Michael Row The Boat Ashore : Regatta Preparation
Over 250 teenage rowers in Kolkata are undergoing mandatory capsize drills ahead of the 50th All India Invitation Inter-School Regatta at Rabindra Sarobar, following enhanced safety protocols introduced after a tragic accident in 2022.
By Jove, they’re in deep water — and that’s quite literally the case for over 250 teenage rowers preparing for the golden jubilee edition of the All India Invitation Inter-School Regatta, scheduled to kick off at the Lake Club from 11th to 17th May. But before any medals can be hoisted or coxes can shout themselves hoarse, there’s one vital lesson every young oarsman and oarswoman must master: how to stay afloat when the boat does a topsy-turvy.
Yes, dear reader, we’re talking about the mandatory boat capsize drill — an exercise that’s less about splashing about and more about keeping one’s head screwed on when the hull is decidedly not where it ought to be.
Following a tragic incident in 2022 that saw two promising young rowers — Pushan Sadhukhan and Souradeep Chatterjee of South Point High School — lose their lives to a vicious Nor’wester, the powers that be have introduced stringent safety protocols. A standard operating procedure (SoP), drafted by Kolkata Police and backed by the KMDA, has been rolled out with all the solemnity of a royal decree. And rightly so.
“The key is not to panic. Easier said than done when you’re upside down in a lake with your foot stuck in the ruddy footstrap,” quipped Sudip Naha, captain of boats at Lake Club. “We’ve been telling the young ones: unhook, float, breathe, and wait for the knight in shining fibreglass — that’s the rescue boat — to come galloping in.”
Boats will be monitored from the shoreline by safety officers, while rescue craft equipped with throwable lifebuoys, rescue cans, shepherd’s hooks (not the kind you’d use to drag a bad actor off stage, mind) and lifelines will be stationed like the King’s Guard at strategic points. There’s even a dedicated weather monitor now — because no one wants a repeat of the 2022 debacle, where the squall came barrelling in at 90 kmph and all hell broke loose.
“We’re taking no chances,” said Somnath Dey, former captain of boats. “If there’s a whisper of dodgy weather, the boats are out of the water quicker than you can say ‘capsize drill.’”
Now, one might be tempted to think that such watery rehearsals might dampen the youthful spirits of the competitors, but not so. These young rowers, from over 30 schools including La Martiniere (both camps), South Point, St Xavier’s, Modern High and even institutions from as far afield as Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, are made of stern stuff.
They’ll compete in three disciplines: indoor rowing (for those who prefer their water metaphorical), double scull (two in a boat, rowing like mad), and coxed fours (think of it as a high-speed aquatic carpool with someone barking instructions from the back).
“This regatta isn’t just a race; it’s history in motion,” Naha remarked with a glint in his eye. “It predates the Rowing Federation of India, for heaven’s sake. We started in ’73 — when flared trousers were a thing and the Beatles had only just split.”
Of course, the event did go on a bit of a sabbatical during the Covid years, but like a seasoned rower recovering from a cramp, it’s back with gusto.
Let’s not beat about the boathouse — rowing in Rabindra Sarobar is no walk in the park. But with new protocols, calm instructors, and a fair dose of stiff upper lip, this year’s regatta promises to be a splendid splash.
One can only hope the weather plays ball. Because while capsizing in training is all well and good, no one wants the real regatta turning into a scene from The Perfect Storm. Touch wood.
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