The 11.4km course, which is relatively new and has been run only a handful of times, played host to six class records and not least a new outright fastest marker of 51min. 14sec. from the unstoppable Nova Wealth men’s quad.
The full version hugs the coastline from Havelet to the turn at Moulliere Rock, beyond Moulin Huet, before following a slightly more easterly course on the way back.
The return leg had less favourable tidal conditions than expected, together with a headwind, but Guernsey Rowing Club captain Ben Vaudin still felt that this was very much a day for records.
‘This was the first opportunity we’ve ever had to run that course in those very good conditions,’ he said.
‘Conditions were great, the heat aside, which would have fatigued and impacted some people.
‘The sea state and the conditions were fantastic. It’s no shock at all to see the records go.’
A Nova Wealth quad with Paul Montague subbed in shaved 1-44 from their record set last year, which was a significant improvement on the old marker set by former flagship crew TPA.
Continuing a recent revision to the starting format aimed at benefitting both crews, they had been left chasing down the men’s double of Markham and Mahy, who had set out 4min. earlier.
Markham and Mahy ultimately took line honours for a second straight race, with the extra pressure helping spur them onto a time of 54-30.
They also won their class ahead of a great second-place finish from Carpe Diem (1-02-34), who in the circumstances of the day took the scalp of an unavailability- and broken oar-hit Pedersen and Prevel.
Enhance Rowing competed as an open quad, with Steff Glover in, and so were not eligible for a record but did finish a very respectable third-fastest overall in 58-34.
Mixed quad Geomarine returned to action and posted 1-01-13, which marked a huge improvement on the old record.
Singles rower James Briggs produced an impressive 1-02-16 effort to take a huge chunk out of his own record.
His strong form prevented Stephen Ozanne, who rowed 1-05-43, from claiming the record after going 5sec. under Briggs’ previous time.
The improving Canaccord Wealth women’s double clocked 1-03-34, which enabled them to duck under a record set by the vastly-experienced Sirens pairing of Martine Middleton
and Ilze Briggs.
They also beat class rivals Bright Electrical: Double G – who had to substitute for the unavailability of Gabby Corlett – by 5-06.
Justifying the hard work they have put in for their sophomore season, women’s quad The Sea Pinks also got among the record breakers, putting down a 1-05-23 to erase the old mark of a strong Le Mont Saint Ladies crew.
