A fire has been lit. And today it burned hot within the Rowbust women.
Today we competed in three 500m races. And in all three races we crossed the finish line before the competition.
We wanted it. We dug deep. We took it.
Every race counted as it is the cumulative time of all three races per distance that determines the winner.
Each visit to the marshaling area was an opportunity to meet new people, swap paddling stories and even brag some about our respective clubs. The women of the BCS division can be described in one word, genuine. There are no actual rivalries. We all know what has brought us together. There is no need to discuss it. There is no time for it. We are busy living each day, enjoying our time together, on the water and off.
However, on every start line there were are no friendly exchanges. There is only us, in our boats, visualizing the race we are about to undertake. The calm before the storm.
We hear the call of the starter…”Attention!”
…and of our drummer & stern together “Ready Ready!”
And then the starting gun and we take our first stroke to get the boat up and moving. And another and another and soon we are up to our race pace, Laura and Shirley calling us in to power to get out ahead of the other boats. Our long, power stroke carrying us down the race course. A few more power sections, every paddler giving everything they’ve got to give. Soon we are called in to a finish and we bring the rate “Up!” and “Up!”, keeping the stroke long and strong as we speed across the finish line. We did it. We were the first ones across. We won.
We came all this way to defend. And we did.
Tomorrow is the 200m race day. We shall lite another fire!