The DDM Absolute pair of Joe Paul and Paul Isaacs are predicted to go close to breaking their class record tomorrow while Sharon Collenette and Lois Rawlins-Duquemin and Steve Pipe and Liz Bellot defend their 2007 women’s and mixed pairs titles respectively. (0571501)
GUERNSEY crews look set to dominate tomorrow’s 42nd Sark to Jersey Rowing Race.
Regarded as the big race of the summer, there are 52 boats taking part in this year’s event.
And the organiser, Ian Blandin of the Jersey Rowing Club, believed that the Sarnians would have the upper hand.
‘It looks like it,’ admitted the Caesarean reluctantly.
The race is the longest in Channel Island waters.
It covers a distance of some 19 miles from Dixcart Bay in Sark with a dog-leg round the Paternosters and then along the north coast of Jersey ending at Bonne Nuit Bay.
It is considered rowing’s inter-insular.
‘It’s the big one,’ said Blandin.
‘Everyone wants the number one spot in their class. It’s a bit like the Siam Cup of rowing.’
Blandin reckoned that Joe Paul is on course to pick up his third class record.
Guernsey’s number-one rower has set two of them – in the men’s singles and in the men’s sliding fours which he did in 2005 with the Nova team in 1hr 49min. 56sec., which is the fastest time any boat has completed the race.
The rest of the crew was made up of Paul Isaacs, Paul Montague, Matt Harridine and cox Neil Brennan.
This season has seen Paul enter the men’s sliding-pairs class with Isaacs in their boat, DDM Absolute.
They are entered for this year’s event.
Blandin said that the class record of 1-58-44, set by Jersey’s Robert McAllister and Tim Le Gallais in 2004, could be in Paul’s and Isaacs’ sights tomorrow.
‘I don’t really know,’ said Paul.
‘It’s been years since I’ve rowed this as a pair. I don’t know what to expect.
‘We’ve beaten all the competitors from Jersey so we should beat them on the course. Whether we set a record is down to the conditions.’
Blandin is more bullish than Paul about his chances.
‘They should win the pairs,’ said Blandin.
‘They are rowing really well at the moment. The record is well within their reach.’
The women’s pairs could also go Guernsey’s way with The Wheeler Development team of Atlantic Ocean rower Lois Rawlins-Duquemin and Sharon Collenette looking favourites.
However, Jersey pair Helen Monpetit and Lucy Ovenden might have something to say about that.
Sarnians also look set to rule the roost in the mixed pairs, with the team of Liz Bellot and Steve Pipe looking good as do Sarah Stonebridge and Sam de Kooker in their FRM pairs boat.
The men’s sliding fours looks set to be fought out between Geoff Gavey’s FRM team, Julius Baer led by Simon Johns and Jersey’s Just Do It, which is skippered by the experienced Simon Stead.
According to Blandin, the conditions look ideal for tomorrow with nice easterly winds.
‘The weather is looking very good,’ he said.
Article posted on 29th August, 2008 - 3.30pm
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