Battle of the Thames 2014
It seems along time ago now that I was planning my trip on a train, with my inflatable on my back and traveling to the big smoke! and its that time again. I wanted to keep the Battle of the Thames as an excuse to use the Inflatable, with the dedicated recognition of an inflatable class it seemed only right. I had used the 12'6 red race last year and this year I wanted to continue to get points in the 14' class within the UK SUP Clubs series, so I took a trip up to Tushingham to borrow a 14' Red Air Elite, making the most of the inflatable class while maintaining points in the 14' category. Thankfully a few other Waterborn crew were also racing and so I managed to nab a lift with Tom Stockwell and James Mcging, who's sister happened to lived not far from the race start, lift, board, accommodation, all sorted, minimal effort, Bonus!
After work on Friday we all got everything ready and left Devon behind us too head up to the capital. We were in good spirits and eager for the race the following morning. Apon arriving we found a few boxes of Teapigs ready and waiting for us to hand out at the event. We knew Scott Warren would be pleased but were unsure how they would go down with the rest of the competitors (turned out pretty much everyone loved it). After a few hours kip and some super fuelled breaky we headed off to the Club house on the banks of the Thames. We arrived at 8am, the air was muggy and hot, it was still cloudy but due to get a lot warmer during the course of the day. We necked a shot of Teapigs and busied ourselves offloading boards and I started to pump up the 14' Elite, which was surprisingly easy with my caffeine boost. After getting the boards ready and having mingled with a few of the other competitors we headed to get the nitty gritty part of registration out the way which was handled very efficiently by the Blue Chip team. A few more meet and greets later and it was time for me to get all my pre-race checks sorted with kit and hydration before race briefing at 10am. It was a great turn out with well over 100 people lining the bank, the sun was shining and barely any breeze, both a blessing and a curse, still, it makes for a much more enjoyable atmosphere. 
After a few shots of all of the competitors by their boards (Digi Toast and K63) it was time to take to the water. The 14' class was due to start first so I situated myself near the middle of the pack but slightly closer to the island edge, maybe a bad spot for wash but a good spot to make the most of the flow of the river as it forked around the island. The horn went and the water around me boiled, I never get a fast start and so I just kept my calm and put the power down, the Red Air pushed side to side with the wake but never felt unstable even at 26" wide, by the time we had cleared the island I pushed over towards the middle of the river to make the most of the joining flow, it was hot but there was enough of a breeze to keep from overheating. I reckoned I was about mid pack and wasn't too concerned about the leaders already setting a good sized gap, I slowly started picking off people 1 by 1 and headed toward the bridges ready for the first of 6 buoy turns. I reckoned there must have been around 15-20 people ahead of me as this stage and I was a few board lengths behind the guy in front of me, I was fairly happy with the stability of the board and managed a good step back turn and closed the gap nicely as I headed back for my first upstream leg. I headed straight for the far edge and tried to keep out of as much flow as possible and try and catch the main group drafting each other maybe 1 minute ahead of me by this point.
A few hundred metres or so after the turn I was starting to feel the heat more, working harder against the flow, I went to take some water on and got nothing..... despite having tested the pack before I got on the water somehow it wasn't working. Trying not to panic I pushed on keeping up the pace and then tried again as I got closer to the island, again nothing, I turned the on/off tap just in case I had knocked it but still no fluid. without stopping and losing the main pack I knew id just have to crack on, not ideal in the heat but I knew distance wise it was doable without fluid but id probably end up dehydrated later and get a headache. By the time I got closer to the top buoy I started counting the people coming past me to work out how I was doing. I counted 14 in front so I was sitting in 15th place, but not accounting for the groups behind me who set off at 3 minute intervals. I got within sight of the turn and I saw a few people fall to their knees, the few seconds lost for them gave me added incentive to press harder, however my turn was not very efficient, a missed paddle stroke saw me turn slowly and at a wide angle, annoyed at myself I pushed on, now with the flow behind me again I felt much faster, and as such felt I could put in more effort.
it wasn't until after the island again that I managed to catch Mark Bowra and I slotted in behind him, then I had a word with myself, "If I can catch him, I can overtake him, this isn't were you want to be" I pulled out and we were side by side down to the bottom buoy. I knew id need a boost if I was to actually make a gap, so, as I got close to the turn I got out a gel and let Mark take the turn first, I got a good step back turn and finished the gel and I was ready to put some graft in as I knuckled down. I managed to sneak in front and guessed he was behind drafting me but my attention was ahead only. After a few minutes I felt the energy kick and was well on my way, without water though it was fairly short lived, I had gained on the pack in front which was slowly starting to break up but was running out of steam, at the upper stream buoy I got out another gel in an effort to keep my energy levels up but fearing I might get an energy spike affect but there was little I could do bar stopping, and that wasn't an option!
Scott Warren was in sight and I was determined to catch him but it would be a hard task, the down stream leg again seemed like I could put in so much extra effort and I was now feeling happy that id be able to finish without the need for water. Starting the final lap I tried everything I could to stay in the flow of the river, keep the board trimmed, keep good power/pace, I was sure I was catching Scott. Again the group in front had issues on the turn and as I passed under the bridge into the shade I pulled at my emergency gel and was ready to give it everything. Fired up and in a good mind set I made a good turn and headed upstream, I had to make a slight detour under the bridge with 2 swans blocking the inner most tunnel but it wasn't long before I got back on the inside line, then a few hundred meters later, disaster struck, with a slight mis-stroke I went a little deeper with my paddle, I felt the blade clip the bottom of the bank and heard a horrid cracking noise, suddenly my next paddle stroke had no power, instantly I knew my blade had cracked. I tried turning the blade round in attempt to use the stronger none bending side but I could hear it cracking further, it was game over as far as the race was concerned. My heart sunk and I wasn't sure what to do, I knew id never fight the flow of the river with the paddle but I badly didn't want to just quit. At the risk of being disqualified I got down and started to prone paddle my board, failure to finish the race was not an option and if I got disqualified for it then so be it I wasn't going to let the Thames best me.
I figured seeing as my race was technically over I better sort out my hydration pack and take on some fluid as it would be a long 2 miles to the finish, the tube had twisted and my prerace test had just been the fluid in the pipe and not from the pack, steep learning curve. Watered I got to the job at hand, fired up by determination and anger I just kept paddling, as people started to pass I got more and more frustrated but there was little I could do but turn that into speed, trying to stay out of the flow was proving difficult while prone but eventually I worked out it was best to dip my right leg into the water rather than back paddling with my right arm. My neck and shoulders ached in the unfamiliar position and a new found respect for prone paddlers came across me, how people can do that for so long and be so fast is beyond me. As I rounded the last buoy I let out a aggressive bellow in an attempt to give me a adrenaline boost, it worked but I was starting to get cramp in the back of my legs from the lack of fluid during the first part of the race. I was chuffed to keep going and finish the race, more for myself than anything. I was however gutted that I let slip a 13th place but I still managed a very respectable 34th place and came in just under the 2 hours to maintain a 5mph average taking the 1st place in the 14' Inflatable class.
A big congratulations to the other Waterborn members - James Mcging, Tom Stockwell and Christine Anderson who picked up 2nd place in the women's 14' class. Congratulations to everyone who took part is some fairly tough conditions temperature wise. Thank you to Blue Chip and all the organisers for a great event. My thanks to Teapigs for plenty of energy and refreshing drinks on the day and return journey home. Thanks again to Tushingham and Starboard, ill be bugging you shortly for a new blade :) Im unsure of my next race, id like to get to Wesup's Carbis bay event, failing that, Bray's distance event on the 21st of June. Whoop Whoop!
