Rhine Marathon

In 1965 a group of intrepid Cygnets decided they wanted to go to the European Rowing Championships in Duisburg. Looking for somewhere to stay they contacted the West German Rowing Federation who put them in touch with a rowing club in a Düsseldorf suburb called RG Benrath.

To cut a long story short, much beer was drunk, friendships blossomed and a strong relationship developed between Cygnet and Benrath that lasts to this day. Now, every March, Benrath come over to London to compete in the HoRR and the Vets Head while Cygnet and Barnes Bridge Ladies, every October, go to Düsseldorf to compete in the Rhine Marathon.

The Race
The Rhine Marathon is exactly what its name describes; a rowing race, 26 miles (43 kms) long, on the Rhine between Leverkusen and Düsseldorf. It's essentially a Head Race, each crew racing for a time and there are many, many divisions in which you can win, including the much coveted "closest to three hours" event. That's mostly because the prize is a crate of beer but the quickest crews will complete the course closer to two hours. The stream is very strong at about 5 mph so you could drift the course in 5 hours!

Boats are generally coxed fours although there is also the occasional triple or quintuple, some of which are coxless and the boats are much wider, touring sized boats than the fine boats that we use. They need to be this size to cope with the wash from the 8000 tonne barges that plough up and down Europe's busiest commercial river.

Only here for the beer
Although we obviously go to test ourselves on the river, the emphasis of this trip is very much a social one based around the consumption of local delicacies - beer and pork-based foodstuffs. 

On Friday night there is a spaghetti supper and Alt bier at Benrath boathouse. After the race on Saturday there is sausage, cake and Alt Bier at the finish during the endless prize giving ceremony. In the evening we all go out to a local brewery for something piggy to eat and Alt Bier followed by a cultural tour of Düsseldorf's Altstadt (Alt Bier breweries). Later, a visit to the Killepitch shop usually sorts the men from the boys and those who can will continue the tour of a city that lays claim to the longest bar in the world, which serves mostly Alt Bier.

Accommodation
Benrath are very generous hosts and much of the weekend is organised for us, often including transport. Most of us stay at their well-appointed and spacious boathouse on the bank of the river (sleeping bag and mat required) whilst other stay at the hotel down the road.

The Whip
The Whip is always deployed for the Rhine Marathon.  The first Rule of Rhine Marathon: Never leave your Whipman.