There’s no doubt that slinging will be lonelier place without Luke William Tapp. Once coined the Peter Doherty of the slinging world, Tapp often led the sport a merry dance with his extensive pre-tournament preparations and game time mind games. His on/off love affair with Philip Cartwright (dubbed Tappwright by critics) enthralled fans for years. You can’t help but feel that we never really did see the best of Tapp and that in the same sense his success never really matched his ambition. Of course, Tappislava will remain forever the legacy he’s carved out for himself and he’ll be reminded of the minute he steps back on English soil. Nevertheless, he’s maintained a degree of professionalism around what is becoming a declining industry and has never failed to surprise of put a s m i l e o n t h e f a c e o f competitors and fans alike

SPORT’S MOST MISUNDERSTOOD MAN TELLS ALL

Tapp: the real me Sure, I respect the lad – he’s definitely a trier. But I went on the record 7 or 8 years ago and said that this kid didn’t have what it takes to go all the way. Tapps is a safe pair of hands on the middle legs of a boatrace but you have to quest ion his temperament to be able to excel on the opening of finale leg. He’s won bits and pieces along the way, of course he has – but is he going to Dubai with a box full of trophies? Certainly nothing that won’t fit into hand luggage. Bratislava was a disappointment for all of us, and we all forgive – but it is hard to forget. I’ve no doubt it’s the last thing he thinks about every night before he goes to sleep. Good to see him making a go of the family thing, he needs something in his life that he can excel at – maybe this is it. Cheers for the memories kidda.

SAYS

It’s a title he wouldn’t openly embrace but one he won’t want to see passed on to someone else. Tapp’s relocation to Dubai means another must step up to fulfill his duties as ringmaster extraordinaire. Current favourites include former apprentice and short-term PR man Gavin Thomas, who was taken under Tapps’ arm and nurtured into the sport. Failure to deliver on even a Paralympic level have though cast doubt over rise to succession. Other names i n c l u d e A d a m ‘ Q G a m e ’ Antoszkiw – a co lourfu l character with real promise and more likely than most to cause an upset. Some critics have heralded the return of John Phillips, how walked away from the sport in spectacular fashion some years ago over a dispute involving a game of two ball and a man-sized soiled nappy. Tapp was unavailable for comment

Tapps has been nothing more than a thorn in my side since the day I met him. As a bloke, 5/10 as a drinker probably 3. I’ve lent Luke a good deal of cash over the years with little return – and have bailed him out of many a scrap. I’ve shared advice, women and even my heart at times for this character. And what do I get in return? A text message telling me he’s off for a few years to dive under the nose of the Inland Revenue. Yes him and Cartwright have had their run ins, but handbags compared to the ding dongs we’ve had. I’ll be honest, I don’t like the bloke – I just tolerate him. Mostly out of pity, but more because without me I’m not sure he’d have someone to call a best friend. Don’t get me wrong he’s a character – but not my cup of tea. He won’t be missed – not one bit

asked whether Tapp thinks the recent expose in The Guardian was fair, Tapp gets agitated for the first time, "look, this was the greatest drinking achievement of my career and a couple of hacks are trying to take it away from me three years down the line, do you think that's fair?” Tapp is of course not the only p e r s o n t o h a v e c a u s e d controversy over the years. "What makes me laugh is that everyone is focusing on this one night in Bratislava, what about Peterborough 2007, Nantwich 2010 and what about the Swan? Drinking from Swanny has always given Cartwright a 0.5 second advantage over the rest of the field but it's never been properly analysed. And when you look at the sharp starts, you have to wonder how many of those world cup titles are legitimate. But I'm not getting into any of that.” How is his tempestuous relationship with Cartwright these days? "Look, me and Phil have had our issues over the years. For instance, you look at Prague [where there was a famous brawl following a failure to shake hands] but we kissed and made up and you move on. I always knew that on my day I could beat Phil and I have done, for instance Brat 2009 and at a recent twilight fixture on a rooftop terrace where I won on a technicality due to spillage so I know I can beat him. I had a big rivalry with Phil over the years and I would say he was probably the most consistent drinker of our generation and deserves to be regarded as such.” Aside from Brat, Tapp has other great memories to take away with him from the UK Premier League. So what will Tapp's legacy be after he has left for shores new? "I would like people to remember the great things I did for the game. As well as Brat 2009, my legacy will be captaining to victory the most important Boat Race for a generation [North v South 2009] and finishing off a job Biggy T never could when I smashed the Yank in Riga 2008.” Whatever the critics say, there can be no debating that Tapp has been one of the most important drinkers of his generation. His flamboyant personality will inevitably attract controversy and perhaps he does deserve some of the press cr it ic ism. Not the most technically gifted slinger and not always the easiest to love, but if you were going into a Boat Race on foreign shores and you needed someone on your shoulder, you could do no better then turn to Tapp. Whatever you think of Tapp, there is no question that he cared about the sport and was always there or thereabouts. "See Tapp take on the best the UAE International Drinking League has to offer this coming July on Al-Jiraz Sports TV.""by Craig Brown!Additional reporting by Adam Billingham, JJ Phillips & Irish Rob

