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The Sisterhood and their now considerable entourage of dedicated supporters leave  for  Venice, to take part in the 33rd vogalonga race.

The Vogalonga is a giant annual May Bank Holiday  spectacle, a colourful pageant in which thousands of vessels of every kind race 32 km around Venice's lagoons and canals. With tiny kayaks jostling for space with dragon boats, outriggers, fours, eights, sculls, skiffs and traditional venetian rowing boats, and with the ornate bridges and balconies teaming with spectators, it is the Italian equivalent to Spain's running With the bulls.

This was to be not only our first race but our first long distance paddle.

And for Em, it was to be baptism by fire at the helm. The comparatively empty Thames would be no match for this frenetic adventure we were about to embark on.  From Quintin Boat Club with its odd scull or barge to a narrow canal teeming with gondoliers, water buses, passenger ships and high speed water taxis, Em would have her mettle tested to the max. We were told we would have to listen, and for once, obey.

 

 

26th May 2007

We logo up the boat and paddles at the marina.  Funny how these events are so significant.  As we unveil the Scion and Collins Stewart logos, we feel that this moment should be honoured with an official launch-a bottle of champagne smashed across the prow perhaps,  to signify how far we have come since the days of mothballed tracksuits and wintery training sessions up at Chiswick. Now, with our proud new Nookie kit, and our gleaming boat we set out in the bright Italian sunshine to paddle the 6km across the lagoon into Venice to moor the boat overnight and make our final preparations for the race. The excitement is palpable.

 

 

The day dawns overcast and refreshing. It’s full Sisterhood kit and Nookie splash jackets. One of our kind supporters has arranged a water taxis to speed our journey across the lagoon.  We miraculously find the boat in one of the tiny labyrinthine canals we have moored it in and load up. If it had been London, parking in a back street like that we would have been clamped, ticketed and towed by now. With 10 minutes to go we ease out into the Grand Canal, stop under the Rialto Bridge for photos and then paddle gently to the start.

And what a start it is. As the Grand Canal expands into the lagoon in front of St Mark's Square and the Doges Palace, the water explodes with colour. Crews of all ages and nationalities and boats of all shapes and sizes throng noisily next to a huge pirate ship.  Around us the majestic Venetian architecture provides a surreal backdrop.  And as we all hold our paddles up into the sky for the traditional raising of the oars ceremony a cannon is fired. We are off.

 

 

The Vogalonga race course is a 30 km figure of eight which loops round the island of Burano and re-enters Venice at the mouth of the Grand Canal, with three long stretches across the lagoon. Needless to say there's a lot of traffic at the start and end, with lots of shouting and clashing of blades as everyone jostles for space. But its all in the spirit of fun and goodwill; and the sisterhood certainly hold firm their position and curiously attract a lot of attention from local males. Actually the local males get quite a lot in return.

 

So as the traffic eases out and each boat gets into its stride, we lengthen out our stroke and settle in, crossing the first big stretch alongside the Thames Dragon boat crew which features quite a few of our supporters, so eager are they to remain loyally at our side. The buzz is propelling us along as we overtake some of our competitors and head towards the funnel that is the entrance to Burano. Here it’s more noise and traffic, and Em is tested to her limit as we overtake, undertake and then simply threaten to mow down some rowers sitting steadfastly in our path.  Power 20s get us easily past some messy looking dragon boats. We feel like a formula one team in our kit as we gain on a Henley team in royal blue. They look kind of cross. And a bit scared.

 

Our planned leisurely lunch at Burano is hastily sacrificed: the Sisterhood has the bit between its teeth, and astonished to discover we are half way after only 1 hour 20 mins of paddling, we elect a quick toilet stop at most. We intend to motor this course and to see what we can do.

 

Huge thanks to all of our supporters, to those who paddled too with the Thames lot, to the mums for their packed lunches and champagne breakfasts, to Tony for the water taxis and restaurant booking, to Tim for being our official photographer, Jonny Sayle our unofficial one and borat mascot, and to Keni and Susie who paddled with us and lent us their considerable expertise and most of all to Robin for driving our boat all the way there and introducing us to the idea in the first place.

And most thanks to Cam whose training got us there, to Debra for her brilliant planning and execution of the whole weekend, to Em for helming us like a pro and her fab organisation, Cherry and Ames for setting a violent pace throughout, and to all the Sisters who were there in person and those who couldn't come but were there in spirit!  A top weekend, and a strong step in the direction of the English channel.

A supporter suggested we should have our own cannon to send us off to France. We don’t need it. These days, the Sisters have their own impressive 32 gun salute...

Amy Sharpe, Amanda Cherry, Lisa Marriage, Caroline Searle, Jo Rogers, A-L Felstead, Laurella Fox-Pitt, Nats Sisson, Annie Coleman, Sarah, Lucy Egerton, Debra Searle and Emma Sayle