Re: Crash in Worcester

I might go back on my decision to speculate and do so; I have a hunch
that the coxes will have been following the circulation pattern. What
I suspect is that where the accident/incident (I can never remember
which this should be categorised as but forgoing semantics I will
persist with incident) may have been caused by the circulation pattern
in that (as Peter will know) at the top by the Camp Inn and the top
lock crews switch from the right hand side to the left as there is an
eddy in front of the lock which is preferable to stopping underneath
the weir there. I would think that it was in the process of at least
one crew switching sides that the collision happened. Whilst that was
the downfall, perhaps in some way it was the salvation, apart from at
the lock there is nowhere someone could be pulled from a boat that the
ambulance/fire crew could get to for several kilometers.

Peter, I get your point that not much can have changed in that time,
but the recent shake ups and agreements that have been discussed have
been going on through that time so in theory there have been changes.

We were a pretty terrible club for being on the wrong side etc in the
past but we have tried to shake our internal systems up (possibly to
the detriment at Chris et al at BRC..!) with new coxes learning on a
reservoir for longer and a narrow canal, a new launch being bought for
use in worcester and the old one getting a different engine so coaches
can be with crews not on bikes where they are pretty useless. Small
changes made by each club will make large overall differences.

Mike: absolutely right that there being a pattern and people sticking
to it are very different, but what can you do, assuming experienced
and knowledgeable coxes. An example: I was coxing that day with fast
approaching a decade under my belt, in our 1st Nv 8, and had our 2nd
Nv 8 there too being coxed by a guy who has been in the sport roughly
the same time as me. We did a head piece with my crew chasing theirs
down. We timed the over take to be in a place that doesnt have crews
turning etc so limited risks. Duly we arrived roughly where expected.
We kept both crews into our half of the river so were within
circulation as we should be. We have been through this routine many
times with our novice crews over the years so know the drill. Despite
our (in this case it was my fault so my) experience I still managed to
let my blades clip the other crew's. There was no need, I should have
had a foot or two to spare but I got it wrong.(Before anyone worries
it was a tiny clip that didnt cause anyone to even break rhythm). My
point being no matter how experienced the cox or crew, we make
mistakes. Fortunately mine was minor, unfortunately for the guys at
WRC their's was major.

To Carl: a further point about the terminology they used, from what
our coach who saw it said the break was a lot more severe than they
made out, he said something about bones through socks etc. I guess the
media need things in a certain light- make the emergency services look
goof without putting people off their breakfast...
.

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