Sarnian 1-2-3 on Loch Ness no less
GUERNSEY’S top rowers tamed Monster The Loch at the weekend.
Taking the fastest three rowing boats at the 34km man-powered vessel race across Loch Ness – behind only a surfski containing twins – showed the island’s strength in depth and marked a very satisfying end to the season.
At the forefront of their excellence was TPA, who finished in 2hrs 24min. 18sec. to match the record in the men’s quads.
A week after making their debut in Guernsey waters and sharing a course record with TPA, the new Loch Ness Bravehearts followed in 2-26-53 for second quad.
The Loch Ness Monsters completed the Guernsey trio just 40sec. later. For good measure, Jersey’s top quad came in just off the pace on 2-28-40.
Guernsey Rowing Club captain Ben Vaudin, a proud Braveheart, could barely have been happier with the result.
‘The one-two-three, we’re absolutely over the moon and blown away by it,’ Vaudin said.
‘Going into the event, we were not expecting all three Guernsey crews to beat the Jersey boat.
‘That’s their best men’s four. That shows the strength in depth Guernsey has got to throw three crews together and beat them – absolutely delighted.’
The race had for the first time utilised a reversed course, running from Dores Beach to Fort Augustus, which is believed to be slower due to the slight river flow near the end.
But the fairly calm, overcast conditions suited fast rowing and it proved a spectacle as 126 crews lined up to the sound of bagpipes.
The Guernsey and Jersey crews had gathered near one another, and the Bravehearts had lived up to their name with a confident start, leading for around the first 2km as the surfski followed right in their wake.
TPA then took the lead and maintained it for the challenging duration, aside from the surfski duo saying their farewells and forging ahead with around 1km left.
There was one notable downside to the leading crews’ impressive speeds.
‘We were so quick rowing the race that the organisers had not even put the finish line out,’ Vaudin added.
‘They said to us when we got in that they were not expecting us anyone to get there that fast.’
