The weekend saw the opening head race of the new season on the Thames in Oxfordshire. Wallingford Long Distance Sculls, held over 4.25km, attracts top level scullers from around the region with Stratford fielding crews across the age range.
The event saw the J15 double scull of Alice Baines and Mya Kenny deliver a masterful sculling performance to win their event. During the competition there were further superb performances from Amelie Sartain in the J14 single scull event who battled hard to take second
place, well ahead the rest of the field.
Fred Tyler fought hard in the J14 single scull event but was eventually displaced into second place by a quality sculler from Lea Rowing Club. The double scull of Max Griffiths and Dan Cox was also worthy of note whilst coming third in their event recorded the 6th fastest time of the 
day in the shorter 1500m course thus demonstrating the quality of competition at the season opener.
Taking a rest from their exertions on Friday, Richard Shepherd (Army) and Nathan Elton (RAF) both raced in the Joint Services Regatta. Nathan won in a senior eight and also won his heat and then came second in the final of the Novice singles to a very experienced opponent.
Last weekend saw Christine Goodwin compete in the Senior Women’s 1x at Monmouth Head as one of eleven women racing in this boat category over three categories. Christine gained on the category one rower who started ahead of her and succeeded in winning her category two with a very credible time of 8:53 minutes over the 2500m course. Said coach Helen Smith, “Another great start to the head racing 
season.”
For media coverage, see Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/stratford-start-the-head-season-in-style and p31, Stratford Herald p15 and online http://www.stratford-herald.com/76573-excellent-start-head-season-stratford-river-thames.html
For more great photographs, see Stuart Baines’ selection at https://1drv.ms/f/s!AiW2DAyn9tg9i_1TL1MpSvYJgs9kZA