Vidlin - 7th June 2008

Our first outing of the year.  Only the open women were interested in racing.  We had managed a couple of practices prior to this regatta, but not with the racing team who were competing on Saturday.  We arrived in plenty of time as we had to set up our new oars, made by Colin Deyell.  When it came to setting off we realised we had a problem with our aft oars and had to swap them for our old borrowed oars.  We eventually set off for a paddle about prior to our race starting. 

Out on the start line conditions were fairly good.  11 boats were competing in the open womens race and we got off to a good start.  We managed to maintain a good steady pace and were rewarded with 5th place with a time of 7.26mins.  Burra were in first place followed very closely by Aith.  It's a great result for us, lets hope we can continue to improve. 

A big thank you must go to Stuart Williamson, Brae, who has made us new humlibands and set up our new oars for us.

Unst - 14th June 2008

The open women were in good spirits travelling north to Baltasound for the regatta.  G&Q had missed out on the last two trips to Unst due to weddings etc. so we decided to make a weekend of it and book into the chalets at the Baltasound Hotel. 

Conditions were poor for rowing.  Although the rain stayed off, we still got soaking wet.  It was a tough row, Bigton were right beside us and in was neck and neck the whole way until they managed to come past us at the end.  We came in 8th out of 9 boats with a time of 11.07.21.  Burra were the victors with a time of 9.46.54, followed closely by Aith. 

After a shower and a change of clothes the socialising commenced!  That's what 'Team G&Q' excel at!  We had a very enjoyable evening in Unst and headed home on Sunday morning, feeling slightly tired ....   

Aith - Friday 18th July 2008

Aith had been postponed for a week already otherwise it may have been postponed again!  The weather was really quite dreadful.  The team tried to keep out of the rain prior to the race, not launching the yoal incase conditions deteriorated further cancelling any of the later races.  But since we had come out to Aith we thought we may as well participate.

We were the last out to the start line and made a quick turn around to get the race started.  It was a very closely fought race between Gulberwick & Quarff and Yell for 4th and 5th places.  We were forced out of our lane and had to keep veering off our line and eventually Yell took 4th place by a fraction -our time being 10.38, theirs 10.36.  Only 6 boats competed in the Open Womens race which was won by Aith. 

It was not a pleasant journey home soaked to the skin, but we were all glad to have taken part.

Skeld - Friday 25th July 2008

It was a nice evening for rowing at Skeld.  It was a very busy regatta indeed, hardly a car parking space to be found!  We arrived in plenty of time, got the boat down and everything organised.  Still some teething troubles with the oars and humlibands, but we were ready to give it a go again.

Out on the start line it was slightly overcrowed and we ended up having to go to the outside of the bouy.  The gun went off and we got an excellent start, a very close race with everyone keeping up the pace.  As the voe started to narrow it became clear that we were not all going to fit through the opening - we had rocks on one side and Whiteness and Weisdale on the other leaving us no option but to come broadside for a moment and then slip in behind Whiteness & Weisdale.  During this chaos we had a humliband casualty leaving us with only 5 oars.  This was certainly not our night.  We limped in 9th out of 10 boats with a time of 7.10 mins.  First was Lerwick, followed by Burra then Yell.  Aith Open women did not race due to an Aith wedding.

By the time we got the boat back on the trailer and had a beer and a burger it was dark.  The yoal was parked up at Wester Quarff after midnight. 

Lerwick - Sunday 10th August 2008

It looked like the weather was going to be dull but dry, but unfortunately that was wishful thinking.  Humlibands sorted we rowed out to the start line at the Holm of Cruester.  All boats lined up and we were off to a good start.  A very close race once again, Lerwick streaked ahead and managed to keep the pace up.

The results were Lerwick in first place, Aith second, Burra third.  After a protest by us against Yell we were given fourth place and Yell fifth.  Our time was 6.18 mins.  Nine boats participated in the Open Womens race.    

Interclub - Lerwick, Wednesday 13th August 2008

Only two races are rowed at the interclub, a mens race and a women's race.  Conditions were damp and breezy.  We launched at Da Smaa Boat Harbour and held out for the Knab, dodging the lifeboat and various other obstacles!  It was slightly disorganised, no one was sure where the start line was exactly.  The start boat came and moved a bouy to even up the line.  Flag down, two strokes and we lost an oar for a moment but managed to regain our momentum as soon as possible.  It was a tough race, rowing into the wind for what seemed an eternity.  Lerwick again were victorious, followed by Burra, Yell, Aith.  We were in fifth position with Bigton, Delting and Vidlin bringing up the rear.