Whilst the rest of us were out on Sunday starting off our tans, Clio was scorching down the course at the National Schools Rowing Champs in Nottingham, not once but three times!! And what a brilliant result - 4th out of 22!
This was a superb effort and was easily her most polished performance to date. All those outings that we see her do and all the nights in the gym that we don't see her do, have produced a powerful sculler and on the day Clio was a match for all but the best scullers in the country. Her improved strategy, fitness and confidence showed through as this time she was never left at the start and hung on during the race for as long as her legs would allow.
With 22 entrants in her category, it was an early start on Sunday morning (follwowing a night in a very noisy campsite) for a 1500m time trial to weed out the best 12 for two semi finals. As is normal, the 12 names were posted up in alphabetical order so no one knew who had done what time, only their positioning in the lane draw.
Clio had Lane 5 in a difficult semi with Klara Weaver and Camilla Hadland so the race for third place was always going to be tough. She went out after Camilla from the off, however, and the two of them were locked in battle for most of the race. One sculler emerged strongly from the chasing pack in the last 250m, but luckily by then Clio had a comfortable gap and was ultimately not threatened for third place.
Those of you that know Holme Pierrepoint will know its reputaion for lumpy conditions and strong head winds, but as the sun scorched down, for once there was barely a ripple on the water all day!
In the final Clio had Lane 1 alongside an unknown American school sculler and also Klara Weaver. Another cracking start saw Clio chase out of the gate in second place, with the five girls settling into a side-by-side battle after Klara quickly took her customoray distant lead. The first move came early, on Clio's side, when the American sculler made a massive push which unfortunately broke Clio quickly, leaving her trying to keep in touch with the moves across on the other side of the track. Undaunted, Clio stuck at it defiantly and for a while was pushing for third place with the girl over in Lane 6. After half way the gap was opening up, though, and the sculler in 5th place also came up past our girl.
With Camilla Hadland dropping out, Clio was going to have a tough battle for fourth place and entering the final phase she was trading attacks with Putney High School across in Lane 4. Hanging on at half a length down they passed the 200m to go mark and Clio started to drive long and hard, taking massive bites out of the lead. She sculled passed in the last 100m mark extending with every stroke, to cross the line a full length ahead - a magnificent finish!
I wish I had a picture of her beaming face when she finally recovered to reach the landing stage! Happy Days.
Chris Jillings
This was a superb effort and was easily her most polished performance to date. All those outings that we see her do and all the nights in the gym that we don't see her do, have produced a powerful sculler and on the day Clio was a match for all but the best scullers in the country. Her improved strategy, fitness and confidence showed through as this time she was never left at the start and hung on during the race for as long as her legs would allow.
With 22 entrants in her category, it was an early start on Sunday morning (follwowing a night in a very noisy campsite) for a 1500m time trial to weed out the best 12 for two semi finals. As is normal, the 12 names were posted up in alphabetical order so no one knew who had done what time, only their positioning in the lane draw.
Clio had Lane 5 in a difficult semi with Klara Weaver and Camilla Hadland so the race for third place was always going to be tough. She went out after Camilla from the off, however, and the two of them were locked in battle for most of the race. One sculler emerged strongly from the chasing pack in the last 250m, but luckily by then Clio had a comfortable gap and was ultimately not threatened for third place.
Those of you that know Holme Pierrepoint will know its reputaion for lumpy conditions and strong head winds, but as the sun scorched down, for once there was barely a ripple on the water all day!
In the final Clio had Lane 1 alongside an unknown American school sculler and also Klara Weaver. Another cracking start saw Clio chase out of the gate in second place, with the five girls settling into a side-by-side battle after Klara quickly took her customoray distant lead. The first move came early, on Clio's side, when the American sculler made a massive push which unfortunately broke Clio quickly, leaving her trying to keep in touch with the moves across on the other side of the track. Undaunted, Clio stuck at it defiantly and for a while was pushing for third place with the girl over in Lane 6. After half way the gap was opening up, though, and the sculler in 5th place also came up past our girl.
With Camilla Hadland dropping out, Clio was going to have a tough battle for fourth place and entering the final phase she was trading attacks with Putney High School across in Lane 4. Hanging on at half a length down they passed the 200m to go mark and Clio started to drive long and hard, taking massive bites out of the lead. She sculled passed in the last 100m mark extending with every stroke, to cross the line a full length ahead - a magnificent finish!
I wish I had a picture of her beaming face when she finally recovered to reach the landing stage! Happy Days.
Chris Jillings
1 comment:
Congratulations, Clio - a fantastic result!!!!
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