For 6 months of this past year, we in the Famiglia Straton household have been subjected to; our son, Philip, leaving the house at 4:30 am for rowing training two, sometimes three times a week, irritable rowing crew syndrome as the running, rowing, gyming and ergoing took it’s toll, the rapid disappearance of anything vaguely resembling a protein source out of the fridge – sometimes we even had to whisk the dogs and cats out of the sight of marauding hungry eyes. And then – the bloody haircut the day before leaving for the Mutual and Federal Universities Boat Race which took place from 8 to 10 September 2011 in Port Alfred.
16 Mens Boat Crews, representing 9 Universities had spent months training for this regatta (most of them on their physical fitness and one or two on their drinking fitness!).
The weekend promised two 6.2 Kilometres races down the Kowie River to a finish just off the Port Alfred Ski Club – the first was a time trial with the rowing boats starting in order of last years finish. The final head to head sprints were then determined based on the times in this first pursuit race.
In 2010 NMMU finished in 6th place and their stated goal was to improve by one position – the road to glory is littered with baby steps.
Based on their time trials, NMMU were drawn to row against arch rivals, Wits, for the 5th and 6th places.
The video below says it all:
For their efforts in beating Wits and improving their finishing position over 2010′s results, the NMMU Rowing Crew were awarded the ‘Most Improved Men’s Crew’ Trophy.
L-R: Brad Taylor, Nick Pittaway, Andrew Dunn, Blake Atherton, Benjamin Ekron, Chris Osmond, Jason Taylor, Philip Straton.
The 2011 Men’s Eight NMMU Rowing Crew consists of: Cox – Tarquin de Vega, Stroke – Benjamin Ekron, Seven – Philip Straton, Six – Christopher Osmond, Five – Blake Atherton, Four – Nick Pittaway, Three – Brad Taylor, Two – Andrew Dunn, One – Jason Taylor.
