Phoenix Rises to hit Form at Right Time
Pershore Phoenix returned spectacularly to form during Round 7, claiming 3rd in the 500 metre event and their first win of the season with an emphatic class victory over 200 metres on home turf in Worcester.
There was no slow start for Pershore, as the boat leapt off the start in the first race, and attached itself to the stern of Kingston Royals, before proceeding to reel them back in as the race continued. Whilst eventually finishing second, 0.8 seconds behind, Pershore posted a time of 49.70 seconds, which is the fastest time the club has ever recorded over a recognised race distance. Nothing if not a promising start.
Race 2 involved another confrontation with Kingston Royals and Hurricanes, both premier crews on a mission. The product was another close race, which was taken by Kingston. However, controversy ensued behind, as the official times gave Hurricanes a time of 50.44 seconds and Phoenix 50.96 despite spectators seeming to believe that Phoenix had nicked the runner up spot. After lodging an appeal against the result, and made our way to the start for Tail 5 (to decide 7th-9th overall) only to be told to switch lanes with Hurricanes as our times for the race were reversed, and Phoenix given second. Being the last Standard League team left standing, Pershore’s first class win of the season was now in the bag. Another thrilling race ensued, unfortunately with Phoenix crossing the line 0.2 shy of Typhoon Tigers, who were in turn 0.3 seconds behind race winners Hurricanes.
So far the large crowd that was gathering on the banks were getting treated to a series of very close races. Meanwhile the Phoenix crew were grabbing a moments rest as best they could in a hectic schedule. Their reward for the best 200 metre performance of the year (and possibly the club’s history) was a break of just under an hour between races (not including warm ups and boat loading).
The opponents in the first race were Raging Dragons and Typhoon Fury (the Typhoon 2nd boat). Whilst Typhoon struggled to keep pace from the half way point, Raging Dragons and Phoenix traded blows the length of the course, with Raging taking the final stroke at the line. In a too close to call race, team members gathered round the scoreboard waiting for the times to come up. When it did there were collective cries of surprise as Raging took the victory by 0.05 of a second – as close a finish as has been seen in the league.
By such margins are races now decided. Raging Dragons headed to the cup competition, and Phoenix into the plate rep, wondering what might have been. The rep was held against competitive scratch crew Cool Runnings and Typhoon Fury. Cool Runnings were competitive for the whole race, but Phoenix triumphed to earn a plate semi-final in which Premiership teams Typhoon Tigers and Secklow 100 were both dispatched in a race where 0.4 seconds of a second covered the field.
The reward for this endeavour was the plate final against Standard League rivals Crusaders and Worcester Dragonflies, with the reward being second in the standard league (Kingston Pretenders having made it to the cup). Yet another intense race ensued, with all three teams too-ing and fro-ing in race position as the race unfolded. In the end it was Crusaders who crept over the line first 0.2 seconds ahead of Phoenix with Worcester coming home a mere 0.16 seconds later.
A real grandstand day of racing where Phoenix won 2 races and were always less than a second behind the eventual winners in the other 5, has set up an equally exciting last day of the season.
See below for the PROVISIONAL tables:
|
200 Meters
|
500 meters
|
|
1
|
Crusaders
|
86
|
1
|
Crusaders
|
72
|
|
2
|
Phoenix
|
79
|
2
|
Phoenix
|
67
|
|
3
|
Henley
|
73
|
3
|
Kingston Pretenders
|
60
|
|
=
|
Kingston Pretenders
|
73
|
4
|
Henley
|
59
|
|
5
|
Worcester Dragonflies
|
59
|
5
|
Amathus Bees
|
48
|
|
6
|
Amathus Bees
|
47
|
6
|
Worcester Dragonflies
|
46
|
|
7
|
Exe-calibre Blades
|
46
|
7
|
Exe-calibre Blades
|
34
|
|
8
|
Typhoon Fury
|
21
|
8
|
3 Rivers Serpents
|
16
|
|
9
|
3 Rivers Serpents
|
15
|
9
|
Typhoon Fury
|
8
|
With Points Dropped
|
200 Meters
|
500 meters
|
|
1
|
Crusaders
|
75
|
1
|
Kingston Pretenders
|
60
|
|
2
|
Henley
|
73
|
2
|
Henley
|
59
|
|
=
|
Kingston Pretenders
|
73
|
=
|
Crusaders
|
59
|
|
4
|
Pershore Phoenix
|
68
|
4
|
Phoenix
|
55
|
|
5
|
Worcester Dragonflies
|
59
|
5
|
Amathus Bees
|
48
|
|
6
|
Amathus Bees
|
47
|
6
|
Worcester Dragonflies
|
46
|
|
7
|
Exe-calibre Blades
|
46
|
7
|
Exe-calibre Blades
|
34
|
|
8
|
Typhoon Fury
|
21
|
8
|
3 Rivers Serpents
|
16
|
|
9
|
3 Rivers Serpents
|
15
|
9
|
Typhoon Fury
|
8
|
Alasdair Lowe
