Stratford upon Avon Boat Club is delighted to announce that Olympic Gold Medallist Matt Gotrel as their guest of honour at this year’s Fun Regatta on Sunday 09 July.

Now in its fifteenth year, the Fun Regatta attracts competitors from local companies, village and groups of friends.  Around twenty six crews, with just three hours’ training compete in a number of ‘side by side’ races in the Club’s ‘learn-to-row’ boats, often in wacky fancy dress.

Fun Regatta organiser Dawson Curnock says, “We’d like to encourage people to come down to the Boat Club or the river to support the crews.  It is great to watch there’s lots of splashing; some crazy outfits and plenty of competitive banter.  Plus, we have a barbeque with Stratford’s Barry The Butcher burgers, a bar and tea tent running all day.”

He adds “It is a fabulous ‘fun’ day for the family, and it also helps the club raise vital funds to buy boats for future athletes like Matt.  We’re very grateful to the support of our local NFU branch Wheaton, Lamb and Burrows for sponsoring the event both this year and last.”

Matt won gold in Rio in 2016 in the men’s eight.  He had hoped to compete at the club’s Fun Regatta, with his sponsor Robert Welch Designs but has had to withdraw from rowing due to shoulder surgery.  Robert Welch Designs, a local family-run company designing and manufacturing cutlery, kitchen knives and tableware from their base in Chipping Campden, are entering two crews this year.  Matt will be at the Fun Regatta all day and will be presenting the winning crews with their medals. Racing starts at 10.00hrs, the victors will hopefully be crowned by 17.30hrs, other water traffic permitting.

The Fun Regatta, originally called the ‘Pubs and Clubs’ Regatta, started on the Sunday following the main regatta.  As the event grew in size, and popularity, it was moved to July as a standalone event.

Entry requirements are simple: a crew of four people (with a basic swimming ability).  Each team or ‘crew’ are given three one hour training sessions ahead of the race day with one the boat club’s volunteer coaches.  On the day of the Fun Regatta, each crew are given a cox and compete in a minimum of three side-by-side races.  The fastest crews qualify for the semi-finals and the finals.

Fancy dress has become quite a major part of the day, with separate prizes for the best dressed and named crews. Over the years they have seen Ghostbusters, (complete with back-pack zappers), totally blue Smurfs, Abba, Wizard of Oz (Tinman, Scarecrow, Dorothy and Lion named Follow The Yellow Brick ‘Rowed’), Top Gun, pop group Kiss, several pirate crews including one which mounted a cannon on their boat which pumped out coloured smoke as they raced as well as Leprechauns, fairies and the like!

Crews use stable ‘Learn to Row’ boats.  These are also used all year round for those taking part in the Boat Club’s courses and help beginners gain confidence and skills as they take up and progress within the sport and, kindly, part funded by a grant from the Town Trust.

A memorable day! Excellent racing: great participation from crews as far afield as Bewdley Rowing Club, Cardiff & Vale Schools Rowing Association, Evesham Rowing Club, Royal Grammar School Worcester, Stowe Sculling Club, Warwick Boat Club, Holloway Scullers, Monkton Combe School, Monmouth Comprehensive School and newcomers from AB Severn Boat Club, Bridgnorth Rowing Club and Bedford Rowing Club. The regatta this year had four divisions, thirty four events and one hundred and thirty five separate races starting at 08.00 and running all day through until 18.30hrs!

Stephen Rose, Stratford Boat Club’s Regatta Secretary said, “This year we were so pleased to have Mencap Heart of England as our nominated charity: Stratford Boat Club have an outreach in teaching customers of Mencap and other adaptive athletes how to scull and this was a natural extension for this outreach. We were very heartened by the huge turn out from local and distant clubs and the interest from the public. A massive thanks to all our sponsors especially the Rosconn Group, hard working Stratford Boat Club members, visiting crews, umpires and officials and especially the public for supporting the event.”

Paul Stanton, Stratford Boat Club’s President commented. “It was a long day’s racing from 08.30 to 18.30hrs: 400 beefburgers, 45lbs of sausages, 25lbs of bacon, 20kg of sliced onions and 750 buns all from local suppliers were consumed as well as dozens of cakes and snacks: what a magnificent day topped by great racing! We had to ‘phone Barry The Butchers for extra supplies at lunchtime and raid the local shops for extra buns! Based on our success last year, we decided to stay with the shortened 650 metre course to ensure the safety of all the competitors and river users. We were especially grateful for the help and tolerance of those operators who work and make their living on the river.”

Said Paul Hazelwood, the Club’s Treasurer, “Stratford Boat Club’s next event is the Fun Regatta on Sunday 09 July: this is a much more ‘relaxed’ event with scratch teams from local Stratford, Warwickshire and area companies and organisations. We give them three hours coaching, a boat and cox and organise a regatta for them! There are bound to be thrills and spills! Come and see the ‘other side’ of rowing!”

Whilst Stratford crews were competing hard at their own regatta, last weekend saw two Senior crews go to Marlow Regatta on Dorney Lake in their quest to qualify for Henley Royal Regatta which starts on the 28th June.

