Tales From The Riverbank by Matt (Buck) Rogers


Strange as it may seem, the highs, lows, thrills and spills of DW 2003 are now over. The Stour river is calm, the Stour pub recovering. In the peace and tranquillity of the hazy summer rain, it is all too easy to forget and ignore the achievements of the Bryanston Canoe Club - the silence in the dining room at 5 on a Sunday morning speaks for itself. Indeed, for some, DW 2003 will fade with the passage of time - the Smurfs and the Bishops are beaten, and it is not for them to remember the cries of the Beast as he chased, captured and devoured his prey. For others, though, the victory is still fresh - blood, sweat and tears have produced, yet again, the winning formula of speed, stealth, Scragg and Stella. It has by no means been an easy achievement, and as I sit here, I recognise and remember the long hard days of torment and anguish - what else can I say, apart from ‘pick up your paddle, get into your boat, and “Paddle harder, you ….”’


It is time, I feel, to thank those who have made our victory possible once again:

OBs	Parents and relatives
Mike Pigott	Mr & Mrs. Thomas + tribe
Dave Pevelley	Mr & Mrs. Murray
Andrew (Psycho) Ford	Mr & Mrs. Neville-Jones + tribe
Gareth Scragg	Mr & Mrs. Burton
Dan Kreeger	Mr & Mrs. Wood
Ed Matthews	Mr & Mrs. Elias + Friend
Mike Villa	Adriaan Kraaijestein
Tim Farren
Nick Farren	Staff and others
Sam Keam	Richard Colcott
Peter Moore	Nina Squire
Johnny Burton	Richard Perkins
Jack Fraser	Cara Coolbaugh
	Seb Van Aaken
	Duncan Barnes
	Julian Cooke
	Thea Follet
	Chloe Hinton
	Alex Wigglesworth

Extra Special Thanks to - Mr & Mrs Farren

AND, OF COURSE, MANY, MANY THANKS TO
Simon ‘Vulture’ Jones
FOR BEING THE BOSS

Most of the supporters with the paddlers celebrating the end of the race, Bank Holiday Monday at about 11am.