25 Jul Rame Regatta 2022
The club’s first outing since IOS 2022 saw us rock up (literally) into Mr Burnsides back yard. The stunning fishing village of Cawsand is home to Rame Gig Club and the modest fishing cottage of Steve and Fraser, from where we set up base. The clouds loomed large across the sky but the mood was upbeat and good-natured on arrival.
My first regatta in sea that moved more than a stagnant pond, and my first Rame regatta. Having heard excellent reviews from previous attendees I was excited by what the day had in store (although admittedly most reports focussed on the festivities after the rowing). I was not prepared for what unfolded in the pursuing hours on the water.
Our Ladies crew kicked off proceedings in the Ladies B race with a very respectable 12th place (out of 21). Kate was making her debut appearance and with a hefty swell making conditions challenging the crew did very well on the kite-shaped course to post a solid time. Kate was well looked after by familiar faces, in a well balanced crew, of Lucy (Stroke) Suzanne, Becky, Deborah, and the sleep deprived Ingrid (who only managed to pitch her tent at 2am).
Back on shore, Becky made some feeble excuses for not having supplied more homemade baked goods as the various cakes, sweets, and tray bakes were stuffed into everyone else’s faces. The coffee cake was particularly good. They were washed down by teas and coffees from the surrounding cafes or if persistent enough made by the fair hands of Fraser and Charlotte (oh, just me that got that treatment, Slightly awkward).
As the weather continued to threaten, the mens crew (somehow claiming A status) made our way over the 75m of water from the shore to the start line. With a pub rugby team warm up under our belts we lined up ready to thrash out our standard start of 4, 6, 10, 33, back down to 3, 10 long ones, 5 off the legs, and 6 using only our nostril hair, before settling into doing whatever the hell we each thought was right. Deborah lept at the chance to cox through the chop and an incredibly tight first turn. As the race began it was clear that all the crews were evenly matched heading towards the turn. This is where it started to get interesting. With Joker holding the inside line and having been given water we steered to oblige, but were met with plenty of f’ing and jeffing from the Lyme Regis based Tempest who had been told to give us water but seemed intent on not shifting. As the inevitable coming together occurred it was then a case of who blinked first and with oars flying into each others boats (faces) and a red mist descending it turned out that racing took a back seat. In hindsight, I think our loanee rower, Johnny G, probably started it as he had nothing to lose (this is not strictly accurate). As we composed ourselves and got back to rowing we had lost time and impetus. The time, in the end, gave us a 12th placed finish (of 14). The drama though had not finished as the fracas spilled out onto the beach. Plenty of pleasantries were exchanged and toys tossed. The outcome of course being absolutely nothing!
The general feeling by both Clifton crews after completing our respective first races was that we were tired, it was hard rowing, and that Becky really should have made the effort to make more homemade cakes.
Next up was the ladies vets race. With no changes to the crew, but a notable first mention to Fraser in his competitive coxing debut, Avona took to the water again. The swell and a slight drizzle hadn’t moved although the horizon continually promised bright times ahead (they didn’t arrive). In a masterful display of coxing and some excellent rowing, the ladies completed the race with no real incidents to report (although Tempest was held at bay having been spotted trying to pass) and finished in 11th (of 15) position.
Men’s vets hit the water with Becky taking the reigns. Taking the drag race to turn one incredibly seriously Becky forget to navigate around the bouy and ploughed straight past (on the wrong side), having spotted the mistake late with an audible ‘oh f*ck’ we took our time, moored up, and enjoyed a quick trip around Plymouth Hoe before returning to complete the race. What our second acquired rower of the day, Pete from Brixham, made of this is unknown but Johnny used all the motivation he could muster to inspire the rest of the boat, exclaiming ‘well that’s the end of that race then’. Despite this mishap, Avona finished the race with plenty of boats behind us, but to no avail as the ‘DQ’ of shame was added to the board.
Still, that gave us all a chance to fight out who was going to make up the mixed crew. With literally zero enthusiasm from nearly everyone, we put a crew together. I was given the honour of sitting in stroke, which thrilled everyone else immensely, backed up by Sean, Fraser, Deborah, Susanne, and Becky. Steve sat in Cox and a weary crewed lined up. The fatigue was forgotten quickly as excellent rowing took over. Very few incidents to report outside of the battle that developed between ourselves, Swanage, and Tamar. It came down to the wire as we pushed hard, every stroke gaining ground, but alas the finishing line came 20 strokes too soon. What could have been a 12th placed finished became a 14th but it felt like the best row (from my perspective at least) of the day.
All that was left was to watch Becky and Lucy appear to be held at gunpoint whilst swimming in the sea. In actual fact, it was them practicing some synchronised swimming as we meandered through the quaint streets of Cawsand to grab a pint and reflect on the day’s hugely aggressive rowing.
But that doesn’t leave me time to mention the altercation with Bristol who had a case of mistaken identity after Avona was borrowed by Brixham to row a second crew in the Super Vets. Clearly, there had been a coming together (one of the Brixham crew was bleeding from a cut above the eye when he came back in) and the Bristol crew immediately rushed to shout at myself (and others) thinking that Clifton was to blame.
Another unsavoury incident on an otherwise delightful summer’s day (it tipped with rain on the walk back to the car) gigging.
Roving reporter: Tim Gear-Evans
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