At a higher level at the same event, Jeremy Hepworth made up forhis disappoinemtnt at Henley by becoming National Champion in Men‘s coxless pairs.
Your Secretary customarily goes to regattas near and far when OMs are representing Great Britain - it is not, to be honest, a time-consuming task because it does not happen all that frequently, but it is a pleasure when it happens. Milan was not too far away, and it was possible to take a few days break, so I set off by train from London, and in next to no time, arrived at Milan Central station (more like a cathedral than a terminus). It was easy to find a comfortable hotel nearby before setting off on a shuttle bus to the course, which is next to the airport. The lake was made as a second runway for flying boats, but ever since they went out of favour, the Milanese have made good use of the area for rowing, watersports and relaxation.
I had gone to the lake in later afternoon merely to spy out the land to ensure that I would not miss racing the next day, but I arrived in time for the opening ceremony which was due to take place at 5 pm. A fair-sized crowd gathered - mostly parents and other friends of crews - and we waited. After a considerably time, actors arrived on the scene, dressed in Shakesperean costumes - fur coats, large hats and all, despite it being a sweltering afternoon. They were followed by flag-juggling acrobats, drummers (drumming far too loudly and persistently for about half an hour), and finally a military band on foot, who played harmlessly for a while, before going berserk, running at random, while still blowing their trumpets and banging their gongs. We gathered later that they were acting as mounted troops who had lost their horses. It would not have suited the Grenadiers.
Throughout this hot ceremony, the athletes stood in typical opening ceremony lines, with their national flags. The GB team was noticeably thin on the ground; they had sensibly sent only a trainer and one or two spares; all the rest were in their hotel, keeping out of the heat and focussing on preparation for racing. The ceremony broke up in disorder when the athletes decided that it was time to go, and simply walked to their buses. I also left too early to witness the sky divers who arrived about an hour late. They were supposed to parachute onto the presentation stand; one made it, while another landed in the water, and a third made a direct hit on a rescue boat. It was lucky that the crowd was a rowing one; I suspect that football supporters would have been neither as patient nor as peaceful.
The rowing was better! The water was flat, even if the temperature was a rather too high. The very first final was won by Great Britain, so the small band of GB supporters looked forward to the flag being raised to the top of the middle mast. Italian sailors had been practising earlier in the day, and as "We are the Champions" was blared out over loudspeakers, the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners flags were slowly raised. The Union flag reached the top, stayed there for an instant, then broke free, and fluttered down forlornly, to embarrassed laughter from the crowd. The same fate awaited the Bronze winner's flag after the next final, after which the flag ceremony was abandoned. It would not have suited the Marines.
The Great Britain Coxless Four, with Steve Williams stroking, had high hopes of winning Gold, but in the end performed below par and came 5th in the final. The Coxed Four (Rowley Douglas steering) did not fair too well either, coming fifth in a straight final.
After this disappointment, Steve was asked to go with the GB Senior Team to training camp and to the World Championships. He did not get a row in the regatta itself, but I understand from one of the coaches that when he trained with the crews, the boats went just as fast as with its regular manpower. He was given the honour of carrying the Union flag at the Opening Ceremony, a particularly difficult task as it took place on the morning that Princess Diana died, so more eyes than usual were on the flag, which was carried lowered on the occasion.
I am conscious that Oxford Brookes has often got more than its fair share of attention in these pages over the years. Let‘s have a bit more about other places next year.... but bricks can‘t be made without straw!
JMB
A 1997 Tour
Putney - Henley - Nottingham - Milan - Aiguebelette
It was good to witness some successes by past, present and future members of MCSBC during the 1997 season.
The Head of the River Race was rowed in good conditions, and Monktonians were as usual scattered amongst several boats including our own 1st VIII, rowing as Bluefriars. The highest position was gained by Steve Williams (Captain) and Rowley Douglas in the Oxford Brookes VIII which came sixth, only 20 seconds behind the winners - a fine achievement for such a young crew.
At Henley, Jeremy Hepworth continued his recovery from injury and his return to top class rowing in the Goblets. The writer arrived at the regatta on the Saturday just in time to see Jeremy go down by a foot or two in the semi-final in what was one of the fastest heats, and a very fine race. Steve Williams fared rather better and won the Wyfold Fours, with some fine stroking of his Brookes boat. His losing race in the Ladies Plate on the same day was also a memorable one in which the stroke very nearly pulled off a second victory in the day. Earlier, he and Rowley Douglas had won gold medals in Paris, and they were later selected to represent Great Britain at the Under 23 Nations Cup in Milan.
