Serpentine Cup at Tamesis Club

Tamesis and Queen Mary meet in the final of the Serpentine Cup © Nick Price

Queen Mary win Serpentine Cup

Queen Mary SC beat Tamesis in a closely fought final to win the Serpentine Cup on Saturday 19 March. Ten two-boat teams competed in the annual inter-club team race, with Queen Mary and the host club emerging as finalists from the hotly-contested round-robin series raced in Enterprises on Teddington Reach. The benefits of last-boat-loses team racing were vividly demonstrated in the light conditions, with the close finish of almost all heats. Chief race officer Brian Southcott's short courses made the most of the wind, and umpires Bernard Kinchin from Royal Thames and John Bell from Hampton dispensed summary justice on the water. The first starts were delayed for nearly two hours due to a lack of wind, but by late afternoon all the teams had raced each other, with Queen Mary coming top of the table with four wins, followed by Tamesis and Ranelagh with three each. The home team went through to the final by virtue of having beaten Ranelagh.

The easterly wind filled in just enough to make the three-race final a cliff-hanger. Racing started well before the start in race one, with Tamesis's Oliver Houseman, crewed by Catherine Ashley, and Paul and Matt Stainsby of Queen Mary circling 100 yards from the line at the gun; much place-changing later all four boats crossed the finish in line abreast, with Mike Stephens, crewed by his son Andrew, and Houseman snatching first and second for Tamesis. The Stainsbys and David Vines, crewed by Maxine Webb, levelled the score for Queen Mary in the second race with a slightly more comfortable one-two of their own, leaving all to play for in the final bout. By now the wind had increased slightly, at least in patches. Taking advantage of the conditions, Vines, crewed by Kate Freestone in the last race, carried Houseman deep into a flat spot, but also trapped himself. Houseman twisted ahead, putting Tamesis into the lead; Bernard Kinchin smacked him firmly back to last place, ordering a penalty turn for gratuitous gybing. Coming up to the line the four Enterprises were once again almost level, with Queen Mary holding the advantage. Tamesis's last hope lay in Mike Stephens, but his luff lacked conviction and the visiting team crossed first and third to claim the trophy.

The event was organised by Sue Harris and the ten competing clubs were Lensbury, London Corinthian, London Pirates, Hampton, Minima, Queen Mary, Ranelagh, Strand on the Green, Tamesis and Thames.