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Flushed with success from our sculling wins at Ross Veterans and Juniors Regatta (Richard Veteran Novice and Judy Veteran B), how could we turn down an invitation from Ancholme RC to take part in their annual "Scrumpy Row"?
But what on earth is the "Scrumpy Row"? Ancholme RC, located in Brigg, South Humberside (or is that Lincolnshire now - I lose track) has the fortune to row on a straight and relatively quiet stretch of river (by Thames standards). Coincidentally, situated about 7 miles south of the club is the Brandy Wharf Cider Centre. To quote from a leaflet advertising its excellent facilities, it is "a Unique Cider Tavern [their capitals] offering many delicious ciders and meals set in 4 acres of pleasant orchard and grassland beside the River Ancholme." Ancholme RC, mad things that they are, regularly row to the Brandy Wharf (and back!) as part of their training, and on special occasions. The Scrumpy Row started as a purely Ancholme RC event, but has been open by invitation to sister clubs since 1989.
The race is essentially a time trial, a long head race if you like (11,500 metres!). A complex handicap system has been developed over the years, and appears to produce a level basis for the race, so that a novice sculler and an elite eight have an equal chance of winning. This year, crews were set off at intervals according to their handicap times. By being foolish enough to win my veteran novice race at Ross (stupid boy), at a stroke I lost something like four and a half minutes off my handicap time. I'd regret that later!
23 crews / scullers started the race, including a charity coxed 4 (collecting money for Arthritis Care and Stonecroft House (Leonard Chesire Homes)). Despite the fact that none of them had rowed before, they managed the very creditable time of 1:20.34, AND they rowed back to Ancholme RC afterwards. Six clubs were represented - Ancholme (obviously), Boston, Leicester, Peterborough (Robin Davies in a Vet E single), Staines (Judy) and Weybridge (Richard). As far as we can tell, this Weybridge entry represents the most southern club ever to have entered the Scrumpy Row.
The race itself, somewhat bizarrely, has a standing start. Not for me the "three drawn and wind" approach to this race. Oh no. A nice steady "backstops, light pressure, are you ready, go" kind of tecnhique. But then I was a tad nervous having fallen out of the boat at Weybridge the previous Friday (at the landing stage, while trying to do up a gate - yes it's embarrassing I know). I was unfamiliar with the river, and there aren't that many (any?) landmarks. It's straight and the banks are largely man-made or at least man-reinforced. So I thought I'd rely on some Neilsen-Kellerman high technology - the StrokeCoach. Good plan, shame about the weed. Things were going reasonably OK until about 9000m. I'd been overtaken only by a Leicester coxed 4 and Liz and Howard Pulford, stayed upright and hadn't got too many blisters. I was mentally ticking off each 1200m section - on the grounds that I had a little under 10 of them to do. But at 9000m, the high technology failed - I'd got some weed caught aroung the impeller that measured my progress, and was faced with the last 2000-2500m all on my own. I struggled on, catching Ancholme RC's President (and Brandy Wharf regular), Mike Hookham, who said the end was in sight. Well, that's pretty much the case for the last 5000m! Having passed Mike I reached the final safety boat, which I knew was at around 2000m to go. Then came into sight the Ancholme RC double with Tim (Ancholme RC captain) and Jo Birtwistle - approaching fast! I was seriously worn out by now (no training all year), but was determined that they wouldn't pass me. So the last 1500m or so turned into a bit of a manic thrash on my part. I have no idea whether I sculled any quicker, but I frightened a lot more fish! At last, the finish loomed, and I had completed the course in 54:44, 14th overall, well inside the target of an hour I had set myself. Unfortunately, after the handicaps had all been applied, I finished 22nd out of 23. Oh well - better luck next year!
After an excellent lunch (and a pint of cider obviously) the charity rowers, Ancholme members and Judy and myself set off to row all 11,500m back to the club. As the only two single scullers to complete the round trip, we feel we deserve a special mention, together with a course of pain relievers and deep massage on some seriously aching limbs.
Still, the 14 mile row was a picnic compared with the drive back home - fighting lorry go-slows and empty petrol stations down the A1 - but that's another story.
Full results and photos can be found on Ancholme RC's website.
Brandy Wharf Cider Centre - Brandy Wharf, River Ancholme, Waddingham, Gainsborough, Lincs DN21 4RU, tel. 01652 678364
