Author Archive: Chris Best

Stratford’s Adaptive Squad Takes More Records!

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Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s Adaptive section entered two of its young SEND rowers into the National Junior Indoor Rowing Championships recently.

Competing in the SEND Two Minute School Year 9 race against eleven other competitors, the pair finished with the Gold and Silver Medals. The physically large Edward Owen-Smith came in first, completing 607 metres in the allotted time. Lance Fowler, who is better at longer distances, finished second with 536 metres and competed remotely. The boys won the same medals at December’s British Indoor Rowing Championship.

Edward also competed in the Mainstream Four Minute Indoor Race: this race had seven hundred and one entrants and Edward finished nineth overall with a distance of 1167 metres. The winner covered 1198 metres. The World Record for an intellectually impaired rower of his age was 919 metres: Edward surpassed the mark by 248 metres.

Mark Dewdney, Stratford Boat Club’s Head Adaptive Coach, commented, “I am very proud of them both: they both continue to amaze me. They train hard and ultimately that is where these results come from.”

The Club’s adaptive section now holds sixteen current Indoor Rowing World Records.

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/stratford-rowers-claim-gold-and-silver-at-national-junior-in-9459008 and page forty five

Stratford Conquer The Tideway and Gloucester Canal!

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On a beautiful spring day, as a culmination of winter training, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s Women’s Masters E VIII competed at Women’s Eights Head of the River Race (WEHoRR) on the iconic Oxford/Cambridge boat race course on the Tideway along with over three hundred women’s VIII. The crew of cox Jen Carey, Ellie Davis stroke, Gina Fusco, Jane Cryer, Ruth Poulten, Clare Booth, Abby Symons, Caroline Collins and Charlotte Jones at bow.

Ellie Davis held the stroke rate at a solid thirty strokes per minute over the course which the crew followed creating a smooth and confident rhythm . Masterfully coxed by Jen whose experience of Tideway racing led to a fantastic racing lining maximising the stream.

The crew were all very pleased with the row and the improvement in time over the previous year: they look forward to the racing together soon. Coach Sam Hill watching from Hammersmith Bridge commented, “Jen steered the perfect line round the long Hammersmith bend straight under the famous lamp post. The crew displayed powerful efficient rowing, a credit to the hard work they have been putting in for the last six months. The training continues in preparation for Vets Head in two weeks’ time.”

While the women conquered the tideway, Stratford’s masters were also represented closer to home on Sunday at Gloucester Head where they faced wild weather and very choppy conditions. Due to illness and a last minute substitution, Rebecca England and Thomas Doherty ended up racing in both divisions, racking up a tidy total of twenty eight kilometres. They rowed well and overtook a number of crews, being placed second in both their races. They were especially pleased with their morning race where, despite being a mixed 2x, they only missed winning the master’s men’s event by eight seconds.

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald page forty five and online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/winter-training-pays-off-as-stratford-rowers-impress-on-the-9458253

Safety First: Every Time!

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Whilst Stratford upon Avon Boat Club members were indoors doing land training because of inclement river conditions, fourteen coaches, launch drivers and other embers spent Saturday afternoon at a four and a half hour practical first aid session learning new protocols and updating previous knowledge

Commenting, Ian Wilcox, Stratford Boat Club’s Water Safety Officer, said, “The Club takes all aspects of safety very seriously and all coaches, most launch drivers and many other Club member hold first aid accreditation which must be updated and renewed every three years. As well as the practical session, there was an extensive on-line element which had to be taken and passed before attending the course”

The course content included some aspects such as the role of a first aider, resuscitation, use of a defibrillator, seizures, choking, blood loss, minor injuries, burns, heart attack amongst other eventualities

Commenting further, Paul Stanton, the Club’s President added, “We should thank all those who went on the course as there was a considerable investment of the volunteers’ own time. Stratford upon Avon Boat Club continues to strive to be an exemplar of good practice not only for the safeguarding and wellbeing of its own members but also the wider Stratford and Warwickshire community with whom we interact”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald page twenty

Masters Triumph at Avon Spring Head

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First off for Stratford upon Avon Boat Club rowers at Avon Spring Head was the Masters’ C mixed quad of Rebecca England, Pete Spivey, Lucy Scarlett and Thomas Doherty. Going toe-to-toe with strong opposition from Gloucester in very blustery conditions, the Stratford crew started strongly with Doherty steering an excellent line round tricky bends to remain in the fast flowing stream. Taking the rate up in the final 1km straight, the Stratford crew did well to hold off their opposition, finishing second in a very respectable time.

