Hampton/ Molesey Regatta?

bradtarga34

bradtarga34

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Not sure if I am going a bit bonkers, but I seem to recall getting notification of a regatta/ race taking place from roughly Molesey Lock to Kingston. Not sure when it is (or was for that matter) but was planning on staying at Hampton Court on Saturday night, so wanted to make sure it didn't clash with this imaginary river race. I know there are a couple of major regatta's in Julyi'sh, but this was for something during the winter months.

If anyone can shed any light on this I would be most grateful, as google and EA sight has let me down, either that or I really was imagining it! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
I've seen this too , but can't remember when it was meant to be ....

Give the lock a ring and ask them to have a look in the Events folder .... it should be in there ....

Or phone the Nav office ...
 
These are a series of annual events, taking the form of timed starts - so that crews , eights, fours, pairs, whatever race against the clock rather than each other. as such there isn't a marked course, crews are free to row over the whole width of the river.

Accordingly EA completely close that particular length of the river for he whole day (excluding a lunch break).

One year we pitched up at Molesey - intent on doing a bit of shopping in Kingston only to be handed a bit of paper saying - River Closed. I was somewhat miffed; if I'd known in advance or at a lock nearer our then home base I'd have gone elsewhere. I did remark on that fact, but nothing was ever done. The attitude seemed to be "We've done what the regulations require so 'go away' ".

Now that EA is web enabled regular / interested users can get informed by email, a great improvement. Of course that doesn't help the non savvy occasional river user - that's not EA's fault; a sort of caveat emptor

"We" should all be grateful that the Robos do such things out season (well it's in season for them, being the warm up for the Tideway Head, which is humongous).

A bit off topic but VisitThames has improved markedly this last year, there's lots of timely information on there; well worth a browse occasionally.

As to your query; the only notice I have to hand is for races in January and early February - so you may be alright
 
Thanks guys, hopefully whatever it was has already passed, but might give Molesey Lock a bell anyway just to check, as long as I can find their number...

Went down to drop our boat off at Tim Barfields a couple of weekends ago with some other friends in their boat who are in our marina and acting as river taxi. Got to Sunbury lock where the lockie mentioned that there was a boat race going on and the river was a bit of a nightmare and if we fancied heading back from whence we cam. I mentioned that we had to drop our boat up to the service facility, so no problems for him, just said keep to the Middlesex bank and take it easy and should be no problems (I think all the miserable robo's had got on his t.ts) One of the robo crews in the lock remarked to my wife that we shouldn't be on the river as it is too early in the season and that there was a race on don't you know. Due to bit of hangover SWMBO didn't react with her normal levels of response, but wasn't quite sure if it was there sense of humour, but of course, they don't have one!

Anyways, pootled down the river on tickover and with the stream pushing along was no problem at all. As usual the robo's trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill, but just the attitude that they need the WHOLE river to row a blimmin' glorified canoe and the river should be for their sole use!

Aaahh, feel much better now /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Well you live and learn. All these years I thought it was illegal to close the whole river down. Something about the Queen's Highway and all that jazz.
 
Me too!

[ QUOTE ]
Well you live and learn. All these years I thought it was illegal to close the whole river down. Something about the Queen's Highway and all that jazz.

[/ QUOTE ]

But then, they're not closing the whole river - umm- just restricting a bit of it for a while.

I grant you, a complete pain if you come upon it unawares as we did. To my mind RoBos are welcome to a big slice of the river, providing everyone else can have it in the summer. In your dreams /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

What is needed is for folks to make better use of these YBW fora and VisitThames.

I think these off season events will present more of a challenge as the winter becomes a summer; bright warm days in February / March and the like.
 
Re: Me too!

ROBOS AAAAAAAGGHH

RANT OVER !!

biggest load of rude self opinionated pratts ever

they are under the impression they own the river

they have no manners

they dont obey the colregs ( yes it does apply to them )

AAAAAGH
 
Try going through Windsor when the Windsor triathlon is on and you will find the river closed during the event. I found out to my cost when I was forced to turn back after going under Eton bridge and had to find a mooring.
 
Thanks Ian, that was the regatta that I was thinking of! Had a great weekend, boat running beautifully, a good feed at Vecchia Roma at Hampton Court, loads of wine, and hangover to match on the Sunday. Nothing that a Bloody Mary or three couldn't fix though...
 
[ QUOTE ]
I've seen this too , but can't remember when it was meant to be ....

Give the lock a ring and ask them to have a look in the Events folder .... it should be in there ....

Or phone the Nav office ...

[/ QUOTE ]

That was the one i was thinking of too .....
 
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