By Andy Cox
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the surfboat community, Marlow and Leander rowing clubs have entered teams (the Barbarians, Bucks and Vikings) in this year’s National Surfboat Championships to be held at Saunton Sands, North Devon on Saturday 5 August. Marlow boasts as a member of its club no less a figure than Kath Grainger, one of the most successful female rowers of modern times and recently appointed MBE. Likewise, Leander need no introduction being home to such luminaries as Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent, James Cracknell and Ed Coode.
Pete Gaisford, organiser of the event, has been unable to wipe the smile from his face. “I’m flabbergasted,” he admits, as his efforts to spread the allure of surfboat racing to a wider audience appear - at last - to be bearing fruit. As Gaisford explains: “In Australia, the major surfboat events attract hundreds of crews. In England, it has been difficult to draw teams from beyond the traditional strongholds of Cornwall, Devon and South Wales.”
The flat water pioneers are to be applauded for having the courage to dip their oars into the unknown, and Gaisford’s intrigue as to how they will fare is matched by the surfboat community at large. Whether the newcomers will be able to bask in the warm glow of success is likely to hinge on conditions on the day. If the heat wave continues with benign surf, the sharper technical skills of the river clubs should prevail. The fear for Marlow and Leander, however, must be that they will encounter the double overhead waves that faced the crews at last Friday’s league meeting on Perranporth beach. On that occasion, three boats were rolled and a sweep oar snapped during the warm-up, causing the meet to be postponed. The adventurers from the flat stuff could be in for a day they will never forget.
Given the choice, the organisers would request head high waves. While this would mean there would not be a flat pitch, overall it would ensure the fairest conditions for the different levels of experience the contestants will bring to the event. The prospect of a day’s competition with teams from all the surfing and rowing clubs in the mix is enough to set the pulses racing. Could this be the day that surfboat racing attracts a national audience?
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