The Senior women’s double of Rebecca England and Lucy Scarlett were thrilled to have the opportunity to race at Avon County head after a frustrating start to the year with floods in Stratford preventing them from training on the river. Racing in Band One down a windy course, Scarlett and England held a good, consistent rate over the first half of the 3.5km course. After being held up under the bridge by a crash between the crews in front, Stratford restarted well, overtook their opposition and upped their rate coming into the final straight. They were pleased with their third place finish and hope to be able to increase their water time over the spring.

Stratford’s Thomas Doherty and Pete Spivey were last to go in the afternoon division. With slightly calmer conditions, racing in his first head race in a single scull, Spivey had a relaxed start before winding up both the rate and power as the course progressed. “I was very pleased with my racing line and loved every minute, feeling like my winter training paid off” said Spivey, who managed to catch the sculler in front in the final stretch and finish a very strong second in his category. In the Master’s G/H single sculls, Doherty started strongly. Gaining on the sculler ahead, he increased the tempo over the middle part of the course. Raising the rate to 30 strokes per minute in the final straight, Doherty stepped up the pace to overtake his opposition in front and ultimately take the win. “It was a very successful day on the river with this being my first ever win in a single,” commented Doherty.

Meanwhile, sadly Stratford Juniors’ hopes of racing at the weekend were dashed with the cancellation of British Rowing’s West Midlands Championships for which the whole junior squad had been training for several weeks and, adding further to their frustrations, water sessions at home at Stratford were also cancelled due to the River Avon being in flood again with high river levels and fast flow.

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald page forty three and online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/strong-results-for-stratford-boat-club-rowers-at-blustery-av-9456215 and also Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-masters-triumph-at-avon-spring-head and back sports page https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2026/03/06&pages=24.

…. And Finally: Racing!

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After what seemed like weeks off the water due to unfavourable river conditions, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s Women’s Masters VIII of Ellie Davis (stroke), Gina Fusco, Jane Cryer, Abby Symons, Helen Helliwell, Corinna Burger, Caroline Collins, Claudine Pearson (bow) coxed by Jen Cary raced at Gloucester for the Wycliffe Big Head. The crew were delighted that despite weeks of heavy rainfall and waterlogged grounds, the race went ahead. The crew made a swift start stroked by Ellie Davis and settled to a strong steady rhythm which was the training objective for the 4.5k race. Coach Sam Hill said, “The crew can be pleased with the solid technical row and it proved great training for the next race at the Women’s Eights Head of the River in March.”

Stratford’s J18 squad were represented by the coxless quadruple scull of Poppy Baines, Sophie Evans, Tessa Parkin and Millie Smith. Everyone was delighted to be back racing again after many cancelled events: the crew settled into a strong rhythm to deliver a solid performance of seventh overall overhauling their nemesis from last season, Hereford Cathedral School, in the process.

Wycliffe Big Head also offered some top shelf competition for Stratford’s J16 squad who performed admirably. First off in the OJ16 4x- event were Seb Happel, Euan Richter, Will Shaw and Ed Appleton (bow) who came second out of a field of twelve in a time of 17:36 seconds beating crews from Kings School Worcester, Cheltenham College, Great Marlow B and Hereford Cathedral School. Next, in the WJ16 4x- event, Orla Linforth, Immie de Pennington (debut race), Maria Ntoukakis and Erin Appleton (bow) came fifth out of twelve crews in a time of 19:08 beating the likes of Royal Shrewsbury A, Great Marlow School A and Hereford Cathedral School A. Coaches Hugo Happel and Eric Appleton in a post race comment said, “The athletes applied the training learning points and put on a noteworthy performance today. Well done to all athletes!”

