Enterprise Open Meeting

Tideway die-hards met at the London Corinthians on the 10th and 11th March to do battle against the Thames, the rain and each other. The Corinthian's excellent reach of river was made more challenging by the closure of the Thames Barrier, which caused unusual, variable currents.

On Saturday the wind which was from the southwest started at force 2 and built to force 4 as the race progressed. Nine boats started, competing for the Eyot Challenge Cup, and there were a couple of capsizes. David and Sheila Berger in Ovation (E20497) led from the start and finished first. James and Joseph Armitage in Porpoise (E21408) came second and Rob and Heather Adams in Clowning Glory (E18718) came third.

On Sunday, the wind was much lighter, starting at about force 2 but fading to almost nothing by the end of the race. The rain however was just the same. The river was very busy with rowing boats, and the fleet was able to admire the Cambridge crew in training for the Boat Race. Eleven Enterprises competed for the John Livingston Trophy, a qualifying round of the Speed Sails sponsored Thames Valley Bowl Series.

After a long and complicated course the leaders got stuck, becalmed fifty yards from the finish, with the current pushing them gently backwards. James and Joseph Armitage found a zephyr to waft them over the line first and they were followed after

a couple of minutes by Alan Beaney and Peglyn Faber in one of LCSC's club boats "Independent" (E22465). David and Sheila Berger beat Rob and Heather Adams by a nose to finish third.

Overall results - Sat 10th: 1st David Berger / Sheila Berger (Strand-on-the-Green), 2nd James Armitage / Joseph Armitage (Strand-on-the-Green), 3rd Rob Adams / Heather Adams (Strand-on-the-Green), 4th Robin Johnson / Beverley Lawrence-Beech (LCSC), 5th John Chick / Simon Ashenden (LCSC), 6th James Sinclair-Taylor / Schinji Schiua (LCSC), Retired - Chris Crosland / Philip Lee (LCSC), David Edwards / Paul Davis (LCSC), Alan Beaney / Steven Beaney (LCSC).

Sun 11th: 1st James Armitage / Joseph Armitage (Strand-on-the-Green), 2nd Alan Beaney / Peglyn Faber (LCSC), 3rd David Berger / Sheila Berger (Strand-on-the-Green), 4th Rob Adams / Heather Adams (Strand-on-the-Green), 5th Robin Johnson / Beverley Lawrence-Beech (LCSC), 6th Bill Simpson / Hugh Kemlo (LCSC), 7th John Chick / Simon Ashenden (LCSC), 8th Una-Jane Hodgkins / Chris Crosland (LCSC), Retired - David Edwards / David Eccles (LCSC), Nigel Birch / John Piper (LCSC), Vaugan Andrewatha / Ivor Hill (LCSC).

James Armitage