Two more Sultans - # 79/10

Let's enjoy another close crop of some more musicians in the Great River Race 2010 band - this time as a high(ish) key B&W. I've just cropped it out of the large photo of the whole band and converted it to B&W.  In this crop I'm also looking with some amazement at the sound system and the number of microphones and where they are.

Sultans of Swing - # 78/10

Do you remember the Dire Straits song about the pro-am band The Sultans of Swing and the line ".....he's alright, he's got a daytime job."?

Here's an extreme close-up crop, homed-in on two of the excellent jazz/swing musicians playing at the landing of the Great River Race.  They were good, and swinging along well. But look at the concentration.

A dog's life - # 71/10

The Great River Race last Saturday offered many amusing scenes. The kayak was not a numbered competitor, but accompanied the race with the Yorkshire Terrier nicely tucked into the basket.  In the background is a modern racing version of the Pacific Island outrigger canoe.

The interaction between man and animals has always fascinated me.  It seems that we all love to keep domestic pets and they love to be with us. My only complaint today is that I wish the badgers did not love to be in my garden, playing their annual seasonal game of "who can dig the biggest pit to undermine the fence posts."  They dig under my fence to get into the neighbour's garden where they dig up his lawn. I'm lucky that my lawn is so poor that it lacks juicy grubs which the badgers are hunting for. 

A tricky moment? - # 70/10

The Great River Race is finished. Collecting and marshalling more than 300 landed boats about to wash away on a rising tide is a serious job for strong men.  Getting it wrong could have serious consequencies. 

(BTW...I'm sorry if this appears to be digitally over-sharpened.  That's an accident.  I was not paying attention when I uploaded the image.)

The Great River Race 2010 - # 69/10

Question: Mummy, what do 5,000 oarsmen all gathered into one tiny spot look like?
Answer: A big crowd impossible to photograph except from a helicopter.

The Great River Race  took place yesterday and ended at Ham.  This is a superb community event attended by enthusiastic oarsmen and women from around the world. The logistics of staging such a huge event are formidable. But one thing is certain - it's a great success and a very happy day for all. 

Whacky Racers - Serious Racers - # 08/219

Serious Racers: these ladies brought their superbly maintained Cornish Pilot Cutter (a Southwest of England style sea going boat) all the way from Warmond near Leiden in Holland.
These ladies, no less serious, dressed up and rowed all the way down to Greenwich in style.

The Great River Race 2008 - My Pic - # 08/218

Yesterday the skies cleared and the "S.A.D" clouds disappeared. Many rowing enthusiasts
travelled from all over the world, carrying their boats, to take part in the annual Great River Race. http://www.greatriverrace.co.uk/

"Whacky Racers" and tough cross-ocean competition rowing adventurers took part. Boats were handicapped and placed in numbered classes for the 22 mile row. Boats started from Ham House, Ham and rowed 22 miles down to Greenwich.

This main photo sums it all up. Every type of boat you can imagine and flags from around the world are getting ready for the Start. I'll show a few other shots later - from whacky to more serious.

Great River madness- # 227

Contestants on the 22 miles (nearly 40 Km) run came in all shapes and sizes.

Crazy guys from Holland and mad, English, physically fit pensioners took part for fun and for their favourite charity:

Totally serious female Atlantic rowing ahtletes competed for pleasure!
......and strange dragon boats made the scene even more colourful.

See it all here and discover how the different classes got on: http://www.greatriverrace.co.uk/

At the Start of the Great River Race- # 226

"Read all about it" http://www.greatriverrace.co.uk/

Every year crews from all over the world come to London to take part in the Great River Race, to celebrate the River Thames and London.

Fairies come (as above).

Glamourous ladies come and......
Serious Canadians come.

Tomorrow I'll show some more.

Described by many as "London's other Marathon", the Great River Race is London's most colourful and spectacular river event. Each year contestants compete in a 22 mile race between Richmond and Greenwich to find the UK Traditional Boat Champions. Up to 300 traditional boats, from wherries to war canoes, and from Cornish gigs to watermen's cutters, take part.
This year's race took place on Saturday 8th September with the first boats setting off from Richmond at approximately 12:55 pm.