Commenting, Dave Parkin, J15 Coach said, “It was great to get the J15 crews racing again for the first time this year and, despite challenging conditions of rain, a strong breeze and quite a lot of waiting around, the crews had a good day.” The J15 boys Reuben Stanford, Nathan Lebordis, Connor Birrell and Tristan Hammick with cox Martina Bruce had a strong race, keeping right on the race plan of twenty eight strokes/minute along the full 4.5km course and keeping well ahead of the crew behind them to finish fifth out of a field of eleven strong competition in a time of 18:22. The J15 girls Abi Dunn, Meredith Paul, Lilly Parsons and Scarlett Wheeler with cox Raya Hothi followed shortly after and maintained good discipline and technique throughout the race, to finish in eleventh out of a field of fifteen in a time of 21:42 seconds

King Edward V1 School Boat Club also had crews competing

For media coverage, please Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/stratford-boat-club-rowers-shine-at-wycliffe-big-head-9453202 and page thirty seven

For more great pictures of Wycliffe Big Head, see Kathy Baines’ selection at https://1drv.ms/f/c/8e50dac120123b06/IgCljcy2ofsbQZoEbNI_cMVZAXSQSxWR6E53EJR8G-O3uAE

Boxing Day Scratch Regatta 2025

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Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s traditional Boxing Day Scratch regatta over 350m from the ferry to the Club grounds is always a superb attraction for the Stratford upon Avon townsfolk and visitors to the town over the Christmas break.

This year’s Boxing Day Scratch Regatta was no exception as twenty rowers together with volunteer coxes took part in the coxed fours knockout round robin racing with the bonus of get out on the river which recently has been hampered by high and fast river conditions.

It was an awesome morning of fun working off the roast potatoes and tins of Quality Street (other confectionery is available!) consumed on Christmas Day! Four crews took to the water: no collisions this year though a number of near misses and re-starts and a great number of really competitive finishes! Crews were made up of the masters, seniors, novices, juniors and even a few returning family members who dusted off the cobwebs to show us how it’s done!

Commenting, Paul Stanton, the Club’s President said, “The start of 2026 is promising and the Club looks forward to training and competing in local, regional and national head of the river races. Luckily another dry, mild Boxing Day which meant plenty of family members and the general public were watching from the Recreation Ground, Bancroft Gardens, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre terrace and the Tramway Bridge. The event was really well supported and organised and a special thanks to Helen on the safety launch, Jon marshalling the start, Helen marshalling the finish line and Dave Edwards for organising the morning!”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/festive-fun-on-the-avon-as-boxing-day-regatta-returns-9447707 and page thirty one and the Northern Echo! Also see Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-stage-annual-boxing-day-regatta and British Rowing online  https://www.britishrowing.org/2026/01/stratford-upon-avon-bcs-boxing-day-regatta

F​or more great pictures of the Boxing Day Regatta, see Stuart Baines’ selection https://onedrive.live.com/?redeem=aHR0cHM6Ly8xZHJ2Lm1zL2YvYy8zZGQ4ZjZhNzBjMGNiNjI1L0lnRHMyNHlDR0tBS1RwY3JzSVlTVnFWUUFkYlgxcUdBc2JkeUlDem5yVlc3d0EwP2U9MjlnME54&id=3DD8F6A70C0CB625%21s828cdbeca0184e0a972bb0861256a550&cid=3DD8F6A70C0CB625

Welfare, Wellbeing & Inclusion Award for Mark Dewdney, Stratford’s Head Adaptive Coach

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Over the past ten years, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club Adaptive Section has developed one of the largest and certainly the most impairment-diverse squads in the country: an inspiring model of what inclusive sport should like.

