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Thames Punting Club Championships, 2010
I suspect than many of our readers are not familiar with such things as racing punts - and I didn't until Dr Brian Smith introduced me to Peter Williams, author of this article. The punting races take place following the Maidenhead Regatta and always within the area called Bray Reaches which includes Taplow and the Brunel Bridge. After reading this article I have resolved not to miss the 2011 championships! Ed. (Technical note: the 'pecks' referred to in the article are a pair of poles called 'ryepecks' which mark the course limits.)
2010 was the 125th anniversary of the first punting championships under TPC rules and we had a great day. This was Bray Reach at its best with a fine sunny day, neither too hot nor too windy and with limited river traffic – ideal for good punt racing! So with a good crowd building, reflecting some helpful publicity via the BBC, the Financial Times and the Maidenhead Advertiser, the stage was set for an excellent day of racing.
With entries from four of the five punt racing clubs operating we had 15 races in the Championship programme over the half mile and three quarter-mile courses. Bruce Maidment from Thames Valley Skiff Club (TVSC) won the Amateur Punting Championship race (three-quarter mile) beating Mike Hart, a former Olympic rowing silver medallist from Dittons Skiff and Punting Club (DSPC), by some distance after Mike ended up in the water at the turn (the peck) when his best boat was hit by wash. Bruce won in a time of 8 minutes though it was subsequently discovered the peck had been placed 35 yards beyond the half-mile post. This gave an adjusted time of 7 minutes and 30 seconds.
Natalie Maclean (DSPC) beat Karen Ball (TVSC) to win the Ladies Amateur Punting Championship race (half mile) in a close fought race and she then combined with Mike Hart to win the Mixed Doubles Championship race. Mike also won the Gentlemen’s Double Punting Championship with Simon Liefer. The closest race of the day was in the Junior Championship where Lucie Damon overtook Laura-Jane Robinson in the last few metres to win the race by 3 inches (having fallen in at the peck).
After the Championships were concluded we then held the nine inter-club races. Here the competition was between 5-person teams from three of the clubs. The pecks were moved to be at either end of the concrete embankment giving the crowd the chance to really see the action on the turns and it proved to be excellent racing with close fought singles, doubles and mixed doubles races. Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club was the eventual overall winner.
After a brief introduction by Ivan Jones, Chairman of the TPC, Sarah Winkless, Great Britain Olympic Rowing Medallist and World Champion presented the cups and medals. The TPC silverware is something to behold with elegant silver cups going back over the 125 years of racing – sadly the winners only get to receive and hold them for the moment before they return to the strongroom!
Aside from friends and family the crowd for the day included local residents and passers-by and we hope to see this grow next year. We were delighted to be joined by the Deputy Mayor of Royal Windsor and Maidenhead, Councillor Asghar Majeed, and the Chairman of South Bucks District Council, Councillor Alan Walters. I think both had the chance to see first-hand a classic English sporting event in a fabulous location on the Thames.
TPC has been using the Bray Reach for the Championships since 1986 so this was also our 25th anniversary in this location though TPC first used the reach in 1894 (and from 1946 to 1960). Given that no clubs race there normally, it is a neutral venue for all competitors and a great setting described by some as the ‘spiritual home of punt racing’. Moreover, because there is a good gravel bottom over a long distance (setting aside the bomb crater), the Bray Reach allows us to run races over two legs rather than the typical four. Though this reduces the number of turns (where the punter, not the boat, turns round!) and some of the excitement (because the turns require great skill and can often result in the lead changing hands), the Bray Reach puts a premium on being able to hold a straight course over a longer distance requiring considerable stamina and concentration. The downside of that is the course takes the punters well away from the crowd (and in the case of the Amateur Championship race actually around the corner!) We continue to debate how best to deal with this but running the inter-club races along the embankment section really did work in terms of getting the crowd to engage with this dynamic and graceful sport.
We will certainly welcome all members of the Taplow Society at the 2011 regatta and would hope to give you all early notice. We will also aim to send a notice to all River Road residents who have in the past been generous supporters of the Regatta. There is no doubt that it is increasingly difficult for minority sports such as punt racing to function. Attracting and retaining punters is hard, given the huge array of options people now have and there is no doubt punt racing does require an investment of time and energy to become good enough to compete. Setting aside coping with more wash from the ever-increasing number and power of boats going by, we now have some difficulty sourcing aircraft-grade aluminium for the poles!
However despite these real difficulties we do have a hard core of members who are keen to keep this sport alive. Punting does have a warm place in many people’s hearts and the Maidenhead Regatta remains the highpoint of the punt racing year. Long may it be so! We had a great day out and our thanks to Taplow and the Bray Reach.
If anyone reading this would like to join the Thames Punting Club (£15 pa) or would like to offer any support to the Club or the Championship Regatta please do not hesitate to phone me on 07718120858, email peter@prwilliams.org or write to 12 Southborough Close, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 6PU.
Peter Williams, Treasurer, TPC