QUADRUPLE-SCULLDUGGERY?

The slug was most interested to hear mutterings of possible strange goings on in the boat tents before the Sunday finals at HRR.

Picture the scene, it's Sunday and the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia and Nottinghamshire County Rowing Association crew entered in the club quad event, decide they should go out for one last practice paddle before meeting Leander in the final.

On taking their boat out they realise that for some unexplained reason the bottom nut of the strokeman's rigger is loose... strange, but these things can happen... so they go over the boat only to dicsover that the pin that connects steering wires is missing. Curiouser and cusiouser... especially as it's a new boat and all was fine and dandy the day before.

Now the slug wouldn't like to point the finger of blame, as to who or what was responsible for these odd goings on but but it beggars the question what would have happened if they hadn't gone for a warm up...

Meanwhile, their Leander opposition, desperate for a win, resorted to even odder preparations as the two man allegedly downed FIVE cans of Redbull before the final... (you've gotta admit, it's different)

Reports also have it that after losing to the Sydney/NCRA crew, the Leander bowman was seen punching the strokeman in the head... (as you do - ED)

Problems at the pink palace?? - if only they'd entered the Queen Mother...

BLACK BUOY AHOY!

There are two things that the great Alan Hawes repeatedly tells us that you can see from the moon...'The Great Wall of China' and the 'Black Buoy'... but the one thing he failed to tell us, was that the Black Buoy is actually a shite load bigger than the Great Wall of China when it is a mere 2 feet over your left shoulder, during the up side of a half slide rate build, with the stream heading into the big black bastard!

This fundamental law of physics was discovered by a certain pair of girlies in a bright yellow boat on Tuesday night as they got back into training for Nationals....

But on the bright side, hopefully less people will hit the Black Buoy now it has a yellow strip down the middle, from where their bow rammed it full pelt!

Needless the Thames burds in question weren't too pleased to find themselves impaled outside their clubhouse and were lucky to stay afloat as the bow had virtually snapped right off about 50 cm from the bow seat.

A source close to the action told the slug that the black buoy had launched its attack out of no where, a bit like Schumacher coming out of a tight bend... only faster...

WHAT'S BLACK, WHITE, RED AND WET ALL OVER?

Following on form the slug's story on the TRC girlies going swimming at Richmond regatta - ( see "rollin', rollin', rollin'" article below - Ed), we are pleased to be able to bring you the photographic evidence. Click on the thumbnails to enlarge...

sweet