Summer training racing round-up

It has been a busy summer: three months of intensive regatta racing, brilliant training – plus the odd social beer(s) means that time has flown!

Regatta summary
Without going through every regatta in detail,  a big shout-out to everyone who has committed to the squad during the summer season. We have progressed leaps and bounds, building on the engines we built during the winter in the gym to excellent improvement on the water in the summer. 

April
The regatta season started with Hammersmith, where we had very competitive races in a 4+ and a 4x-, but ultimately both lost to the eventual winners. It was the first regatta for many, and good dusting off the cobwebs for everyone else. 
4+ – Clara, Jim A, Tom C, Dom M, Jordan H, loss by 5 lengths to UCL
4x- – Benjy H, Theo T, Ollie R, Mustafa O, loss by 1 1/4 length to London RC

May
Chiswick – 2x- Ollie R, Mustafa O, out in the heats 
Peterborough – 2- Dom M, Tom C, reaching the final in a competitive pairs field, ultimately just being outdone at the last hurdle. 

June 
Walton and Weybridge – 4x- Charles J, Peter R, Jordan H, Benjy H. out in the heats
Barnes and Mortlake – a bumper entry where again we were within just feet of winning both the 4+ and the 4x-. Annoying but it showed the progress we had made over the summer. A quick lessons-learnt and on we marched to Kingston.
4+ Clara, Dom M, Tom C, Mickey W, Jordan H
4x- Charles J, Ollie R, Peter R, Will P
4x- Mustafa O, Octavian P, Alex H, Martin D

Kingston – saw us get our first win of the season, in a high-calibre coxless IV category - with wins against Maidenhead and UCL/Bentham in the final. A particular well done to Benjy, Jordan and Tom for their first win in Cygnet lycra!
4x- Charles J, Ollie R, Peter R, Will P
4- Dom M, Tom C, Benjy H, Jordan H *Win*

We have one regatta left; Henley Town and Visitors on 2 August where we have a bumper entry across pairs, fours and an eight, and so it represents a great chance to go out with a bang! https://www.facebook.com/share...

S'camp
A key part of the squad's improvement has been a very successful "S'camp" weekend at the bungalow. (Which included a return Bungle Row (from the club to the bung) by members of the captaincy in small boats – keen!).
Particular thanks to Tom and others who led on organising a very massive successful weekend. We love the bungalow – a great chance to just row (oh, and drink the odd beer...) – but particularly this year where it was a lot of people's first time visiting. We are planning our next trip for early September.