Most definitely fact. Having just come back from an arduous and long training camp, I can categorically agree with how Bill Murray's charcter, Phil, felt in the film. The Groundhog phenomenon applies to any sort of job, hobby or way of life. Sport in general and definitely rowing is no exception to that rule.

Having never been on a winter training camp with the Seniors before, I did not know quite what to expect. Waking up each day and coming to the terms that what you will do today is no different to yesterday, that tomorrow is going to be exactly the same as today and so on, was hard work. The weather, the wind, the waves, the food, the location, the river, the scenery...the SAME! Boring? Monotonous? Tiring? Just thinking about it brings about all of those emotions and it can be an athletes' worst nightmare. However, this leads me to the question, is the Groundhog feeling actually such a bad thing?!

Much to the relief of athletes and coaches, the 2010 February Assessment for GB hopefuls was changed from Boston to Dorney Lake;  the venue for the 2012 Olympic Regatta. The three hour trudge for one long race, usually in standing waves, was altered for three races in a regatta format after a time trial to gain semi-final rankings before racing for final slots. Molesey Boat Club had athletes competing for both Senior and Under 23 vests; some as Caversham combinations, some as club combinations or composites and others in their singles.

Molesey Captain Andrew Triggs-Hodge and his perennial partner, Pete Reed from Leander, faced a spirited challenge throughout the regatta from ‘Alex and Alex’ of Leander Club/Reading Uni but the world silver medalists managed to win the Time Trial, Semi and A Final in commanding fashion over the two oarsmen from the World Championship winning four. A late pairing of Tom Solesbury and Tom James came together after their respective partners fell by the wayside and the Molesey duo finished 5th in the A final, ahead of the other Molesey duo of Mo Sbihi and James Foad. Mo and James, after placing 9th in the time trial, raced their semi-final with a well timed finishing sprint to beat a smooth looking Cambridge pair for the last A final spot in a very tight race. Sadly Ben Smith’s partner, Burkitt of OUBC, was already coming down with a virus and after a promising 8th in the time trial they fell by the wayside in the semi final.

Racing at Henley is always entertaining, whether in July or in February!  Molesey’s Club Squad decided to use the three divisions last Saturday as solid training sessions, each boat concentrating on their specific training over the last few months.  Many of the men’s squad raced 3 times in one day.   For a lucky few they had the golden touch with Tom Haworth, Tom Cunliffe, Jake Lea-Wilson & Nick Clarke winning in each race.  This is a strange accomplishment given that the first win of the day (IM1 4-) was in fact 3 seconds slower than the second win of the day (IM1 4+).  It seems the coxswain (Nicola Quinn Pyatt) managed to hold the steering straight allowing Nick Clarke to concentrate on rowing rather than writing his name in the Thames. 

The Golden Four (as some people now refer to them) were joined by Jack Shepherd, James Brown, Aaron Wilkins and Myles Neary (who had won a pot of their own, IM2 4+) to complete the hat trick of wins (IM2 8+).  At which point club coach Ed Green was heard shouting “You didn’t win by enough!”

But margins of wins aside, perhaps the most impressive feat is that almost all Molesey crews finished in the top 3 of their categories.  The day was the first opportunity for the squad to race at an open event this season and provided evidence that the training is having a positive effect. Next up is the Reading University Head where the squad will be looking to improve in the 8 on the way to the big one, the Head of the River Race where the squad will be looking to make it’s mark against crews from the whole of the UK