Conditions were dominated by the very fast stream, produced by the recent torrential rain. Even the speedy raters, designed for river racing, struggled to get upriver against the strong current.

It also meant disappointment for the crew of Spindrift, who were again on the verge of victory, as when they competed in the prestigious Queen's Cup. The time limit for the four hour race expired with them just four minutes from home.

It was Spindrift, helmed by Rob Cage and Atlantis, that had also earlier been battling for supremacy in the eight race series over four days for the Thames Champions Cup.

The raters, based at Thames Sailing Club, Surbiton, were designed in Victorian times, but Spindrift, pioneered the introduction of high-tech carbon masts, dominated last year's championship.

At first this year's series seemed to be going the way of the last, with Cage racing away to two quick victories, and the week's first trophy, the Clayton Jackson Cup.

But then Atlantis, with new sails, but an older aluminium rig, stepped up a gear, winning the next two trophies, the Scamp and Wokefield Cups.

While Atlantis showed impressive consistency, Spindrift made life hard for itself by crossing the line too early several times, forcing it to restart and fight its way up through the whole fleet.

Behind the top two, four boats mostly battled it out for the overall third slot.

The 1906-built Scamp, helmed by Adrian Hart or Jonathan Smith, scored a first and a second, among some poorer finishes, while Pat Blake in Champagne got steadily quicker as the week went on, as did Paul Browning in Osprey.

The 1907-built Vagabond, helmed by Miles Palmer, and newly sponsored by the Fatface leisure clothing company, also strung together a consistent strong of results to stay in touch.

As the final day of the Thames Championship started, Spindrift was just hanging on to Atlantis in contention for the top spot, and won the morning race.

But Atlantis was second, and victory in the afternoon for the Commordores' Cup sealed overall victory. Meanwhile Champagne scored a fourth and a second to decisively take third slot.

Vagabond, in fourth, took the Dunn Cup, for best wooden rater in a week in which conditions favoured the more recent glass-fibre raters. Winds varied from strong to minimal, forcing the fleet to hug the banks to stay out of the current, continually short-tacking upriver, something which favoured the plastics.

But the biggest disappointment was still to follow, during the Queen's Cup, first awarded in 1893.

Always a tough race, traditionally over nine miles, several veterans said the course was the longest they could remember and, in dying winds, Spindrift, with a commanding lead, was denied a well-deserved victory, when the four-hour time limit expired.

It's likely the rules will now be changed to ensure such an injustice is not repeated.