Race Report   6 October 2024

OOD:  Mary Brown,    Safety Boat:  Henry Brown

This Sunday was the day for the annual test closing of the Thames Barrier.  It was scheduled to close at 0900 and reopen to the incoming tide at 1930.  Our race, scheduled before the closure was announced, was to start at 1600, and sure enough the river that had been flowing out all day as if the moon had dropped out of the sky was gradually filling up the river bed behind the closed barrier.  So we had what looked like a B-course with only half a river and what we thought would be a diminishing river flow as the water backed up.  The wind was forecast to be SSE, conveniently against the river flow, at 7-8 knots. It was accompanied by an intermittent drizzle.

Five boats assembled on the enlarged foreshore: James Armitage, plus crew, in Zephyr (Enterprise); Rob Adams and Billy in Big Polly (Enterprise); Lev Kolobov solo in Porpoise (Enterprise); Toby Hicks in Cis… (Laser); and Olly and Felicity Adams in Spinosaurus (Mirror).

The beat down-stream to the mark (opposite Chiswick Staithe) was quick – James made it in 5 minutes – but the run back against the flow of the river – which seemed to pay little attention to the Woolwich Barrier – was much slower.  The Surrey bank was the preferred strategy, out of the full flow of the river but still with enough wind to goose-wing upstream.  James completed his first lap (around a mark opposite the Bull’s Head) in 20 minutes, one minute ahead of Rob.  Toby was third in 27 minutes with Lev a minute behind.  Olly did his usual skilful and patient job in the Mirror and lapped in 33 minutes.

The second lap saw Rob catch up with James and finally overtake him around the top mark to finish about 20 seconds ahead after just over 53 minutes.  Lev lost his way a bit around the top mark and finished just ahead of Olly after around 70 minutes.  Toby felt he’d had enough at the top mark and retired under the bridge.

And the river was still flowing strongly down to Woolwich but creeping ever closer up the foreshore towards the ramp.

Next week is a C-course starting at 1000 – an early start is necessary to get under Kew Bridge.