As the day dawned bright and sunny, a travel weary Phoenix squad was left to contemplate what could prove to be a decisive day in their season as the picturesque setting of the Exeter Quay was to become a pressure cooker for the 4 teams at the top of the Standard League.
Exeter is usually good value for a day out, and the race day was given a slice of added atmosphere by the presence of charity crews competing alongside the battle hardened pros of the league with the usual razzmatazz and showmanship that has become the calling card of the Exe Calibre arranged event.
Drawing the short straw and making an early start to their day, Pershore made their way to the top of the course along with heavyweights Tao and title rivals Kingston Pretenders. Unfortunately the slow start bug bit Phoenix once again, and a sluggish departure propelled the competition into a lead they held the entire way down the course.
After the first race of the day Pershore found them selves confronting a test of character. A disappointing first race once again - what to do next? In a symbolic gesture to the progress that the club has made over the season any thoughts of an implosion were banished from minds, and despite being deposited in the tail race (another 2 race 200 m program undoing them), Pershore came out fighting and took easy control of the race, with 6th place being scant reward for a polished second run. Racing can be cruel.
In the end the most eventful race for a Pershorite was had by Polo – The boat with a hole. Having been given to Henley as a pool boat, a lane violation led to a collision with Exe Calibre and damage to poor old Polo’s head. As I said, racing can be cruel. This lead to an element of controversy. Exe calibre were given a time trial in order to attempt to qualify for the cup, which they did emphatically in the event (with Polo’s head returning to the fray after Exeter’s unfortunate boat was decapitated in the incident). Henley were permitted an extra run, but only permitted to enter the minor finals of the 200 m. A controversial decision. But a final decision nevertheless. Onwards.
The 450 m event in the afternoon was to prove a happier hunting ground in terms of performance, though once again falling foul of the structure of the race day. The first race was as tight an encounter as the day would see, with title rivals Kingston Pretenders and prem outfit Typhoon. The field was separated by 0.41 of a second at the finish, with Pershore an unlucky third as Kingston took the spoils by a short head from them, with Typhoon somehow managing to plug what little gap lay between. Henley and Crusaders put up similar showings in their first round ties.
This meant that the first big standard league clash would occur in the plate semi finals, with Crusaders, Henley and Pershore fighting it out, and Pretenders making it into the cup, virtue of their 4/10ths. Phoenix’s semi was against big league rivals Henley, and the race turned into a classic struggle, unthinkable but 2 rounds ago given Henley’s prior dominance. The characteristically combative helming of Johnny Mac meant that a close quarters battle with Henley in the favoured lane 2 meant that a short head was all that separated the teams over the line, unfortunately in the favour of Henley. In a winner goes through system based on race placing rather than times, this gave a leg up to Crusaders, who slipped into the plate major with a slower time, but winning a less competitive race.
So despite what was actually a fine days racing, Pershore found themselves in the Plate Minor Final against an improving Exe-calibre Blades and Typhoon (a team we seem to meet regularly these days). Pershore got off the line well and by half way down were up at close quarters with Typhoon, who slid across to the very edge of their lane. However, John was not to be cowed in the event, and relentless paddling from the crew saw Phoenix muscle their way over the line in first position to collect 4th in the standard league on the day.
Considering the performance that everyone put in, and the way the day panned out, Phoenix can probably justifiably feel unfortunate to be leaving with a 4th and 6th, but that’s the way it can be some days. Racing can be cruel.
