Exeter 2010 Race Report
Time to find your tent, more importantly the instructions, don't
forgot your passport and your toothbrush and head off down the M5
as its that time of the year to travel down to Exeter…
For the first time Anaconda decided to take their boats and
their tents this time so driving and parking a 45ft trailer around
a campsite was always going to be interesting, however for our
intrepid 'Stig' Pickles not a problem.
After pitching up and parking up, it was time for some hearty
food and just the one beer or two maybe for carbohydrates content
of course, no cider this year surprisingly. Unfortunately we
had managed to find one of the coolest and dampest evenings for
some time but at least Tim's name game kept us entertained for 20
mins or so. After 2 hours of Tim's name game, time we needed
to tuck the boats in for a good nights sleep. It was going to
be a busy day next day.
Next morning bright and breezy, literally, we needed to put the
boats in the water and set ourselves up, there was a charity event
so spaces were going to be tight.
Having not been to Exeter with the boats this proved an
interesting and time consuming exercise and with Notts in Race 2
this proved not best preparation.
After a bit of a warm up, a slurp of whatever was available we
were off. First race with Batchworth and Exe-Calibre.
Our normal what feels like a sluggish frantic 200m brings us in
3rd and places us in a tail race for
10th-12th out of 18 teams…time for some
breakfast.
Fuelled up and awake, the tail race is a close affair with
Exeter Canoe club and Henley, less than 0.7 between all 3 teams
with Anaconda in 3rd and 12th overall for the
200's.
With a decent rest before the 450m, we had Batchworth and
Secklow 100 who were recovering from their collision in the
200m.
As always racing Secklow brings out the best in both teams and
this race was no different, neck and neck all the way down the
course with Anaconda pipping Secklow for 2nd.
Great effort with the prize being a Plate rep with Secklow (!) and
the Kingston Pretenders.
So Plate Rep 3 and off we go, yes, neck and neck down the course
with Secklow, despite holding the lead most of the way down the
course Anaconda just couldn't finish it off and we were pipped this
time by Secklow with the Pretenders a boatlength behind in
3rd.
On to the Plate Semi with Henley and a strong Exe-Calibre Blades
crew on their own turf. Unfortunately a slow start meant we were
playing catch up all the way down the course which resulted in
Anaconda have to settle for a Minor Plate final with…yes.. Secklow
and an improving Worcester Dragonflies. Again a slow
Anaconda start but still another ding-dong with Secklow all the way
down the course. Despite all efforts Secklow did enough to
pull away and left us having to fend off a late charge from the
Dragonflies.
So in the end, 14th overall on a hard day's racing,
everyone gave 100%. Yes it could have been better but with a
few injuries being carried, all paddlers racing all races and a few
people out of position not bad at all.
Just time to wrench the boats out of the water and the long
journey uphill….onwards to the land of concrete cows.