Boxing Day Scratch Regatta

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club finished the 2023 season with a certain amount of frustration with the high water levels and fast following river forcing most athletes off the river and into the Club for land training. Said Steve Wellstead, Stratford’s Junior Squad Co-ordinator, “December is a challenging month for training with many Junior Squad athletes taking important mock exams and the river this year has restricted us even more to indoor and land training”

However, there has been some recent good news to spur athletes on: Stratford’s alumnae Alice Baines and Katie Wellstead have been selected for the Trial Eight Crews for the Boat Race in March 2024. Alice, a member of Magdalen College Boat Club rows for the University of Cambridge and Katie, a member of St Edmund’s Hall Boat Club rows for the University of Oxford. Commenting Paul Stanton, Stratford Boat Club’s President said, “We have watched Alice and Katie’s progress with pride and they stand out as role models to all showing that hard work and dedication produces results!”

The adaptive section this weekend said goodbye for a week or so to Curtis Dickens who has been accepted onto British Rowing’s Pararowing Talent Pathway and is off for a GB pre-Christmas training camp. Mark Dewdney, Stratford’s Head Adaptive Coach commented, “This is entirely due to the planning and training that the adaptive section’s coaches and helpers have given Curtis but most importantly and without doubt, the massive effort that Curtis has put into his own progress. His positive ‘can do’ attitude and his eagerness to learn will help him a long way to his potential path to a possible future Paralympics!”

As complete contrast, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s Boxing Day Scratch Regatta has become a firm fixture on the Boat Club’s and town’s calendar allowing Club athletes to blow away the over indulgence of Christmas, have fun and set their sights firmly on serious training for the 2024 season

Over forty athletes from the Club traditionally brave the cold and damp to take part in the Scratch Regatta, competing in fours over a short sprint course from the Ferry to the Club grounds on the Town stretch of the River Avon, weather permitting

Says Dave Edwards, Masters’ Vice Captain and organiser of this year’s Boxing Day Regatta, “We pick Club crews from names entered into a draw based on gender, age and ability so that all the crews are more or less equal, ranging from members of the Junior squad right through to Masters”

To ensure fair play and safety, starters, umpires, spotters and the safety launch will all be in place whilst crowds can watch and cheer from the Recreation Ground, The Royal Shakespeare Terrace, Bancroft Gardens and The Tramway Bridge

“The training schedule will be back on target the first weekend after the New Year,” says Steve Wellstead, “2024 is going to be another great season for Stratford in all categories and we’re heading for continued success in local and national regattas and heads!”

Why not come down to the river on Boxing Day Tuesday 26 December: racing begins at 10.00hrs!

For media coverage, please see Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-preparing-for-annual-boxing-day-scratch-regatta and back sports page https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2023/12/22&pages=24 and also Stratford Herald page thirty six

Onwards to 2022!

In celebration of Christmas, the athletes from Stratford upon Avon Boat Club took to the water on Sunday for their annual Boxing Day Scratch Regatta. In a change from the usual format, Club members raced in the more sturdy boats due to the river conditions following the traditional Warwickshire Christmas Day downpour!

Crews were formed of current members and former Club members at home in the area for the festive period. The excesses of Christmas Day did little to dampen the competitive spirit amongst the crews on the water and each of the morning races was hotly contested.

Successfully making it through the early rounds, the stage was set for the final between “Puddings” (Cameron Dalrymple-Baker, Martha Usselmann, Talei Dunn, Alice Baines and Matilda Watts) and “Pies” (Richard Aitchison, Katie Phillips, Katie Wellstead, Tomi Wilcock and Beth Edwards). A clash of blades and suspect steering forced a re-row of the final race and in the repeat attempt, a clean race saw “Puddings” triumph by half a length – a just result for the season!

Athletes were supported by family members and members of the public and Christmas visitors to the town also came down to watch the spectacle and cheer: the crews were supported by Club volunteers driving the safety launch and acting as scorers.

Dr Graham Collier, Vice Chairman said, “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 Theatre Terrace, Bancroft Gardens and The Tramway Bridge. Said Dawson Curnock, Chairman of Stratford Boat Club, “The scratch regatta caught the imagination of all who came down to the river and this year’s racing included many more juniors and it was good to welcome many athletes home from university.”

Commenting, Steve Wellstead, Junior Co-ordinator and competitor said, “It was great to have such a mix of members competing and especially spectator parents and families. Their participation in the running of the Club has been a great bonus as they bring management and organizational skills to the Club as well as offering their time and effort volunteering and carrying out maintenance and other jobs.”

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club will be back on the river this New Year weekend and after the New Year, athletes will be training hard for the 2022 head season and the Club’s own regatta in June.

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/puddings-edge-pies-in-final-race-re-row-9232678 and page thirty seven. Also Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-upon-avon-boat-club-hosts-annual-boxing-day-scratch-regatta and back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2022/01/07&pages=024

For more great pictures of our Boxing Day Scratch Regatta, see Stuart Baines’ selection https://1drv.ms/u/s!AiQkY1SNwjpDgoxheTOWymdH16IC3Q?e=U2U7By