Race Reports

Mens A
A disappointing result in the Thursday heats, qualifying 5th. This was a couple of seconds off 4th which would have meant a B final, and 10 seconds off 3rd place.
The C final on Saturday was won convincingly, therefore finishing 5th overall.
The reason why I write this update late is due to this result. Its a big one to get over. Rhodes have not done this badly in a couple of years and equals the worst we have ever done at a boatrace.
This, however, was not due to any lack of desire, fitness or preparation. We prepared for this race as well as any other boatrace that I have done as well any other stories that I have heard from previous years. The rhodes way of training has not changed in any way and such a result if anything could only be put down to a bit of inexperience. This can only be positive as such an error can not occur in years to come if this group of rowers carry on rowing.

Times: Thursday heat:
start: 00:58:55.57
finish: 01:17:18.68
time: 00:18:23.11
difference: 00:00:02.21
Saturday:

Mens A 5&6

2nd Wits 20:30.55

1st Rhodes 19:47.09

Overall TUKS won the event followed by UCT, then UJ then NMMU.

Womens A
What a result and what a job by the girls.
The girls caught up to UCT in the thursday heats and got off the water positive. They were up against a couple of South African oarswomen in both the TUKS boat and the UJ boat. They finished 2nd, putting the UJ boat out of the A final.
The Saturday A final saw some of the worst conditions I have ever experienced at boatrace. The winds were reaching 40km an hour with the gusts at 60km an hour. Rhodes lost the A final, finishing with a silver medal. The girls won the trophy for most improved womens crew.

Times: Thursday heat:
 start:00:31:37.57
finish:00:45:33.54
time:00:13:55.97
difference:00:00:15.13

Saturday:

Womens A Final

2nd Rhodes 17:52.85

1st Tuks 16:54.74

M&F Trophy

Most improved women

Rhodes

TUKS won with Rhodes 2nd, UCT 3rd and UJ 4th.

Mens B
Similar to the mens A race, the Thursday heats saw the final being made by 2 crews who were just leagues above their opponents. Rhodes were just on the outside of this finishing 3rd.
The Friday final saw us take on TUKS for 3rd/4th place. The TUKS crew was one which was getting better each race. They had formed on the weekend but were made up of top schoolboy rowers.
They got the better of us in the final, going against heats predictions. Rhodes finished 4th.

Thursday heats:
start: 00:52:03.32
finish: 01:14:09.35
time: 00:22:06.03
difference 00:00:49.52

Friday finals:
3rd TUKS
4th Rhodes

UCT won with Stellenbosch 2nd, TUKS 3rd and Rhodes 4th.

Womens B
A pretty incredible result for the girls and one which hopefully sets the precadent for years to come.
The girls were strong and the preparation showed this as well as the times on Thursday.

Thursday heats:
start: 00:51:20.62
finish: 01:05:36.00
time: 00:14:15.38

The saturday A final saw the biggest margin of a win I have ever seen.

Womens B Final

2nd Tuks 21:20.39

1st Rhodes 18:34.70

Boatrace crews

heads races are getting off today.
the b girls are coming down now, followed by the b boys at 10 30, a girls at 12 30 then the a boys at 14 30.

mens A boat

8. graydon theron
7. sam vosper
6. tristan wentworth
5. andy peebles
4. scott walraven
3. robert stuart-thompson
2. charles o'donaghue
1. jedrick theron
cox. kaira bray

womens A boat

8. michelle smit

7. adele street

6. lauren cowie

5. tay johnston

4. kiara watermeyer

3. manon d'unienville

2. jaclyn whelan

1. jessica harris

cox. samantha beukes

gondwanaland titans
8. dean moore
7. dino rapelas
6. matthew de klerk
5. gareth nuttall-smith
4. sky roberts
3. anthony davidovics
2. kelvin kelly
1. jethro hundli
cox. william westgate

dianartemis avengers
8. jessica macneill
7. samantha beckley
6. maria taylor
5. caryn reeves
4. samantha parsons
3. pippa muskett
2. emma richardson
1. stacy doman
cox. nicola wilmot

1 week till boatrace

1 week till boatrace. This is my 5th boatrace. You would think after 5 years that the feeling would become numb and that excitement will slowly die away.. but it hasn't, and thats the power of boatrace.

girls A crew

Its that power which keeps me competing year after year,

that power which keeps the old rurc alumni asking "hows things going".. "hows the crew looking", "how you guys feeling",

the power which keeps the hundreds of purple rhodents coming back to line the banks between the bridges and add voice to the thunderous roar everytime a purple crew rows past,

that power which keeps the rurc old making the long trek back to port alfred, coming back to support such as mouse, rox, carl and co.

dianartemis 8

Its one week to go but the fun for us starts now. We head up to PA tomo and each crew are staying in separate houses till wednesday. Then we move into the ferrymans. Its been a while since we last stayed at the ferrymans, as we've chosen houses and lodges in the last couple of years. but the stories have gone round about ferrymans and the crews are pretty keen to experience the vibe. one such story from my experience:

paddy 'patches' matteshuik had enjoyed a successful season in '07 and '08 but had decided not to row for '09. he was still pretty keen to come to boatrace though for his latest pastime.. the never ending mare, and had taken whatever accomodation was available in port alfred which had happenned to be a room in the ferrymans.

our gonndwanaland crew were a member short however and managed to convince him to do the 6km row the day after checking in, much to the amusement of supporters on the banks as a fully unfit and blown patches rowed past shipwreck corner.. still a good km left in the race.. the boatrace course spares no man.



i tried to find a picture of the gondwanaland crew by checking liams pictures, but all i could find was liam in his natural habitat
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kidding



gondwanaland crew

so the crews are pretty keen for this last stretch. sickness has hit the crews a little making this last week a bit hard but it looks as if we should be in the clear for the training ahead. i feel a good few seconds can be made if this week is used effectively and the right focus applied. it seems as if thats exactly what the A guys have in mind with a mock scheduled for tomorrow.

please stay posted for the announcement of the crews to follow as well as regular updates.

mens A8