It's early. I'm not sure what I'm pointing at, but Linda Letts isn't buying any of it.

I'm still blathering on, but at least everyone has coffee.

Dave Hamdan has the shades going on, even if it's only 8:12AM.

Kate McCoy makes her first arrival of the morning, Brad stretches, and Mafalda just chills.

Susan, Geoff, and Mafalda hang out, while Kinga meditates on the races to come.

Brad Fusco and Linda Letts.

Therese, Geoff, and Sue watch a close finish, while Kinga continues deeply in thought.

How do you make a happy Beth? Add two cups of coffee, allow to simmer quietly between 5:30 and 8:30AM, and around 9 or so...

Mary Kay D'Alessandro and Tericke Blanchard

Kinga, Greg Stewart, Eileen Kampf, and me.

Dave and Sue

NAN!

Tericke, NAN!, Dave, Sue, and Eileen, pre-Pharma Race.

It's easy to shut me up. Add one cookie, and that's that.

The best part of a day at the races is the tailgate-esque sights and smells of grills going all day long.

Paul Coplan

Paul poses by the flag, or he was waiting for seconds - I can't remember.

Whatever it was Arturo had just heard, I don't think he believed it.

Arturo, Carlos, and Geoff Stuart.

Tom McAndrew evidently stole Kinga's book, and was immediately, equally consumed.

Chip Coward, Beth Savage

Mary Bush is unimpressed by the latest race, while new Wyvern Drummer Susan Mather awaits her return from The Matrix.

Greg checks in with home, while Kate calls up my editor and asks for better material, immediately.

Susan has taken the blue pill, and will be back later. Linda works on a little beach reading, waiting for the sun to return.

Brad Fusco and Denise Paniconi

Dave! Lookin' sharp!

Dave Hamdan, Mary Kay D'Alessandro

Dave reminds Denise, "It's just a straight river - stay on the water, and you won't get lost out there - I promise..."

Wyverns (Lane 3) vs. Miami Hydro Blades (Lane 2).

Hey, it's beats walking.

Arturo and Mary Kay

Mafalda and Beth

Why didn't you guys tell me the shorts clashed?

Tericke has never had a bad picture taken of him, ever.

The 2009 Wyeth Wyverns

This year we remembered to take the team photo EARLY.

Whoo-hoo! Not bad for a team who was on the water 4 times.

For the first time ever - in head-to-head racing going back to 2003 - the Wyverns beat the Philadelphia Police!

Call it the Storyboard. There's the day.

Right now this sign is hanging in my basement.

Ken Wong, Chairman, IDBR

The Pharmaceutical Cup!

MK and the Cup. In the background, Brad stalks the cup.

Dave and Denise take their turn skating with the cup.

Brad makes his move, and gets it!

Tom takes in his chance with the trophy.

Linda Letts and Arturo take hold, while I believe Geoff took a bite to confirm - yes, it's metal.

Tericke holds the Cup.

Susan's first win as drummer!

The first thing I said to Chris was, "Bernard doesn't get this one - we're keeping it."

MK and Arturo share Wyeth's first Pharma Cup since 2006.

Kinga, smile! We, like, WON something.

That's how you do it, Mafalda - show us how it's done.

After a 3-year sabbatical, Carlos came back, and we started winning again. Coincidence? Or did I just write that to make Arturo start swearing in a blizzard of Spanish?

Geoff holds the cup, after reporting to me, "Tastes like chicken."

Dave!

Beth smiles for the camera.

Silver Medals never felt so good!

Eileen goes for the combined look.

Me, and Coach Chris. I believe it's the first time he's been able to smile after a Wyeth race since 2007.

The medals really look good, guys!

Greg Stewart: Days racing as a Wyvern - 1. Medals won - 1. Trophies Won - 1. Not bad!

Tericke and the Pharma Cup.

Greg Stewart, and...it's late Greg, you'll need to tell me who that is later so I don't get this wrong.

Post-Race, and Kelly Drive turns back into a quiet path by the river...for now.

