The Autumn Head is an annual rowing event on the River Trend which sees hundreds of competitors from a range of different rowing clubs compete in time trials down a long length of the river. We’ve long offered our services of several safety boats to the event, however, this year, it was slightly different.
While still safe to go-ahead, the river conditions were some of the most challenging we have seen in recent years. After heavy rainfall, the speed of the flow of the river was unusually high.
During the morning session, one crew ws unable to compete after discovering damage to their rowing boat. The crew was instructed by event officials to disembark on the Victoria Embankment, where they would make their way back down the river to be united with the rest of their team, while their boat was left on the embankment until it could be collected.
Event officials asked, at the end of the session, that the stricken rowing boat could be transported by our safety team back to the rowing launch pontoons. Without hesitation, Paul Kirk and Sue Rider rose to the challenge, carefully balancing and securing the boat aboard the safety boat, and successfully returning it back to the team.
With the afternoon session beginning, and a fresh crew aboard our safety boats, things became even more eventful. The event organisers informed us of a competitor suffering from chest pain. While on position near the middle of the course, a safety boat crewed by Adam Crump and Emma Poole were the nearest. They attended the incident, offering assistance, and transporting the casualty to the medical services positioned nearby the finish. The competitor was luckily fine, but the quick action of our crew ensured medical attention could be given promptly.
After rotating the finish boat boat to the middle of the course, Emma and Adam would now be stationed on the finish, where the most eventful part of the day unfolded.
As a crew of four junior rowers approached the finish, they made contact with one of the pillars of Trent Bridge, resulting in the crew falling into the water and their boat becoming lodged on the bridge.
Adam and Emma, seeing this, were quick to react, immediately moving to attend to the incident while notifying the duty officer over the radio network. With the crew being pulled down the river with the strong current, Adam and Emma arrived and began pulling them from the water. Within no time at all, all four rowers were safe in the safety boat, even before backup which was on the way had arrived.
All four competitors, were delivered to the evacuation point and handed over to the medical team. While cold, wet, and perhaps a little shaken, all four were totally fine.
For their part in the rescue, the Royal Lifesaving Society UK awarded Emma with a Certificate of Meritorious Action for Lifeguards, and Adam with a Certificate of Recognition for his expert boat helming.
Thanks to the incredible decisive action and expertise of our team, there were no serious injuries. We’d like to thank Sue, Paul, Adam and Emma for their quick thinking and professionalism, as well as the rest of the team for their hard work during the event.
