Wisemans Bridge Rowing Club

A glorious day dawned over the picturesque New Quay harbour and it looked like summer had finally arrived. Me, Neil and the girls camped the night before and had the boat unloaded on the beach before the bedlam started. Approximately 30 boats negotiated the one way system and tricky slip way prior to the first race whilst the Wiseys crew sat and ate bacon butties in the sunshine!

A crowd gathered round for the cox’s briefing but were slightly distracted by the dolphins leaping out of the sea in the background, needless to say, it was a bit of a surprise when we realised the usual race order had changed slightly and that the ladies would be going out first… maybe that bacon butty wasn’t such a good idea!

So off we went and lined up with the other 19 boats taking up position right at the end alongside the Neyland crew. With Captain Mark as our trusty cox – Stroke, Marja 2, Elen 3, Sparker and Sian in Bow we jostled with the other boats trying to see the starter flag. Then we were off – As usual it was a fairly steady start in order to let the field settle and we found our rythymn alongside Neyland. From our position near the back we slowly picked off boat after boat with some excellent bouy turns until the final stretch when having finally shrugged off the PYC boat we emptied the tank pushing to catch the two lead boats – although we were gaining on them, we were held to third position behind Neyland Ladies (2) and the winners Aberpoth Ladies who won both the ladies race and the Ladies Vets category. (The same race order as the Fishguard race!) So with a very credible 3rd place and 2nd in class we went to celebrate with ice creams!!

New Quay Super Vet's Race – Sunday 26th May 2013

We set off to New Quay on what must have been the nicest sunny day of the year so far.
The coxes briefing on the harbour wall turned into a spectacular show of dolphins leaping out of the water to the delight of all!
The race for the mixed vets team consisted of Captain Mark as stroke, Neil in 2, Libby 3, and Sian in Bow. Sarah a.k.a `Sparker` was our reluctant and ever so slightly panicked cox!
We started in a bad position but with a good speed, our cox after a couple of minutes informed us we would be turning the first buoy very soon??????????? Captain Mark realised Sparker had mistaken the reef warning buoy for the first marker and we were heading towards the wrong buoy!!!!!!!! The one we had to head for, was only just visible in the distance! Keeping up with the majority of the boats we got to the first marker clashing badly with another boat on our inside! After lot of swearing and shouting we completed the turn with Sparker looking like a rabbit caught in a headlamp and completely traumatised!!!!Nonetheless she kept counting us and keeping our morale's and our heads up not stopping even when a dolphin jumped out of the water in front of the boat. We turned the second buoy brilliantly and started back onto the home straight and the cheering crowds watching. With three of the rowers already having competed in the prior ladies and mens races and Neil with a damaged shoulder it was a pretty `broken team,` despite this all were willing and although we came in at the back of the field there really wasn't that much between any of the boats competing. Our novice cox `Sparker` did great, steering us, perhaps not to victory on this occasion, but safely home!