The lonely soul We wave goodbye to one of!

sport’s most loved/hated

Tapp leaves, but who !becomes the new court

jester?

Almost, but not quite

Won’t be

missed

myview Philip Cartwright World Champion

myview Andrew Wilkinson Childhood friend

DRUNKEN VILLAIN? NATIONAL

HERO? Wearing a pair of chinos, a Sherman shirt and a pair of aviators, Tapp looks a million miles from the desperate, vilified cheat that The Guardian and Red Tops have recently portrayed him to be. Tapp has agreed to break his silence to News International, having refused to engage in any form media interview fol lowing Nantwich 2010 and the break up of his former management and press team, Gavin Thomas. It has taken three months of negotiations to get Tapp to undertake his f irst media interview in two years but he has agreed to deliver an off the record, uninhibited account of all things drinking, including his tempestuous relationship with Phil Cartwright, his 8 year drinking career and of course, Bratislava 2009. "It's been a while" smiles a relaxed looking Tapp as he puts forward that famous and controversial right hand for a warm and sincere handshake. "Time flies when you're having fun". It's been a busy 12 months for Tapp, having got married and recently signed a deal that will take him to the money spinning UAE International Drinking League. "Yea, I was pleased to get hitched, I think it h e l p s w i t h t h e d r i n k i n g profession, it helps to focus you on the big events as you're competing for not just yourself, but your family too. The UAE will be a huge challenge for me and obviously the profession is in its early days over there but I'm not just moving for the money. A bit when like David [Beckham, a close friend of Tapp] moved to the USA a few years ago to promote Major League Soccer, this is a great opportunity for me and my family to go and make a difference to the drinking profession in the UAE." And what of those who have said Tapp is moving for the money? "Total nonsense, it's never been about that. Don't believe everything you read". Tapp winks as he delivers that final line, clearly a reference to the recent expose in the Guardian. When asked whether Tapp read the article that was

circulated last week, Tapp replies with honesty, "of course, it's difficult not to read it when it's all over the news and the internet. I read the article. Listen, people are entitled to their opinions and the hack who wrote that article has never met me, doesn't know anything about me or my family and they're creating stories to sell papers. It's disappointing to read for my family but I won't lose any sleep over it". Although Tapp is the official Champions League 2009 winner and is

globally recognised as such, there have been constant demonstrations in recent weeks for an apology from Tapp for the alleged deliberate use of an unregulated glass. "I won't be apologising for that because it wasn't deliberate. The truth is that when I was about three drinks in I realised the whole, extra large tins were not fitting in the glass, Phil [Cartwright] realised too, we measured it out and it didn't fit. So I changed glass, beat Phil and a couple of others with the regulated glass

and the rest is history". Tapp shrugs his shoulders at this point, it's clearly a genuinely held view and it seems like a relief for him to break the long held silence. "I will say sorry though, I'm sorry for any pain caused by the events that night, I'm sorry to my colleagues in the industry and I'm sorry for bringing the sport into disrepute but I cannot apologise for my ac t ions wh i ch have been described as being deliberate as they were not deliberate and were not premeditated." When

RIGA…Tapp just moments after the heroic win

NANTWICH…the ‘winners’ cup that never was

V FEST…an indecent exposure caution for Tapp

A void to fill

UNI…hot water over racial stereotyping