So, it was an early start on a quiet and surprisingly grey Saturday with but the one early spectator . Though there were hardy souls who had arrived the previous evening from Wales (via Putney)

But things quickly got going with the Meadow filling up with visitors and friends . The Control Tent team were, as usual with it and of good humour . Well mostly anyway. . Competing crews boated well and headed down to the start quicker than I could capture them on virtual film! . The racing was close, hard and fair, not sure why the finish post looks so bent, probably the speed of our Vet 8 . Friars Meadow was a delight to see, crowd buzzing and the barbecue sizzling with high-energy isotonic burgers (Aidan's idea, honest). The highest pedigree crew of the day won the final race in a demonstration of class over cider and everyone went home happy. Well not EVERYONE went home..... When I arrived on Sunday morning I found a group of happy campers from London enjoying their breakfast and an early, rare sighting of the Stour mermaid . The Dragons arrived stealthily and moored themselves to our stages and our most colourful crews raced hard in the heat of the midday sun , kept safe by our able and glamorous staff . All in all a grand day and weekend full of sunburn and laughter, competition and companionship.

I hope we will all do it again next year.