The regatta has seen a steady influx of royal visitors this week. Princess Anne arrived by helicopter (well, it is the in thing, don’t you know) and royal barge on Friday, while Prince Michael of Kent turned up today for the Thames Rowing Club 150th celebrations ( as he’s their club president).
Various police and security types were in evidence on Wednesday and spent around 90 minutes checking out the facilities and covering all the areas of the regatta. During their walk-around, one of the them let slip that the current official alert state is "low," though, having seen the state of the spectators near the start, we suspect this may only apply to the Berkshire bank from Remenham to the finish.
In recent years, White House meadow (between Remenham Club and Stewards) has been home to a selection of dodgy “enclosures” – basically a large bar / club in a marquee, that anyone can to pay to get into. This year’s incarnation is called “ Mahiki” and has a tropical cocktail theme. In an attempt to drum up some business, they’ve been handing out advertising flyers to those walking down the towpath all week -- flyers with the British Rowing logo on the top corner. They would probably have got away with this blatant unofficial use, if someone hadn’t managed to hand one to Rosemary Knapp – the National Manager of British Rowing, who failed to see the funny side. Mahiki’s enquiry as to whether they could keep using it if they paid them shed loads of cash, was met with a terse rebuff, and the flyers now have the top corner cut off...
Copas, who own the land along the first third of the course, must be feeling the pinch, as rumour has it that they’ve fenced off an area of the tow path and are charging £10 for each picnic blanket...
One athlete was spotted wandering around earlier in the week sporting a small tattoo of a pink hippo on one of his calves – with one slight problem, he’s currently competing work London Rowing Club rather than Leander -- as with changing girlfriends, changing clubs can sometimes have unforeseen repercussions...
John Boultbee, the Australian Steward, was spotted with laptop, writing articles in the press box earlier this week. When pressed by the assembled journalists, he sheepishly admitted he was actually writing for Football Australia. After the cries of derision died down, it was decided he could continue, provided he threw in as many rowing phrases as possible into the mix – "well, I do keep telling them we've got to boat a better team than this," he replied.
The apparently unbeatable New Zealand pair of Murray and Bond have been continuing their progress towards tomorrow’s Goblets final with some ease. Clearly relaxed about their early heats, Murray was spotted drinking beer in the Bridge Bar on Thursday lunchtime... perhaps that’s his secret?
Matt Pinsent was spotted umpiring in his Athens Olympics blazer on Thursday morning. We informed him how impressed we were that it still fitted after six years in retirement from international competition. "Sydney’s still OK” he replied, but Barcelona is a write off."
07/08/2010 3:00:26 AM