April 4th 1998

Searle beats Haining and headwind

Greg Searle took his first title in Scullers Head from Mortlake to Putney on April 4. Starting among the new entries at 114, he tucked into the bank between Harrods and the Mile to shelter from the fierce headwind which greeted the 400-plus participants once they had been fanned round the Surrey bend from Barnes to Hammersmith. "I had a terrible row," said the world bronze winner and Diamonds winner. "If I scull as badly as that I won't have anything to do after the trials."

Searle's provisional win seemed in doubt owing to discrepancies with the computer timing. It was challenged by the three-times Scullers Head winner and three-times world lightweight champion Peter Haining who clocked in at 71 kilograms, started 108th and "started the race at Hammersmith". "I stayed out in the rough like a lone soldier," Haining said. The computer revealed a mysterious two starting times for Haining, so there is the possibility of a missing five seconds in his provisional time. Even if he has the benefit of the doubt he will remain fifth behind Searle, Ian Watson of London, Guy Pooley of Leander and London University's lightweight Monnickendum.

Last year's winner Martin Kettle has gone off the boil and finished down the order, while Guin Batten retained her position as women's open winner but slipped from 16 to 33 overall. "This was a warm-up for next week's trials," she said.

Searle said that the three minutes or so that he stayed out of the stream between Harrods and the Mile "seemed like two days. It's good for me that I can still win on a bad scull. I was late at the start and should have been more focused. The best thing was Ian Watson putting the pressure on behind me. I beat him by 10 seconds at the Peterborough trials and seven seconds here."

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Vesta Scullers Head (April 4, Mortlake to Putney, provisional)

1	Greg Searle (Molesey) 23:02.71
2	Ian Watson (London) 23:09.95
3	Guy Pooley (Leander) 23:21.87 (Veteran A)
4	G. Monnickendum (Univ of London) 23:26.49 (Senior 1 lwt)
5	Peter Haining (Auriol Kensington) 23:34.95
6	Dave Pattullo (Aberdeen) 23:35.17
7	Richard Stanhope (Molesey) 23:40.16 (Veteran B)
8	Mark Hunter (Poplar Blackwall & District) 23:45.61 (Apprentice)
9	Mark Dodds (Stirling) 23:48.85 (Novice)
10	Mark Pollard (Gloucester) 23:55.98
33	Guin Batten (Thames) 24:39.81(Women's Open)

Full results are posted here.

© Copyright Christopher Dodd, 1998.