LIRC and FLSA debut at the Grüner Moselpokal
LIRC’s racing history is quite recent since our first-ever official regatta in Luxembourg took place this summer. Several of the attending clubs invited us to their own racing event, including Bernkastel-Kues, which regatta is everything but a joke: the 68th Grüner Moselpokal is a 4-km race course with a U-turn in the middle, 268 crews and a rock concert for the award ceremony.
This program convinced 9 LIRC and FLSA members to have a go at it on September 30th:
Catherine and Sebastian in a mixed double (the only team members to have already raced there),
David and Claudio in a men’s double,
Katty, Cristina, Michel and Pierre in a mixed yolette (C-Gig) quad, coxed by Juliane.
The word of such a massive participation from Luxembourg spread quickly, as the mixed double could notice when a collision with an unidentified floating object forced them to end their training without a fin. Bad luck or sabotage, it is hard to tell since the crew’s motivation and Michel swift action allowed for the boat to be repaired before anyone had a chance to claim responsibility for the deterioration.
We became suspicious again on the day before the regatta: as motivated and prepared as we were, some ill-intentioned individual must have tried to intimidate us, first by hiding the trailer and then, once said trailer retrieved, by repeatedly luring away Zoé, Catherine’s puppy. Once again in vain: at dawn, we were ready to go and race.
After an early departure and a good hour and a half on the road, we reach the venue and let the boats under good surveillance.
Unfortunately, our efforts were not enough. While the yolette rows a consistant and very satisfying race from start to finish, with Mike cheering for them the whole time, the men’s double is stopped short: same method and same effects, a snapped fin compels Claudio and David to slow down in order to keep a straight route until the finish line.
Both crews then gather under the tent by the finish line to celebrate their good performance or lift up their spirits before supporting Catherine and Sebastian along their solid race in the second double.
The Grüner Moselpokal ends in a nicely warm atmosphere, enjoying a well-deserved glass of the “Regatta Wine” and having a first look at the pictures Allyson took throughout the day. Between the location, the venue and the pastry counter, we all found a nice motivation for next year’s edition. At least to retrieve that fin!