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Tackling the Eddystone Challenge
The time had arrived at last, the Llanion Warriors were ready, and eagerly anticipating the Eddystone Challenge, which in rowing terms was the equivalent of an “extreme” form of the sport. We let Darrell Willington, the club secretary, better known in rugby and cricketing circles with Pembroke and Stackpole respectively, tell the story.
The Llanion Warriors Celtic Longboat Rowing Club was formed in 2007 and is based in Pembroke Dock – and in April of this year a small band of members made the decision to commit to this adventure. Since the inception of the club in 2007, various teams have tackled a range of challenges, including the biennial Celtic Challenge, the Ocean to City Cork Race and the Great River Race in London. As a club we race in the coastal league and participate fully in other local non-league challenges. However, as our rowers have become more experienced, developed their stamina and skills and so become more confident, so they have looked further afield to extend themselves. Hence the journey to Plymouth and their first Eddystone challenge.
Pre-race details
The Eddystone Challenge is a 40 km race from Plymouth Harbour (starting below the famous Hooe) out into the English Channel. The event was inaugurated by the Mayflower Offshore Rowing Club, based in Turnchapel (Plymouth), which was formed in 2003. The race is open to all classes of craft, which includes, Yoles, Skiffs, Gigs, Celtic longboats, kayaks and canoes, etc. The club has its own website, which showcases lots of previous events through their gallery.
The crew comprised five men, whose ages ranged between 35 and 52 and was made up of two refinery engineers, a welder, a builder and an ex-royal navy sailor now working for a marine exploration company around the globe. All agreed to a punishing training regime, which involved four sessions per week, to include river and sea work. Other members of the club agreed to support by coxing in the absence of any crew member. Training started in earnest in early May, with huge anticipation and full commitment.
Sporting crew, lots of hard work and a Llangwm involvement
All of the crew were successful sportsmen in their own right, which included triathlon, cycling, running, rugby, football, diving and kayaking. Never once throughout the training was there a cross word, although there was a lot of healthy debate regarding all aspects of preparation. All of their skills and creativity became evident in making sure that crew safety and comfort were addressed prior to departure. The attention to detail was deemed essential by all involved, with the clear intention of ensuring that nothing was to detract from the primary aim of an unhindered row.
After months of hard work and rowing in some very heavy sea conditions the team, which comprised Richard Jelly, Jeff Cox, Jorome Rogers, Andy Dow and Steve Phillips, were raring to go. With all of the logistical planning in place, another local club, Llangwm R.C, joined us on the journey to Plymouth in mid August. Consequently, both teams now had a further motivating factor, which lead to lots of good humoured banter between them on their outward journey. Llangwm had three Eddystone veterans in their team whilst the Warriors were all first timers.. The only factors that were out of their control were the weather and sea conditions, which would dictate whether the row would be around the Eddystone or more tamely a river race up the Tamar. Neither team wanted the latter, having steeled themselves to tackle the main event and to see the lighthouse.
Warm welcome from
Jeff Hammond & Co
On arrival at Turnchapel, we were given an excellent welcome by the organisers, who were lead by Jeff Hammond (supported by a large team of member-volunteers). The boats were duly parked up at the club slipway and the team(s) retired to the Mountbatten Centre (our base for the next few days). I could sense the anticipation in our lads, whilst any apprehension had been replaced by optimism, arising from their solid preparation, confidence in the equipment and each other. As both teams retired it was evident that everyone was very relaxed, focused and ever more determined to complete the course.
Raring to go
The morning of the event saw the two crews eat a hearty breakfast and begin to take on the volumes of water they knew were essential to sustain them through this gruelling physical challenge. Discussions inevitably centred on the weather, which was grey, drizzly and disappointingly a little unpredictable at this point. The club slipway was a blaze of colour and a hive of activity. The field was to encompass a wide range of abilities, ages (teens to sixty odds) and both genders were well represented in a wide range of craft. There were father and son combinations, ex-forces personnel, some raising money for organisations, all with their own unique motivating factor. Eleven a.m. saw Jeff Hammond rise above the assembled mass of competitors to give the official briefing and to confirm, to everyone’s delight, that the race proper was on and would start promptly from the Hooe at 12 noon.
Bon voyage
After the liberal application of lubrication to posterior regions and photographs we all shook hands, wished the crew bon voyage, then did likewise with our friends and opponents from Llangwm. Nervous banter and humour was now replaced with a quiet, dignified launch into the sheltered waters of the harbour, where final adjustments were made. There was a tangible sense of steely determination, competitiveness and anticipation of the unknown in the boat, as the lads departed to the start, which was a short distance away.
