Finland 2026

The Girl with the Dragon Oar: An MRC Scandi-Drama on Lake Saimaa

The Setup

It began as all good Nordic thrillers do: with whispers of the past. Ten years ago, a legendary Monmouth Rowing Club expedition vanished into the Finnish wilderness (or, you know, went for a lovely row and came back). Inspired by these dark, ancient tales, four of us—Jo, Fliss, Rachel, and Maggie—set off into the unknown. Our mission? To conquer the King’s Row on Lake Saimaa: a brutal, beautiful 70km tour split into two days by an overnight camp.

Maggie, Rachel, Jo and Fliss

Our saga commenced in a traditional summer cabin, a place of deceptive calm before the storm. The next morning, we met our crew: five stoic locals and a highly experienced cox who held our fates in his hands. Our vessel? A traditional wooden Church boat, built to hold up to 14 souls.

In a twist of mercy that saved us from true medieval suffering, we discovered these boats were retrofitted with sliding seats about 20 years ago. Cue sigh of relief.

Act I: The Great Deluge

Day One brought the drama. The skies turned the color of cold steel, and the rain began. This wasn't just a British drizzle; it was a torrential, biblical downpour. In fact, one local participant remarked that it was more rain than he had ever seen in his 58 years of taking part.

We rowed through the deluge, muscles aching, wondering if we’d stepped into a bleak noir film. But just as the tension reached its peak, we landed at our overnight stop—and the plot took a brilliant turn.

The organisers had conjured a sanctuary: tents, dinner, beer, and, of course, the legendary Finnish sauna. We quickly learned the local custom: you start the beers inside the sauna.

As the steam rose, the clouds parted. The evening transformed into a gorgeous lakeside gathering, complete with live music and traditional dancing. Being the only foreign rowers in attendance, we drew a fair amount of curious, friendly interrogation. How did four MRC members end up in the deep Finnish woods? (We just smiled mysteriously).

Act II: The Healing Waters

If Day One was a moody thriller, Day Two was a glorious travel documentary. We awoke to blinding sunshine and breathtaking scenery that stayed with us for the rest of the trip. The organisers executed everything with military precision, right down to the idyllic lunch (and vital toilet) stops, culminating in—you guessed it—another sauna at the finish line.

Plot Twist (or should that be Back Twist)

Jo, who had been completely off games for three months with a bad back, discovered the ultimate Nordic cure: row 70km, followed immediately by bouts of freezing cold water swimming. Take note, NHS—who knew?

The next day, we watched the small boats race start, which was an absolute spectacle. The highlights included a bizarre and brilliant category featuring a sculler paired with another person just... paddling along.

I think we've all been in boats like this

The Aftermath: Helsinki and Beyond

We made our escape back to Helsinki via a stunning National Park, navigating suspension bridges and a hand-winched ferry. And yes, there was more swimming. Finland's claim to have a lot of lakes is a massive understatement.

In Helsinki, we did the classic sightseeing, went kayaking, and religiously continued Jo’s new medicinal regime of sauna and cold-water plunging. Which begs the ultimate question for the committee...

Do we think it’s possible to squeeze a sauna into the MRC Clubhouse?

The mystery of Lake Saimaa has been solved, but a new chapter awaits.

Anyone for racing in Tampere next year?