The National Championships were held at Nottingham two weeks after Henley, and it was good to see two Monkton Junior pairs there. The boys J16 pair - Alex Partridge (1st VIII), and John Mildinhall (ex-MCJS, and about to join MCS for the Sixth Form) - trained at Rudyard Lake for a few days under JMB, and won a Silver Medal in Mens J16 Pairs. The girls were represented by Caroline Dickinson and her partner from Bradford on Avon in the Womens J16 Pairs, and they won a Bronze Medal. This was the first time for some years that Monkton has been to the Championships, let alone won a medal there. All four of these competitors are now preparing for National Trials for the 1998 season. At a higher level at the same event, Jeremy Hepworth made up forhis disappoinemtnt at Henley by becoming National Champion in Men‘s coxless pairs.
Your Secretary customarily goes to regattas near and far when OMs are representing Great Britain - it is not, to be honest, a time-consuming task because it does not happen all that frequently, but it is a pleasure when it happens. Milan was not too far away, and it was possible to take a few days break, so I set off by train from London, and in next to no time, arrived at Milan Central station (more like a cathedral than a terminus). It was easy to find a comfortable hotel nearby before setting off on a shuttle bus to the course, which is next to the airport. The lake was made as a second runway for flying boats, but ever since they went out of favour, the Milanese have made good use of the area for rowing, watersports and relaxation.
I had gone to the lake in later afternoon merely to spy out the land to ensure that I would not miss racing the next day, but I arrived in time for the opening ceremony which was due to take place at 5 pm. A fair-sized crowd gathered - mostly parents and other friends of crews - and we waited. After a considerably time, actors arrived on the scene, dressed in Shakesperean costumes - fur coats, large hats and all, despite it being a sweltering afternoon. They were followed by flag-juggling acrobats, drummers (drumming far too loudly and persistently for about half an hour), and finally a military band on foot, who played harmlessly for a while, before going berserk, running at random, while still blowing their trumpets and banging their gongs. We gathered later that they were acting as mounted troops who had lost their horses. It would not have suited the Grenadiers.
Throughout this hot ceremony, the athletes stood in typical opening ceremony lines, with their national flags. The GB team was noticeably thin on the ground; they had sensibly sent only a trainer and one or two spares; all the rest were in their hotel, keeping out of the heat and focussing on preparation for racing. The ceremony broke up in disorder when the athletes decided that it was time to go, and simply walked to their buses. I also left too early to witness the sky divers who arrived about an hour late. They were supposed to parachute onto the presentation stand; one made it, while another landed in the water, and a third made a direct hit on a rescue boat. It was lucky that the crowd was a rowing one; I suspect that football supporters would have been neither as patient nor as peaceful.
The rowing was better! The water was flat, even if the temperature was a rather too high. The very first final was won by Great Britain, so the small band of GB supporters looked forward to the flag being raised to the top of the middle mast. Italian sailors had been practising earlier in the day, and as "We are the Champions" was blared out over loudspeakers, the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners flags were slowly raised. The Union flag reached the top, stayed there for an instant, then broke free, and fluttered down forlornly, to embarrassed laughter from the crowd. The same fate awaited the Bronze winner's flag after the next final, after which the flag ceremony was abandoned. It would not have suited the Marines.
The Great Britain Coxless Four, with Steve Williams stroking, had high hopes of winning Gold, but in the end performed below par and came 5th in the final. The Coxed Four (Rowley Douglas steering) did not fair too well either, coming fifth in a straight final.
After this disappointment, Steve was asked to go with the GB Senior Team to training camp and to the World Championships. He did not get a row in the regatta itself, but I understand from one of the coaches that when he trained with the crews, the boats went just as fast as with its regular manpower. He was given the honour of carrying the Union flag at the Opening Ceremony, a particularly difficult task as it took place on the morning that Princess Diana died, so more eyes than usual were on the flag, which was carried lowered on the occasion.
I am conscious that Oxford Brookes has often got more than its fair share of attention in these pages over the years. Let‘s have a bit more about other places next year.... but bricks can‘t be made without straw!
JMB