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Veteran Fours Head
Avon County coxless 4 win at Veteran Fours Head, London
Avon County Rowing Club’s Veteran F coxless four won at the Tideway Veteran Fours Head on Sunday. In Veteran rowing, this race is one of the year’s iconic events.
Derek Walker, Jim Dawson, Antony Constantinidi and Chris Brigden (coached by Jeremy Cheek) won their class by an emphatic 24 seconds over second placed Bedford Rowing Club. The win rounded off a very rewarding year for the Avon County four and for two of the crew, Sunday’s triumph on the Tideway completed the ‘triple crown’ of successes following victories at the Veteran Championships in Nottingham rowing in a coxless pair and Henley Veteran Regatta in the coxless four.
The famous Boat Race course from Mortlake to Putney on the tidal Thames is a brutal 4.5 miles in length. The storms of the preceding few days pushed a powerful ebb tide and set the scene for fast times. Rowing at a sustained fast pace is not enough on this course: accurate steering to stay in the fastest part of the stream is also essential.
Starting in 112th position, Avon County finished in 40th place overall from 161 finishers, in a fast time of 20 minutes 56 seconds. In the process, they beat every single four in the younger Vet E category. Hotly pursued by the competitive Bedford crew, stroke Brigden produced his customary fast start, settling to a highly effective rhythm at 33 strokes a minute. Opening up an initial lead from Bedford as they went under Barnes Bridge, Avon were cruising at pace as they cleared the Chiswick Reach and entered the long bend at Hammersmith. Overhauling crews which had started earlier, they were forced to take a wide course under Hammersmith Bridge. Avon then burst upon a pack of 4 quad scullers which they rapidly overtook. With the finish coming into view at the mile post, more crews were overtaken and a spirited burst over the last 2 minutes from the Black Buoy took them to the finish at Putney Pier in some style. The Avon County veterans will now spend the winter training to row in a composite crew in the Veteran Head of the River Race for Eights at the end of March.
Elsewhere in the draw, Avon County entered a Women’s Quad for the first time in some years. The crew of Kath Finucane, Di Walker, Philippa Sondheimer and Gillian Beer performed with great credit to finish second in their class.
For action pictures, see www.bigblade-photos.com > Vet Fours Head of the River 2009 > crew 112