The squad, led by Stratford’s Head Adaptive Coach Mark Dewdney, now boasts six qualified adaptive coaches with three more currently in training. The coaching team includes neurodiverse and physically impaired coaches with growing female representation.

The squad supports athletes with a wide range of conditions including spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, neurodiverse conditions such as autism and ADHD, multiple sclerosis, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, amputation, stroke, long COVID and many other acquired impairments arising from accident or illness. Commenting, Mark said, “This diversity is not coincidental but reflects a conscious commitment to inclusion, compassion and flexibility. The ethos of the squad is simple: rowing for everyone. We feel all rowing clubs, our governing body (British Rowing) and indeed many sports have a long way to go to be termed “inclusive”. National strategies need to be coordinated, properly resourced and given the highest priority. All relevant bodies need to start to deliver. Participation is the only valid measurement of success.”

Commenting further, Paul Stanton, Stratford Boat Club’s President said, “This well deserved award for Mark not only is a credit to him but also to the whole adaptive squad family – coaches, buddy rowers, helpers, parents and the athletes themselves! Mark has shown that co-operation and working together can achieve great things for all the rowing and wider community.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/festive-fun-on-the-avon-as-boxing-day-regatta-returns-9447707 and page thirty one and also Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-clubs-head-adaptive-coach-mark-dewdney-receives-award

… and the President Came to Visit!

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After a weekend off to attend the British Rowing Indoor Championships where a number of Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s adaptive squad athletes competed and returned with a numerous medals and two new World Records, the squad were back on the water on Sunday in cold and windy conditions but delighted to be out in the fresh air

The highlight of the Sunday outing was a visit from the Club’s President, Paul Stanton, who took time out to come to the Club to congratulate some of the squad’s award winning Indoor Championships medalists on their achievements

Edward Owen-Smith and Lance Fowler, both neurodiverse and just thirteen years old, talked at length to the President on their experience at the Championships. Paul Stanton commented, “Two World Records and multiple medals: what an accolade for the athletes, the adaptive squad and Stratford Boat Club! However, praise should also go to all the adaptive coaches, helpers, parents, supporters and peers who encourage the athletes and form part of the larger adaptive family: well done all!”

For media coverage, see Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-president-congratulates-clubs-adaptive-athletes and back sports https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/12/19&pages=32

World Records for Stratford’s Adaptive Squad!

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The British Rowing Indoor Championships took place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham at the weekend. A number of Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s adaptive squad athletes competed and returned with a numerous medals and two new World Records!

The team consisted of four neurodiverse rowers and one amputee. The latter, Ricky Clutterbuck, winning an early Gold in the PR3 Para Four Minute Event, covering 1086m. Ethan Roberts achieved 1140m and Ian Ward 972m in the Open Adaptive version, finishing second and fifth respectively. Ethan followed this Silver with a Bronze in the 2000 metres, completing the distance in a phenomenal  7:15.7!

Edward Owen-Smith and Lance Fowler, both neurodiverse and just thirteen years old, competed in the mainstream Year Nine Boys Event with Edward taking a terrific Silver medal in a time of 1:34.2 while Lance finished in a great fifteenth place out of twenty four competitors with a time of 1:45.4. Both beat the previous World Record of 1.53.9 in the PR3-ID (Intellectual Disability) category for 13-14 year olds.

All the Club’s neurodiverse athletes competed in the One Minute Dash. In the adult open adaptive event Ethan won a bronze medal with 314m, Ian was sixth with 274m. In the Year 9 Open Adaptive event, Edward clocked up 319m and Lance 284m, taking Gold and Silver. Again both beating the existing PR3-ID World Record of 261m.