After being "lost" for all of 2008, J.R. Hildreth's gift to the Wyverns made its triumphant return to our tent in 2009.

I talk, and people laugh. It's a good thing I don't take myself too seriously.

Again, with enough coffee, I might even make sense (except for Sue, who can somehow handle a morning with just water - wow).

Dave chills, Brad migrates.

Tericke and Brad, early morning.

The Results Board, pre-races.

If I didn't know any better, Mary is pretty much asking someone, "WatchootalkinboutWillis?"

The ladies of GSK Spitzfire strike a (warrior) pose.

West Dragonphyre, with Wyvern Kate McCoy in seat 8R. Kate would end up winning Gold with this team...but it wasn't exactly how we'd planned her day to go.

Wyeth vs. Hydro Blades - "A" Semi-Final.

Wyeth is in Lane 3, Hydro is in Lane 2. Main Line Health is out of frame in Lane 1.

Long view - about 400 meters away.

Wyeth hangs with the Hydro Blades through 200M.

The Firefighters don't have a dog in this fight - it's a 2 boat race.

Deep into the settle now.

The Firefighters and Main Line look on as Wyeth and the Hydros walk away...

...and into the "A" Final.

The timing was a little ragged for us here.

Timing is better, but the Hydro's look just as good.

This is why we race!

A tight race, with 100M to go...

...both boats in full-tilt-boogie...

...both drummers asking their teams for more, more, more!

The angle is deceptive - Hydro Blades were ahead...

...but not by much!

Judy buries herself, as Susan calls the sprint.

Judy checks for the line...

Susan does the same...

...and the Hydro Blades take the Semi-Final by 0.60 seconds.

Chris sees it's close from Stroke Left, but we did what we needed to do in this heat.

The top two boats advance, and that'd be us and the Hydro Blades.

Cat Dailey enters the frame with Main Line Health surging all the way to the line for 3rd.

Main Line would go on to win the "A" Minor final later on in the day.

At the 500 meter mark, everything hurts.

That first breath after the line is always tough...but the pain never lasts.

By the time the boats start to turn around, you're ready to go again!

After two races, we now had about 2 hours to prepare for the Grand Final.

Main Line Health and Fitness - always a solid boat.

We'll probably see them again in October!

The smiles come easy post-race.

Rule Number 1, Wyeth - lookin' kinda ragged here (especially me - still rushing)!

That's a little better.

Nice reach, right side.

Ah, well, not any more.

Now that's a little better.

Everyone has the wrist-break-feather-the-blade thing looking sharp.

Paddle!

Looking good, Wyverns - very good.

Now if only we could look this good at full power...!

Maybe I should delete this one...

The easy paddle back to the dock is where Rule Number 1 was meant to be enforced.

Chris always reminds us.

The Hydro Blades. Nice!

Note the more Canadian reach, as opposed to the Philly-stroke.

High recovery, too - even at lower speeds.

Every team/region has a stroke that's their own.

But even an experienced team like the HB's can have the guys in the back rushing on the return.

The Firefighters were a festive bunch.

They were the only team to cheer for their introduction on the water.

It's all about having fun, right? You bet.

Ma-Yi Dragons from NYC would also make the "A" Grand Final for the first time!

The Philadephia Police Dragon Boat Team. Wyeth was 0-6 against them...until today.

Women's Heat Race - Schuykill Dragons

The SD's take a big lead.

Between races, the littlest fans of the Wyverns get to know one another.

These ladies might end up in the boats someday - you never know.

For now, I think they might have spotted the leftover cookies from lunch.

"Is your mom watching?" "Nah, she's checking out one of the Firemen next tent over. Let's get the chocolate chip before she turns around..."

Chris decided to spy on every boat in the race by cleverly disgusing himself as a PDBA Launch Driver.

This is me attempting to look tough. However, the Diet Coke pretty much undercuts any momentum of bravado I might have started.

It's been a year since any Wyverns had medals to wear home.

It sure did feel good to get back there!