On 14 March 2015, W1 left bright and early for the Tideway. The Women’s Eights Head of the River Race (WEHoRR) is the largest women’s rowing race in the world and an exciting opportunity for our rowers to test themselves against crews from around the country and internationals.
Just a week after Torpids, WEHoRR gave us the chance to put our long winter training into good practice taking on a 6.8k race instead of a 1-2 minute bumps race. Under the experienced guidance of coach Alex Bostrom and cox Elliot Thornton, W1 prepared at Quinton Boat Club at Mortlake.
Starting at position 127 gave us the opportunity to watch the top division go by–a front row seat to Olympians and internationals. Spinning to begin, Lincoln struck out at a good rhythm of 33 before shifting onto a race pace, stroked by Lucy Cross. Marking their way down the course, Lincoln overtook a crew in the first half of the race and held off pushes from a following crew through the middle of the course. Feeling the length of the course coming round the bend at St Paul’s, a push was called for at Hammersmith, that brought up the rate and reinvigorated the rhythm, sustaining it to the end. Building to the finish in the last kilometre and an increased rate of 35, Lincoln passed over the line at a sprint. The rowers of W1 were exhausted but satisfied with a strong performance on the river.
Lincoln finished 68th out of 293, the best finish position for a LCBC crew ever.