[Magdalen] A good day

[Roger Stokes]

Among the multitudinous hats that I wear is that of being a helper at 
Bedford Rowing Club. Not being needed to officiate at a church today I 
was able to spend the whole day helping with our Annual Small Boats 
Head. This is essentially a time-trial where crews are divided into 
categories according to the size and type of boat (sculling where each 
rower has two oars or swep where they have only one, with or without a 
cox), age (for the younger and older competitors) and their success in 
other competitions. Today boats were limited to a maximum of four 
rowers, which is why it was a small boats event.

We are blessed in this town with a lovely river which is not too wide so 
cheers from the bank can be heard by the competitors and our events are 
popular with clubs and schools from quite a wide area. Today we were 
even more blessed with good conditions and lovely weather - low to 
moderate wind so the water was quite calm and the temperature got up to 
24C (75F). I was particularly pleased to see enthusiastic crews from a 
school in a deprived area of East London who increased the racial, and I 
believe social, diversity of the entrants. It is certainly the first 
time I have personally witnessed a competitor wearing a hijab. I 
understand that school is among the winners.

It was a long and exhausting day but it is good to have helped others 
enjoy themselves and demomstrate their prowess in competition.

Roger