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The Alkmaar Diary 2000. |
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17e Akersloot – Alkmaar Race |
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Once again Minerva took up the challenge to recover The Alkmaar Challenge Shield, remarkably last won on Dutch soil by that world famous crew “The Gods”. After comprehensive selection trials we decided to take a Men’s Coxed Eight and Ladies Coxed Four. FridayWe arrived on Friday with the sole intention of having a quick bite to eat in Luigi’s Pizza Hut, washed down with a couple of small but decidedly smooth cold beers and then off to bed for some well deserved beauty sleep ( Sorry Andy for you my friend its too late). As usual our Dutch hosts had other ideas. Andy H and Chris ‘I can drink tequila till the cows come home’ made it to bed by 3.30am Saturday. SaturdayMark Smith had decided in a drunken haze that we should seat race on the ergo before our 10 o’clock outing on Saturday. Surprise! Surprise! No one turned up. At this point I would like to thank Alkmaar for the fantastic Boat they had arranged for us, or should I say 2nd World War landing craft (only joking! It was absolutely fab). We had to first pick the boat up from Ossa, another local club and row back to Alkmaar. On hearing this Chris and Vince developed serious leg, arm, neck and shoulder injuries and were unable to take part. Due to one of our Lady rowers dropping out at the last moment we had to bring in a Dutch substitution, Dorine ‘I could drink for England if I wasn’t so completely naked’, despite not rowing for over a year was up for the challenge. After our short training outing we retired to the Cheese
Market to toast Her majesty the Queen of Holland who was celebrating her 100th
Birthday. Andy H was outstanding in his ability to keep us supplied with beer
all afternoon. After a snack at the
Club we again retreated to the comfort of Alkmaar's bars, some of us could only
manage coffee, and why did Vince and Dave have that strange vacant smile on
their faces, we’ll never know. The day of the race had arrived, and after some last minute negotiations it was revealed that Chris “Apollo” Fry was fit to race, Andy H was not and Vince had chosen to take a pleasure cruise. One decision that was going to be regretted was Williams and James thinking they could row a Double and an Eight, ho! ho! how we chuckled. Sunday Division One
William and James set off in the first division full of gusto, by half way their gusto was about empty, however, they managed to finish in 4th place in a time of 28:46 minutes with an average speed of 13.56 Km/h. Not bad for their first attempt. With a quick turn round the Men’s and Ladies crews set off for the start of division two, it’s a long way to the start, Bill (the human whale, just watch him spurt) and Jim were already struggling. Sunday Division TwoThe Ladies set off at an incredible pace, rowing at a rate which no one thought sustainable, they were proved to be right as they limped home in a time of 27:55 minutes with an average speed of 10.75 Km/h. Maybe next year you’ll get oiled on the Friday night. The Men’s Crew were up against the finest Men's Eight
Alkmaar could muster, winners of a number of prestigious head races that year,
it was going to be tough. We were confident though, with Chris ‘I’ve got a
V8 engine for legs and full of Torque’, the old farts ‘We used to be really
good you know’ four, Jim the Stroke, Mark ‘I can’t get the work on and
Andy ‘Has anyone seen my chip’, we were going to kick ass. The Alkmaar crew one place in front set off, the power was unbelievable, unfortunately for them, all the power was in the wrong direction, the biggest crab in history. Minerva smooth as silk powered through the water like a barracuda on acid, within 1500 metres we had caught them, Oh dear another 5000 metres to go and the wheels are falling off. V8 takes control, barking orders down the boat, we hold on to finish in an astonishing time of 25:31 minutes with a boat speed of 15.28 Km/h. We had regained the Alkmaar Challenge Shield; happily we
celebrate with a few beers before getting to bed early Monday morning. For those who went it was a thoroughly enjoyable weekend, our Dutch hosts were fantastic and made sure first timers were made very welcome. We look forward to returning their hospitality later in the year, when they will try to take back the Minerva Challenge Shield. Thanks to Andy for organising the trip, Well done mate.
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