Dragon Boats - Oakley Court, Windsor, 6 Sept. I love the smell of Otter in the morning...

Autumn nears and the scent of harvest is in the air. Mellow fruitfulness hangs heavy over the land as summer enjoys its last hurrahs. But before we all pack up the lawn chairs and baton down the hatches for the grim onslaught of winter, there's glory to be had, and it's Otter-shaped.

So stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood and man the dragon boats once more. This time it's personal. In the face of gratuitous taunting, generally bad hangovers and questionable levels of aerobic fitness, the Otters triumphed here in 2008, and there'll be blood (or at least beer) in the Thames before we surrender that title again. Prepare, gentle burghers of Berkshire, to have your idyllic Sunday rudely violated by that most time-honoured war cry: 'Go the Otters!' Just turn up and win.

Saturday 6 September. Race briefings from 0800. First race at 0930. Two berths still available. Email Richard or Kayte to grab them. Unspeakably overexcited already? You don't know the half of it.

Cry havoc and let lose the Otters of war. Oakley Court shall not fall again!