Head Adaptive Coach Mark Dewdney “Two World Records, good results from everyone: that was a good day! The championships, and rowing in general, has to put more thought into how it accommodates adaptive and particularly neurodiverse athletes. We would have competed in many more events but the scheduling was inappropriate for some of our athletes with complex needs. We will be producing a report for the National Neurodiverse working group to this end.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online  https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/stratford-rowers-claim-two-world-records-at-british-indoor-c-9444995 and page thirty seven, British Rowing https://www.britishrowing.org/2025/12/the-numbers-behind-the-british-rowing-indoor-championships-2025 and Stratford Observer back sports page https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/12/12&pages=24, online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-clubs-adaptive-squad-break-world-records-at-british-rowing-indoor-championships and Concept online https://www.concept2.com/records?record_type=world&machine=rower&event=&gender=&age_category=13&srsltid=AfmBOoqXAOLOOWcgQ0ZjSWbBBp47rZM5KL5utP1KDx7IZBEVfMZBe5Av&adaptive_rower=3&language_variant=

Stratford’s Juniors Score at Hampton!

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Stratford upon Avon Boat Club Junior Squad spent Saturday competing at Hampton Small Boats Head which served up classic winter racing on the twisty 3000m stretch of Thames between Sunbury and Hampton. Across multiple divisions, singles, doubles and quads from schools and clubs tested their speed in cold, blustery conditions that punished messy steering and rewarded tidy, aggressive racing. For some it was a first serious outing in small boats this year: for others, a clear checkpoint on winter training and a marker for the season ahead.

Stratford’s J17/J18 squad took to the water in single and double sculls. In the single sculls, Alexandra Francis delivered a strong performance to achieve second place in a high quality field with Poppy Baines in the mix lower in the ranking. In the WJ17 double sculls the two crews of Martha Cooke and Martha Baines and Millie Smith and Maeve Dunn came home fourth and fifth respectively. In the next age band up, Martha Cook and Poppy Baines stepped up to the big league coming eighth in a packed field of twenty crews. Alexandra Francis and Tessa Parkin went quicker still to come fourth, narrowly behind Peterborough City Rowing Club and with both crews besting some high end outfits such as Molesey Boat Club and Putney High School Boat Club.

Fresh from their outing on the Tideway for Junior Fours head (6.8k), Stratford’s five J16 Performance boys put on another great showing, this time on the non-tidal part of the Thames at Hampton Small Boat Head 3,000m downstream. In Division One, Seb Happel, Will Shaw, Ed Appleton and Rory Rowan came eleventh overall in the OJ16 4x- event (out fifteen crews competing) in 09:57.2 beating crews from St Georges College, Staines, Molesey and Royal Grammar School High Wycombe.

In Division Two, Will Shaw and Euan Richter came nineth overall in the OJ16 2x event (out of twenty four crews competing) in 10:11.1 beating crews from Molesey, Wallingford, Kingston Grammar, Claires Court, St Peter’s School, Marlow, Wallingford, Tideway Scullers and Tiffin. In the O16 1x event, Ed Appleton came sixth overall (out of twenty three crews competing) in 11:02.6, beating crews from Claires Court, Rob Roy, City of Bristol, Henley, Walbrook and Kings School Canterbury and Euan Richter came thirteenth.

Lead J16 Coach Hugo Happel said, “The athletes showed great discipline and attitude, good technique and achieved great results on this maiden event for them. The Thames got very narrow at times with plenty of overtaking but they steered and sculled well. Well done to all athletes!”

For media coverage, please see Stratford Herald page thirty seven and online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/stratford-boat-club-s-juniors-impress-at-hampton-small-boats-9444491 and Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-clubs-junior-scullers-impress-on-the-river-thames and back sports page https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/12/05&pages=24

For more pictures of Hampton Small Boats Head, see Stuart Baines’ great selection https://onedrive.live.com/?redeem=aHR0cHM6Ly8xZHJ2Lm1zL2YvYy8zZGQ4ZjZhNzBjMGNiNjI1L0VnN256czk1YWVSRXNHenByd2FoYk5VQmV2c0p2Y2cySXhxMmxTNUNrU19QV3c%5FZT11S09Gb2o&id=3DD8F6A70C0CB625%21scfcee70e697944e4b06ce9af06a16cd5&cid=3DD8F6A70C0CB625