Stockton Races June 2008
7:00 am start for the band of merry pink women up north with the guidance of the trusty TOM TOM and Brenda the navigator as back up, and a boot full of home made cakes.
First stop Burtonwood to meet more pink ladies and then our journey begins. A convoy up the motorway to Tees side. Lost our convoy on the way but carried on regardless, arrived at Tees side on the wrong side of the river and went around in circles trying to get to the other side, followed a couple of Amathus boys and they were lost as well. Our leader then guided the band of pink women via mobile phone to the correct side of the river, we had ARRIVED and missed the managers meeting gutted not!!
Excitement as the new gazebo arrived pristine reaching above all the rest we had arrived, our domain, 'Pool of Life' pink ribbon riding high on the wind, we will be noticed. Cakes to sell but we had to race our first 200m race as that is what we were there for wasn't it? Time to delegate, Marion to do warm ups and young Kate boat numbers, Gill in charge of cakes when pol where on the water and I nearly forgot Gerald general dogs body.
12 teams set to the water in the beautiful northern weather no rain hurrah, although it did not matter as we were warm and dry under our gleaming white GAZEBO.
On the start line with Typhoon Tigers and Thames Raging Dragons the first race of the day, paddles buried, focusing in, eyes in our boat only, down and ready, were off riding on the wind or it might have been the wash from the other two boats far ahead in the distance. A respectable time of 144.73 for our first race with new pink ladies in the boat who have never paddled in a race before WELL DONE girl power.
We focused on selling our cakes and having a good time, leaflets were past around to all teams to come and buy our home made cakes, beautiful strawberry and cream scones, lemon cake, dairy free, fat free, everything free fruit cake, carrot cake, chocolate brownies, sugar free rock buns(only because Ann forgot to put the sugar in) flap jacks and I have left the best until last Wendy's Pool of Life fairy cakes say no more! I think the reason why they were not selling is because no one wanted to spoil the message of 'Pool of Life' written in lovely pink icing that is my story and I am sticking to it. 
We decided to end the day with what ever cakes were left we would have a cake sale, Thelma (who has senile dementia) thought we meant cake sale NOW and went around the other teams telling them we were selling our cakes at a cut down price of 10p, we swiftly pulled Thelma back into the gazebo sat her down and gave her a cup of tea while we explained to the customers they have to pay 50p and not 10p we nearly had a riot on our hands. Still on the subject of Thelma, she did wear her life jacket all day, we were camped at least 400 meters from the waters edge up hill. Maybe she felt she was going to fall and roll down the hill into the water?? anyway when I questioned her she said ' it keeps me warm' fair enough.
The races went much the same all day 'pool of life' coming in 3rd on the wash of the other boats, the 200m felt more like 350m races but who cares when you are having fun. Kate was doing a marvelous job reporting to boat marshalling, but the boat marshal was hounded by Gerald who was like an echo trying to do kate's job, which she was doing very well on her own that's men for you.
A good day was had by all we raised £70 from the cake stall and Wendy took her cakes home for the birds. We hope to do it again at Nottingham our next league race venue.
Well done to all the girls and boys who joined us as Amathus Pool of Life on another glorious day of spreading the word about breast cancer awareness. THANK YOU
Gail X