Rowing in Championship Coxed Fours against many of the top London clubs and universities from around the country, the top Stratford boat qualified for the B final where they finished in fifth position. This the third year that Stratford have been represented at Royal Henley regatta. The crew made up of Eleanor Willetts, Chris Thomas, Dr Ben Twiney, Tom Coles and Ed Lewry finished as the fourth fastest club crew of the day and did enough to satisfy the Henley Stewards and so have been pre-qualified for Henley Royal Regatta. They are now looking forward to training hard on the course, famous both for its beauty as well as its toughness. Their progress can be followed live on YouTube.

The second Stratford boat, the coxless four, found the going a little tougher, not helped by an equipment failure to a rigger half way through their first race and finished fifth in their D final. They will now be required to attend Henley Qualifiers this coming Friday where they will race off against forty one other crews for just fourteen places in the main draw. Said Bill Sullivan, Seniors’ Coach, “Racing at Royal Henley Regatta is the pinnacle of the rowing season: every competitive rower wants to be there competing at the highest level! For Stratford to have one crew that has qualified and another crew with great potential for entry says a lot for their determination, training and focus! Crews come from worldwide to compete: it’s not going to be an easy couple of weeks training!”

For additional media coverage, please see Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/…/crowds-flock-to-sizzling-… and Stratford Herald p15 and p4 and Midweek p28

For more photographs, please see David Phillip’s photographs at https://www.flickr.com/photos/135872444@N08/albums, Stuart Baines’ at https://1drv.ms/f/s!AgY7EiDB2lCO-FccfaMZXpYiKQRI and Hugo Happel’s at https://www.dropbox.com/…/55l1xc…/AADwssBwIC_ufoBzbCVeWd3sa…. All excellent: many thanks!

Water conditions for the Blenheim Palace Junior Regatta proved to be a headache for the organisers and competitors alike as winds swept across the lake overlooked by the splendid Palace. With entries from schools across the country the competition alone was going to be fierce at best and with the wind being such an influence, the day added its own challenges.

Fighting through choppy waters, the J13 2x combination of William Clarke and Conar Aitchinson, claimed Gold, with success continuing with individual Silver for Amelie Sartain in the WJ13 1x, braving the blustering conditions in a boat weighing only 14kgs.

The WJ13 4x+ claimed more Silver. Crewed by Elisabeth Edwards, Martha Usselmann, Harriet Hodgson, Amelie Sartain, coxed by Mary Walton, they finishing gallantly ahead of crews such as Eton and Putney.

Closely out of the medal placings was the mixed J13 4x+ crew of Julia Gurden, Emma Harrison, Abbey Meggeson & Will Clarke and the WJ13 2x crew of Sienna Rawlings and Harriet Hodgson, who all showed great effort in the most challenging of conditions.

Marlow Successes for Stratford

Whilst Stratford upon Avon Boat Club Junior Squad were achieving at Blenheim Palace, Stratford’s adaptive crew were at Marlow Town regatta being represented by visually impaired athlete Mark Sanders and Joe Moore, his steersman.

Glorious sunshine and strong winds made for an entertaining and exciting days racing. Stratford was entered in two events, the assisted double sculls where one para-rower and one able bodied rower race over a 500 metre course and single sculls where the Mark was guided by walky-talky from a following launch.

The doubles final was hotly contested in extremely choppy and windy conditions between Stratford upon Avon, Marlow and Worcester. Worcester took an early lead with Stratford holding them to a length until the last 100 metres when Worcester pulled away to take the medal with Marlow coming in third.

The singles final was between Mark and an opponent from Marlow. The Marlow sculler took an early lead and looked to have the race in the bag. However, the Stratford sculler held on through the rough water keeping a steady rhythm and was able to take the lead in the last few strokes to claim his winner’s medal.

Roaring forties blunt Stratford medal hopes!

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club Masters descended on to the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham at the weekend for the pinnacle of the Masters’ regatta racing season for the British Rowing National Masters Championships.

The event raced over a 1000m multilane course promised some exciting racing with the best crews from around the country and Eire in competition.

In blustery but dry conditions first off representing Stratford was the men’s Masters D coxless four crew of Richard Nelson, Simon Beard, Tim Lunel and Tom Doherty. In a tightly fought race in a strong headwind involving high quality crews from Walton, Grosvenor and City of Oxford, the finishing positions were only decided in the last few metres with a mere four seconds separating all four crews with Stratford gaining a slight edge over City of Oxford to secure a place in the final.

With an increasingly strong wind the Stratford Women’s Masters C double scull of Kjersti Woolley and Vicky Brennan had a very tough battle in their heat against some quality opposition from Warwick, Kingston and Weybridge, and increasingly rough water conditions. After a confident start, the crew put in a gutsy performance but was unable to secure a place in the final.

With the wind speed continuing to increase and the water conditions resembling coastal conditions, the Stratford Masters D coxless four men’s crew braved the elements again for their six lane final. By now conditions were so rough that it was proving impossible to start crews from the starting pontoons and a free start ensured racing was able to continue.

