Only Here For...

... the beer. Well, yes but also for the friendships too. This year's marathon was the last event in our 60th Anniversary year with RG Benrath and a strong continent from both clubs enjoyed the long weekend, despite the weather's best efforts to spoil the party.

Friday evening saw almost 60 people muster at the Benrath boathouse for a very pleasant evening of socialising, including a few bars (natch), a marvellous hot buffet plus a few (more) speeches, including from Ferdi Picker, one of the original Benrath hosts from 1965. Small tokens of thanks were also presented to Mucha and Tichel for their tireless efforts in organising Cygnet and BBLRC these past 25 years as are both now stepping down from that role. But there were early starts on Saturday for some of the racing crews so we quelled our taste for alt bier and repaired to bed at a very modest hour wondering what delights Storm Amy might bring in the morning.

Initial impressions looked pretty good on Saturday, with plenty of water and a fast stream being pushed along by a brisk southerly, which might make for a quick race. This optimism didn't last long as the best laid plans and all that...

The mixed CYG/RGB crew of Tichel (cox), Neil, Apollo, Wylie and Mucha were already sporting two subs: Mucha in for Klaus, who had broken his foot earlier the week and Tichel, urgently drafted in to replace Mucha as coxswain. Pushing off at #11, Wylie broke a blade on the pontoon, so a go-around was required to collect a new pair, then, as they finally crossed the start line, all hell let loose from the sky. With hail being driven at their backs by a wind suddenly from the north, the squall created big white horses and sight of the far bank was all but lost in the horrendous conditions. For the first 10 strokes or so the crew didn't move so strong was the wind. It subsided eventually but hardly a flying start and they were soaked to the bone with 43km still to go eventually crossing the line in a time of 02:43:56 (6/8 in Masters G).  Wylie described it as 'Hell' in an interview with the local press, carried out alongside Mucha while awaiting the arrival of our other crews

Starting only 15 places later at #26, the second Cygnet boat of Kett (cox), Whit, Iain, Tom B and Brad, were waiting on the bank when the squall hit and were also drenched. The boat in front of them managed to capsize going afloat in the squall so boating was suspended while that incident was sorted out and to wait for the weather to subside. Great work by the Cygnet crew in helping to recover the stricken boat and they eventually got afloat about 20minutes late. Comprised mostly of Rhein Maidens, only Tom in this boat had raced the Marathon before but never in such dreadful conditions and a time of 2:46:21 (5/5 in masters F) was very respectable indeed under the circumstances. 

The third Cygnet crew (#92) consisting of Frank (cox), Cris, [Martin], Mustafa and Wes found drama of a different kind: Having hardly slept due to a very sore left calf, Martin decided that a visit to hospital would be more sensible than 43km of exercise (a DVT was hypothesised*) and after some frantic early-mooring messaging a sub was found. Liz McVeigh had packed her kit for just such an eventuality and was delighted with the opportunity to take on the Rhine while the rest of the crew were delighted not to have to scratch. Another very respectable time of 2:51:48 (13/15 in Masters C)in the circumstances but it was a tough race for a first timer and it has to said that Liz wasn't quite as enthusiastic by the end!  
(*It wasn't a DVT, just a torn calf although the train Matin was on to hospital did get struck by lightning!)

The fourth Cygnet crew of Julie (cox), Matt G, Tom C, Benjy and Charles had little by way of dramas but rather a lot by way of wind. Pushing off at #147, delays during the day meant that they didn't go afloat until nearly 14.30, over 1 hour late, by which time the wind had picked-up considerably and had settled-in, blowing hard from the west. They struggled to make headway as they rounded the big Benrath bend and headed into the teeth of the gale but being the youngest, fittest and tallest of our crews, they crossed the line in an impressive time of 2:39:38 (8/12 in Open) and thus taking the bragging rights.

Not that anyone felt much like bragging. It had been a brutal day on the river with everyone coming off the water very cold and wet and desperate for a shower and a sausage! None of us were going to bother the podium announcer, so once everyone was suitably refreshed we returned to our digs in Benrath to hang up kit and tend to blisters. Then, along with the support team and a big Benrath contingent, a tram back into the Altstadt for supper and further refreshment at the Schlüssel brewery. There was a huge appetite for food but less so for a big night out despite Wylie's insistence in buying a round or two of Killepitsch before departing for bed.

Sunday stared with some sunshine as we mustered at the Schloss for  the traditional photo before a stroll through the park to Benrath Boathouse for Erntedankfest parade preparations. It's not every day you push a boat full of fruit and veg down the main round and around the local village, while being waved at by men in leather trousers but when in Urdenbach... And we made it into the press again, this time for an article in Rheinischepost

We were sporting our new Cygnet neckerchiefs, commissioned specifically for the parade but sadly the sun didn't last long and the kit was covered-up as we did our best to try and avoid another soaking as the parade wound it's way round the town. Oddly, those who had late flights to catch seemed relieved to be able to sneak off early for the less surreal but warmer and drier delights of the Flughafen. Those that  stuck it out to the bitter end were treated to a BBQ back at the boathouse and after a couple more altbeir at the Fuchs, an early night was preferred to the delights of the notorious 'Erntedank Beer Tent'.

Huge thanks, as always, to our host at Benrath, not just for their hospitality and the fantastic 60th supper on Friday but also for all the logistical and administrative arrangements. It's really quite an effort and no wonder that Mucha has finally handed it over. Here's to another 60 years.

Danke Schön

Full results here