Churchboat rowing in the garden

During the coronavirus pandemic, rowers are staying home (protecting our national health services and saving lives), but that doesn't mean that we can't go on our favourite rowing expeditions; we just have to find new ways to do so.

Here, we have recreated the unique, cramped style of churchboat rowing, which we learned when competing in the Sulkavan Suursudout, to our Waterrower. Real churchboats are coxed 14s, but obviously that's not possible when in self-isolation.

The Sulkava Rowing Race: 15 have fun in Finland

A 60km rowing race, in a historic style of wooden boat, through beautiful countryside, in the height of summer. On reflection, our hastily-thought-up team name, "What's Not to Like?", said it all.

And to make it totally irresistible, the boats are coxed 14s (and no, the 1 is NOT a typo – I don't mean coxed 4), with bowside and strokeside sitting NEXT to each other. I mean, really, what's not to like?!

Although actually, there WAS something that was definitely not to like about some of the boats...