Following an excellent start in a race with some very high quality crews some fielding ex-internationals, Stratford stormed off at a high rating and were able to hold second place to the 250m mark. Settling into a smooth rhythm the crew was able to push hard for the whole race beating both Walton and Grosvenor to finish in a creditable fourth position just outside the medals.

With weather conditions still worsening and winds of 35 mph on the course, the Stratford Masters coxed crew of Stephen Haighton, Wallace Brown, Tim Lunel, Tim Hayer and cox Jen Carey battled their way up to the starting area. In a well fought race with quality opposition from London, Upper Thames and Reading, the crew maintained a powerful rhythm to finish in a creditable third place in their heat beating Worcester and Reading. Unfortunately this was not quite enough to qualify them for the final later in the day. By now conditions had continued to worsen with the organisers having to take the unpalatable decision to cancel further racing on safety grounds. This was a blow to the other Stratford crews who were waiting to race in the eights event and particularly to single sculler Christine Goodwin hoping to build on her run of good form going into the championships.

Said coach Helen Smith, “The crews that raced acquitted themselves very well in testing conditions against some very good opposition, but we are all very sad for those that missed out on a chance to compete today. Let’s hope for better weather at our own regatta this coming Saturday 17 June!”

For media coverage, please see Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/gold-for-stratford-at-windswept-blenheim

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club junior members travelled to the Olympic Lake at Eton Dorney over the weekend to compete in one of the premier events in the rowing calendar, the National Schools’ Regatta.

On Friday three crews raced in coxed quadruple sculls over a 1000m course in tricky conditions. Racing into a strong headwind, the crews’ technical ability and endurance were well tested. The J14 girls’ crew of Jasmine Mountney, Mya Kenny, Nixie Brunt, Alice Baines and Naomi Sergeant (cox) battled hard to achieve fourteenth place overall amongst a field of forty five clubs and schools from across the country. The J15 girls’ crew of Molly Gill-Swift, Katie Wellstead, Khloe Curnock, Emily Browne and Mimi Hill (cox) also achieved fourteenth place overall in their event after a nail biting battle with Sir William Perkins’ School in their final race. Of particular note was the J15 boys’ crew comprising Joe Hodson and three J14 athletes (Max Griffiths, Daniel Cox and Fred Tyler) coxed admirably by Katie Phillips.  After delivering a confident row in the time trial the boys ended in twenty sixth place of forty seven crews entered with a superb time sufficient to place them high in the J14 competition.

On Sunday the club returned to Eton Dorney with the girls’ J16 coxed four of Issy Marsden, Ellie Gray, Lara Davies, Maddy Winsper and Robin Connolly (cox) and the girls’ J18 coxless quadruple scull of Theo Mordaunt, Lauren Willis, Claire Teakle and Sofia Ward.  Competing in the higher age groups, the competition was of an extremely high level with crews in preparation for Henley Royal Regatta. The coxed four had a tremendous tussle with Cheltenham Ladies’ College eventually finishing in sixth place in their C Final. The coxless quadruple scull put on a great display in their D final to lead through half way, eventually finishing fifth with only a length or two separating the first five boats.

Commenting on the crews’ performance at the event, Stratford Boat Club’s Junior Coordinator Steve Wellstead said, “We are extremely proud of all our athletes and it is great to see their hard work paying off with some fine results on the national stage. Their achievements bode well for our own Stratford Boat Club Rosconn Group regatta on Saturday 17 June.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Observer p31 and online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/stratford-juniors-in-good-form-at-national-schools-regatta and Stratford Herald p15 and online http://www.stratford-herald.com/71273-hard-work-paying-off-stratford-boat-clubs-juniors.html

At last Wednesday’s Annual General Meeting, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club recognised the great contribution that some of their members made to the Club by awarding the special Felix Awards, a legacy from the Club’s past President Felix Badcock who gave so much to the club: the tankard trophies were won by Felix Badcock during his long career rowing and over engraved with the winner’s name and award. There were awards for the Junior and the Senior Personality of the Year

The Senior Felix Award went to Dawson Curnock who has put in hours and hours of unpaid time for the Club sorting out the Club’s Fun Regatta which this year is Sunday 09 July. This entails organizing training for the novice crews from local companies and organisations, running the event and arranging sponsorship. In addition, Dawson also supports the Junior Squad with coaching supervision

The Junior Felix Award went to Molly Gill-Swift for her all round contribution on and off the water. Molly, on her own initiative, arranged fundraising events to add to Club’s efforts to raise much needed money for the Club’s aging fleet of boats

The AGM was very lively with passionate debate on all aspects of the Club’s governance and an example of democracy in action. During the evening, there were several elections and Dawson Curnock was elected as the Club’s Chairman: the Chairman acts as ‘business manager’ for the Club and heads up the committee overseeing the Club’s financial affairs and general management

Also elected onto the committee was Dr Graham Collier as Members’ Representative ensuring that the members’ opinions and voice is put forward at all meetings. Graham is a past Captain of the Club, former Junior Co-ordinator and a lead coach the Junior Squad

For media coverage, please see Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/felix-awards-honour-dedicated-duo