2008 Raft Race
- Wed 9th Jul 2008
2008 Raft Race
The weather forecast on Saturday was dismal with high winds and rain forecast, however, what we ended up with was sunny periods and strong winds. In past years strong winds had meant a shortened course, close to land to protect the rafts from wind and tide, this year no concession to the elements was made and to cock a snoot at the Weather Gods the course had been extended.
After last years triple capsize and late start by Hayling Joggers (when they finished fourth) this year they boasted a lighter, lower and wider (and ultimately slower) raft. Other teams equally humiliated last year had been hard at work.
Northney Farm seemed to have pushed wooden ladder and blue barrel technology to the limit and paid for it when an early capsize put them out of the race. Wessex Hillrunners off Road Club on the other hand finished last, last year and first this year.
After the traditional dodging of water and flour bombs the start signal sounded and the rafts were off despite the fact that certain crew members of other rafts were still in the bar or making their way to the beach, perhaps a 5 minute pre-start warning signal is required.
After the start the area is soon littered with capsizes and rafts with steering problems, what worked on paper seemed strangely not to follow the same principles once on water. Noise from crews and spray from paddles make it difficult to assess positions but there are at least three rafts in front of us, we get past the first mark but are having difficulty spotting the next mark, following leading rafts is not really an option as by now they seem to be going in different directions.
We drift across the bow of the attractive Barbie girls and hinder their progress and get some very unattractive comments from them, sorry girls.
At the scaffolding tower mark we turn for the homeward stretch and will now have the wind and tide against us, in the heat of the race several of the rafts have forgotten the briefing and head straight for the Ship Inn instead of the orange buoy, good, that should put us up a couple of places.
After an eternity of paddling I can hear the finish signal as the first raft crosses the line. I look up to see Wessex Hill-runners off Road Club giving a victory salute, lucky rafters, we have at least another 5 mins of backbreaking paddling to go.
Suddenly there is a lot of noise and spray from behind as two rafts bear down on us with some scary looking Vikings on board and what I thought was a certain respectable 6th place seems to be at risk.
Somehow we hold on and cross the finish line with the rafts behind just about to mount us, without doubt the toughest race yet.
In conclusion I congratulate those in front of us, though my real admiration is for those behind, still to come in tired and weary and will have overcome capsizes, wayward rafts, tide and wind and as usual will get the warmest applause.
I salute you.
John Bennett (Raft designer and Hayling Jogger)
Event organisers John & Rita Delahunty report an increase in the raft fleet to 17 which is a record for the event. At least 7 of these were from Hayling Island.
Well done to all concerned.
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