The Eight (which included two Molesey boys in the shape of myself and Tom Solesbury) had a mixed regatta at the recent Munich World Cup. We got the best result of the Olympiad so far in bringing home the silver medal, but we were all actually very disappointed with that.
Going into the regatta we knew that without the Americans (reigning Olympic champions) and the Canadians (reigning World Champions) it wasn't a full-strength field, but there was still plenty of competition to test ourselves against for the first race of the season. The Germans who just pipped us into second place at the World Championships were there, and racing on home water; the Chinese showed real speed in places last summer and are building now for their home Olympic Games; and the Aussies are back, with the legendary Jimmy Tomkins (three-times Olympic gold medalist and the only rower ever to be World Champion in every sweep-oared event: 2+, 2-, 4+, 4-, 8+) in the six-seat, and two new guys as their stern pair for this year, both returning Olympians from Athens '04.
Well there I was! Fifty-ish, fit-ish and standing by the water’s edge, in the freezing April weather, waiting to be introduced to sweep rowing.
As you know 5 Molesey oarsmen were selected this week in Olympic class boats for the first World Cup in Munich.
