Townhill coxes crew to success in Christmas Pudding races

UPPER Thames held their Christmas Pudding races on the weekend before Christmas on the fast flowing river.

In all, 54 club members from the senior and masters squads were all keen to race as nearly all events in the head season had been cancelled due to weather including the Upper Thames Autumn Head in October, Henley Sculls and even the national Fours Head on the Tideway in November.

Fortunately, the senior squad had entered the University of Bristol Head where the women secured victory in the Championship eights and the club coxed fours categories.

With all the names in the hat the draw was made for six eights for the Christmas Pudding races at 8.15am with racing being competed for in the traditional knockout format. The course was 600m from the flagpole at Phyllis Court to Upper Thames Rowing Club.

Nick Horne, equipped with megaphone, was the starter with Mark Banks was on the finish line to judge the winner. The first round racing produced some close results. The stream was variable across the width of the river with initially crews closer to the Berkshire bank having an advantage but then in the second half of the competition, crews more towards the Buckinghamshire bank had more assistance.

With three winners from the first round of racing, as the river was quiet, it was decided to run a three-boat final.

Although just for fun all three crews were focused on getting the win. The final was close with all three boats level in the first 250m. However, the crew of Peter Jacobs, Hamish Floyd, John O’Donohue, Hope Kannor, Nick Brown, Stewart Bell, Graham Lloyd and Pete McConnell coxed by Lizzie Townhill the first round and Brendan Desmond in the final had a clear run on the inside and sneaked the win.

Coffee and mince pies were enjoyed by all at the club before the winners all received a Christmas pudding.

The senior squads are already back in training and looking forward to a successful year ahead. The first event will be the Quintin Head at the end of January which is the first marker in the build up to the national Head of the River Race in March.

The club will be taking delivery of a brand new Stampfli eight boat built especially for the senior women later this month.

After the end of the winter head season, 60 athletes from the club will be heading to training camp in Ourense, Spain, in April to begin the build up for the summer regatta season