Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s annual Scratch Regatta took place early on Boxing Day morning and over fifty members managed to leave their beds after the overindulgence of the Christmas festivities. The crews were supported by friends and relatives who came down to the river to watch the spectacle and cheer
“This year the scratch regatta had each crew racing in two races. The crews were selected from Junior, Senior and Masters squads to ensure close and exciting racing”, said coach Helen Smith, joint organiser. “All races were over a short sprint course from the Ferry to the Club grounds 
on the Town stretch of the River Avon”
The racing provided great interest to early morning sightseers and visitors watching from the Recreation Ground, The Royal Shakespeare Terrace, Bancroft Gardens and The Tramway Bridge. Said Dawson Curnock, Chairman for Stratford Boat Club, “The scratch regatta caught the imagination of all that came down to the river and gave us added impetus to move further ahead for fundraising in 2018 to achieve the
funds to refurbish and replace our fleet and equipment”
Stratford upon Avon Boat Club will be back on the river this week and after the New Year training hard for the 2018 head season, the Senior squad’s entry at Henley Royal Regatta and their own regatta in June
For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online http://www.stratford-herald.com/80316-rowers-out-force-boxing-day-regatta.html and p14 and Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/perfect-conditions-to-blow-away-the-excess
For more excellent pictures of the Boxing Day Scratch Regatta, see Stuart Baines’ great selection https://1drv.ms/f/s!AiW2DAyn9tg9jItWian0uMO6VCC78Q