This article first appeared in the 1997 edition of the Loud Hailer Magazine - the Shiplake College Boat Club Supporters' Association publication. The author, who has given permission for this re-print, is Mr Nick Bevan (Headmaster of Shiplake) and the starter mentioned in the text is Julian Bewick.

It was an enormous sacrifice to stand down as stroke of the staff eight for the race at TVP Regatta. My reasoning was that, while I might be able to hold out for a minute or so at 40, one-and-a-half minutes might be a bit much, so I played safe and gallantly stepped aside to allow the retiring coach of the under-fifteen eight to take my place.

On reflection, this was, of course, a mistake. Carley rowed quite brilliantly but alas only at 34! We needed to rate at least 40 and I felt very frustrated I could even step out of the boat unaided at the end - I wanted to be carried!

The best moment was the start. We had a been enjoying a long warm-up. It was, after all, only our second outing (and we needed it) but when JDFC, at stroke, asked the cox for yet another practice start downstream away from the regatta, Mr MacDonald yelled out that we needed to be on the start in less than two minutes. We turned rapidly and paddled anxiously back, quickly attaching ourselves to the starting pontoon.

As I composed myself, I glanced across at Monkton Combe School's 1st VIII. They were looking back at us, jaws dropping, astonishment all over their faces, amazed at what must have looked like a pretty motley crew on the other side of the river. They had, of course, expected the Shiplake College 1st VIII - they were preparing to give their all in what should have been a pretty evenly matched race. Imagine their incredulity when this rather untidy mixture of grizzled veterans and youngsters arrived instead.

The starter was an old friend of mine, equally surprised. Having seen us paddle past the start downstream, he had not dreamt that we were actually competing. He had assumed that we were out for a light relaxing paddle for fun at the end of a long afternoon supervising boys.

So he played it exactly by the book - "Why are you late?" I suppressed my obvious reply - "We are rather old, a little tired, it's been a long day and we couldn't get here any quicker."

He later told me that he had never seen a more frightened crew on the start of any race.

The rest is history. We rowed well - competent stuff - never really winding it up as I would have liked and came in some three-quarters of a length behind. Honour was satisfied all round. But watch out for next year. I shall be back at stroke. Training has already begun.