[Magdalen] A good day

[Marion Thompson]

Terrific.  I'm always happy to hear rowing news.

Marion, a pilgrim


On 4/9/2017 4:47 PM, Roger Stokes wrote:
> 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
>
>