Freezing but fun at Cambridge Winter League 2015
The conditions were cold and windy for competitors who took on the 2.6km course which winds it’s way along the River Cam from the start just under the A14 near Milton to finish close to the Green Dragon footbridge in Chesterton.
In the women’s singles, Kate Lyster took part in the women’s J16 category posting a time of 14 minutes and 17 seconds, securing first place by a margin of 26 seconds over her nearest rival and putting her just one second off the winning men’s time for J16 singles. Up an age category, Louise Shorten completed the course in 14 minutes and 23 seconds, the fastest time of the day for the women’s J18 single scull category.
For the first time in competition, and with an eye on the Thames tideway later in the head season, Coach Helen Knowles put together a women’s J18 eight for the Cambridge winter league. The crew was made up of Zoe Adamson, Louise Shorten, Kate Lyster, Tash Holdaway, Olivia Hooper, Jade Hellett, Maddie Henderson and Molly Harper coxed by club captain Ali Young. Despite limited practice time, the St Neots crew took first place, comfortably beating the other crews from City of Cambridge and Champion of the Thames.
In the IM3 coxed 4, St Neots’ men were feeling a bit rusty not having raced together since their win at last summer’s St Neots regatta. Talking about how Dom, Rich, Tim, Max, Dave got on, Dave Bygraves said, “After a rocky warm up, the race went pretty well and we managed to hold off an 8 as we entered last 500m. Our time was 12.51”
Senior novices Karl Zwetsloot and Trevor Rickwood (pictured in the daft hat) used the event as their first competitive outing in a double. Gaining valuable race experience was their main aim and that they achieved, despite an un-planned altercation with the riverbank mid-race. The two managed a time of 16mins 45secs which they say is unlikely to put them in contention for medals, but gives them a target to beat at the February and March winter league meetings.
For the men’s 8 IM2, the St Neots team was Dom as cox, Stewart, Clive, Alistair, Rich, Dave, Tim, Mick and Josh. Commenting on the race, Dave Bygraves said, “We had a good warm up on the way to start, and when we turned and got ready to go we saw clear water ahead. Dom pushed us all hard through race with a push to finish staring over 500 meters out giving us a good a result and a time of 11.26.”
St Neots women’s IM2 coxed four completed the course in 13 minutes and 2 seconds.
Photography by Gordon Lyster