Pulling hard: The winning men’s fours in the Gorey to Carteret race, Jersey’s 2e2, get down to business

JERSEY rowers won four categories in the annual Gorey to Carteret on Saturday – despite some of the most testing conditions in the 28-year history of the race.

An unrelenting north-westerly wind persistently blew the boats off course, forcing rowers to battle hard just to remain on track in the rough seas. It was tough going with side-on waves making it difficult for anyone to get their oars in the water cleanly or consistently. Those without rudders had to pull hard on their left side throughout the 15-mile course to Carteret to counteract the force of the wind.

The harsh conditions were reflected in the finishing times and it was an extremely slow race. The winning boat, Jersey men’s four Team 2e2, crossed the line in 2 hours 16 minutes. This was half an hour slower than last year’s winner and shows the impact an unfavourable wind can have on the fleet. Some of the slower crews including the ladies pairs added a whole hour to their times from 2010 and were exhausted when they finally made it to Carteret.

Full story in today’s JEP