Starter's Orders #wootton 6

We’re gathered here just outside Stratford where the boats are starting to line up for this year’s race to the Avon! The captains are just waiting for their starting orders and the marshal is coming down the towpath to get everyone into position then the race can get underway. Conditions here at Wootton are good, although it’s not a sunny day it’s definitely not a wet one and there’s going to be little wind resistance for our boaters. I’m here at the first aqueduct where the race starts, and our boaters will have to navigate two bends before approaching the Edstone aqueduct, which is the longest cast-iron aqueduct in England. Once the boaters are on this 82-metre stretch, there won’t be many opportunities for them to overtake. After that they face a good five meandering turns before the final approach to the town centre. They’ll have to be quick on the locks if they want to get ahead.