Forty assorted craft and the safety boats slowly assembled into a colourful flotilla, under the historic Hooe, in a messy swell. The teams appeared undaunted by the fact that they were told the wind was due to freshen during the homeward leg of the race. The sound of the starting horn, right on time, turned thoughts to a safe return; having rowed with them on many occasions, I had no doubt that all five would relish and complete this extreme test. The course was to be well marshalled by a huge number of vessels manned by more volunteers and so there were no worries regarding the safety of these intrepid participants.
Demanding outward leg
As things transpired the outward leg became the more demanding part of the race. In messy water which became even more punishing, they pushed on to their first goal. Three hours later saw them hundreds of metres from the lighthouse, tired, unbowed, but in danger of not having the opportunity to round this impressive structure. To their delight they were allowed to round it and in doing so raised their morale, which in turn rekindled their energy and determination to see this through. The swell by now had risen dramatically to two metres, but they had gained a tail wind which was to reinvigorate them as they started the homeward leg.
Mental resolve needed on return leg
The inward leg turned out to be 30 minutes less than the outward leg. It was now that their mental resolve came to the fore. Stories of being temporarily airborne, or soaked by bow spray, were common amongst crews. I was also very conscious of the race within a race, which was taking place. Llangwm would not be changing their rowers; we would be, so time and distance would need to be made up. The state of the sea however, was to blind the teams from one another and so our crew’s soul focus was on themselves and their efforts to get home. Fatigue was an issue towards the end of the race, but their combined resolve served them well.
Anxious wait
The first sighting of a double kayak, brought a lump to my throat and raised a cheer from the few assembled relatives. Soon after came two single kayaks, then the first skiff and gig. The relatives and I were becoming quite emotional, whilst anticipating the first sighting of a Celtic longboat. Suddenly out of the increased swell beyond the breakwater we could see the yellow Llangwm boat and minutes later our lads emerged from the white horses, pulling strongly, with Steve upright at the helm, wrapped in a warm red jacket. Steve later reported that the sight of the finish line and the proximity of the Llangwm boat had re-energised the whole crew. Jeff, and all at the finish, were very impressed with the rate and power with which our lads completed their final half mile, to finish five minutes behind Llangwm.
Delighted to finish well
The two rivals were the fifth and sixth multi-seated craft to complete the course. The Warriors had returned, tired, sore, elated and just plain glad to see the finish, after what they described as a “really gruelling row.” The faces told the story as they wearily disembarked minutes later in the tranquil waters at the club slip. There was no hooting or fuss, they all exchanged glances and shook hands, patted each other on the back, then congratulated their rivals Llangwm, who had waited for them on the slipway. The Eddystone challenge had in all of their opinions, lived up to its fearsome reputation. Once again the slip was an active place, with teams helping each other to retrieve their craft onto trailers, which weighed far more than earlier in the day. Despite their fatigue, the camaraderie seen at other events was abundantly evident.
Deserved celebrations
Later that night Welsh voices were heard, providing renditions of a wide variety of songs, in both the Boringdon and the nearby Clovelly Arms. Celebrations completed near midnight, everyone returned slowly to base exhibiting a full range of emotions. Some fell fully dressed into bed, others lay for a while reflecting on the day’s achievements, whilst one or two had coffee and a short chat before slumping into their bunks but one thing was sure, all of them had fully deserved their night out.
Breakfast the following day saw the two crews again sharing stories and all agreed that the Eddystone represented an extreme challenge, which demanded the respect of all competitors and the commensurate training to ensure success.
Looking back
Everyone had enjoyed the experience and the competitive edge provided by their good humoured rivalry. All of the extra hours of dedicated training had been worth the effort and they all knew that in the future they could reflect on the teamwork that had sustained them throughout the entire adventure. Thoughts turned to preparations for the journey ahead and the final race events back home, where once again they would become fierce rivals in a completely different set of circumstances.
As the observer and supporter on this trip, I reflected on the range of emotions I had endured during the race hours and the pride in the achievements of our crew. In the short time our club has been in existence there was little doubt in my mind, that we have achieved much; but that we have a responsibility to make sure that young people were encouraged into this sport to allow them to experience the disciplines of training, the elation from competition, the camaraderie and all of the personal and social development that are derived naturally from such an invigorating team sport.
Well done the Warriors!
The team wishes to thank all of the people at the Mayflower Offshore Rowing Club for their welcome and excellent marshalling of the event.
The Warriors returned, tired, elated and ready to tackle the next challenge.
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