September 6th - 2003 Great River Race Report - London, England

This year's Great River Race saw 211 boats start, of all classes: 7 outrigger canoes, numerous dragonboats, Thames Cutters, Cornish Gigs, Celtic Longboats, Whalers included.

As usual this is a handicap race, so the outriggers start 66 minutes behind the leaders. A lot of ground to make up but a lot of boats to pass. This is what makes the race so exciting.

On the outrigger side the three UK clubs; OCUK, Royal Canoe Club and Middlesborough OCC were out in force: OCUK with four crews; Royal Canoe Club racing one Women's crew; and MOCC racing two crews. This year we also had guest paddlers from Pacific Dragons (Australia), Hawaii, and Tamalpais (California). We hope to have a full guest crew next year.

In the past 12 months leading up to the race a lot has happened in UK outrigger canoeing: Royal Canoe Club raced in the Mixed Division of the Liberty Challenge, taking a 3rd place, and going into the Great River Race were favourites to take home the honours amongst all the Women's crews. OCUK have paddled in the Vogalonga (Venice), raced Men's and Women's Crews at Liberty (coming 4th and 7th according to our calculations !), raced a Men's Crew at Hamilton Island (16th in the 42km Open) and competed in La Porquerollaise (67km change race in France, coming 1st in the mixed). OCUK were favourites to take home the Open division but faced stiff competition from the Celtic Longboats, and from our sister club and London Dragonboat crew Thames Dragons.

The race itself starts in Richmond (South-West London) and passes through the heart of London, finishing at Greenwich. It is undoubtedly one of the most historic races in the UK. The distance is 22 miles with an outgoing tide, so expected race times are just over 2 hours.

And so to the start. As the race progressed both the OCUK Open Crew and Royal Canoe Club's Wahines set challenging paces as they carved up the opposition. The race is 22 miles of trying to overtake other crews as fast as possible and keep a good racing line in the fast parts of the river. With so many boats to pass you are never sure of victory until you round the final bend and see if anyone has beaten you to it. The race is somewhat unusual as each boat has to carry a passenger, who cannot paddle and the steerer is limited to paddling 30% of the time. All other crews have a steersman who does not paddle so this is deemed a fair compromise for the Outrigger Canoes.

In practice, and in the heat of the race who can say what 30% only paddling looks like :)

Race conditions were nearly perfect, sunny day, calm water for the first half of the race, allowing all crews to get into their rhythms early and power on. Approaching the more commercial parts of the Thames (near the House of Parliament, London Eye, Millennium Bridge) the water starts to get more choppy and the fun starts! Here's where the better trained crews can really start to make some headway against the crews ahead. As OCUK approaches the final bridge in the race, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London flashes by and there are only half a dozen crews ahead of us. 5 miles to go and this is mentally the toughest, not many crews to pass, no more bridges to aim for, just open water and a finish line beckoning.

And to the final bend, past Canary Wharf and around the Isle of Dogs to the finish line, OCUK passes what we think/hope are then leading two crews and kicks for home. As we pass the Cutty Sark in Greenwich the cannon goes off and we realise we have come home first in a time of 2:10:30. Unknown to us at that stage we are also the fastest crew of the day so we win the Handicap race itself and are the overall fastest crew of the day.

8 minutes back come the first Dragonboat, Thames Open crew, and 17 minutes back come the 1st Women's crew, Royal Canoe Club. In the mixed category honours are shared amongst the paddlers with the Three River Serpents Dragonboat Team coming 1st and OCUK's mixed crews coming in 2nd and 3rd.

Overall a great day. This is one of London's great races and all UK outrigger clubs contest it fiercely. We also welcome all other OCC's to come and race here in a very historic and well organised race.

Next year's race is September 11th 2004.

Get in touch if you have a crew for it.

Aloha

Tim

OCUK
Outrigger Paddling in London
www.o-c-u-k.com
Email: ocuk@hotmail.com

Posted by keizo on Mon, 09/15/2003 - 9:37am