Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s para-rowers attended Oxford City Royal Regatta at the weekend. Two rowers, Mark Sanders and Steve Binns, were competing in their first races. There were eight disabled rowers in the morning event from Stratford, Marlow, Peterborough and Oxford itself.

Steve Binns, a paraplegic, had a tough first round against a sculler from Marlow Rowing Club losing by two lengths. Mark Sanders however defeated a spirited sculler from the City of Oxford Rowing Club by the same margin.

In his semi-final Mark, a visually impaired rower, had a tremendous race with another sculler from Marlow. He was behind until the final few strokes, finally winning by just three feet. This put him through to the final. Here he was to face a familiar face, Kingsley Ijomoh, who until recently was a Stratford para-rower. Kingsley had moved down to South East last autumn and is now racing for Marlow Rowing Club. An epic final resulted in another tight fight. After the crews crossed the line there was an agonising minute long wait for the result to be announced. Again Mark had won by just three feet, steered by Joe Moore from Stratford Boat Club.

Steve Binns competed in the afternoon Plate event. Sadly again beaten by two lengths, this time to an Oxford sculler.

Said Mark Dewdney, Stratford Boat Club’s adaptive coach,”The regatta was applying a new system to try to ensure close racing across a range of disabilities: this proved hugely successful with a large number of very close finishes. Stratford upon Avon Boat Club welcomes adaptive rowers with all disabilities.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Observer online http://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/para-rowers-take-centre-stage and p39.

After the disappointment of the cancellation of the Warwick Boat Club regatta at the weekend due to high winds and inclement weather, Stratford Boat Club are gearing up for a busy Bank Holiday weekend at the Ross Rowing Club regatta when all squads will meet local and national rivals. Closer to home, Stratford Boat Club launch drivers will be assisting Stratford upon Avon Rotary Club (Evening Group) with their charity fundraising duck race (http://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/shakespeare-duck-race-preparing-make-splash-2) at 14.00hrs on Saturday at the weir by Holy Trinity Church.

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club mixed masters E crew of Kjersti Rogneflaten Woolley and Thomas Doherty continued their ongoing personal battle with Derwent Rowing Club over the weekend at Stourport Regatta. The event, held over two days provides challenging racing over 1100m on Saturday and 650m sprint racing on Sunday, attracted a high quality field including clubs from London and the North of England watched by a large vocal crowd on both days.

Stratford was again drawn against National Championship medalists Derwent on both days having raced them previously over two days at Bewdley previously. On the Saturday, racing over the long course with a tail wind and stream which produced a fast race, saw Derwent powering off the start to take a length’s lead by halfway. A strong push by Stratford saw them close the gap but just fade away at the finish to lose by just over a length.
With the sprint race on the Sunday, a change of tactics saw Stratford storm off the start rating 40 strokes a minute and hold a high tempo narrow lead for the majority of the race rating 37 strokes a minute throughout. In an exciting finish cheered on by the watching crowds, Derwent just made their experience tell to pinch victory by half a length.
Said Kjersti Woolley, “This was our best race yet against a quality crew which demonstrates our continued improvement as we prepare for the World Masters in Copenhagen in a month’s time.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald p16 and Stratford Observer p36.

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club new Explore Rowing squad competed with two crews on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Bewdley: Rosie’s crew, with Jackie, Rory and Celia, and Rona’s crew, with Nils and the two Clares. Nine crews took part in the Explore Rowing regatta, plus a lot of support and hospitality, especially from the crowds leaning out from the pubs on the town bank at Bewdley. A hugely enjoyable event for all!

Cruelly, Stratford’s two crews were drawn together in the first race. Rona’s crew came through as the close winner. In their next two races, Rosie’s crew won one race and very narrowly lost one race, whilst Rona’s crew won both races, finishing top of the table with Bewdley A. There was a showdown race at five o’clock, with Stratford sadly losing by a canvas to a good crew.

Saturday saw many from Stratford upon Avon Boat Club compete in the Henley Town & Visitors’ Regatta. The regatta provides an unique opportunity for scullers and rowers to compete in three-lane racing on the Henley Reach. Races were run over 800m of the famous Henley Royal Regatta course, much of which was also used for the 1908 and 1948 Olympic Games.

From Stratford Boat Club’s Junior Squad, Geoffrey Flambert and Joe Hodson executed their race plan perfectly to beat Wallingford in the semi-final of the J14 Doubles. In one of the closest races of the day, Wallingford led for most of the race by half a length until Geoffrey made the call to pick up the rating with 250 metres to go and the Stratford crew powered through to take the win by a canvas. They came second to Henley in the final. Joe rowed a strong race in the final of the J14 singles again coming second to Henley.

In the Intermediate Single Scullers’ category, Imogen North won her division by beating a sculler from Upper Thames Rowing Club by a length and a half in a time of 3 minutes 49 seconds. Imogen and Ed Lewry also got through to the final of the senior mixed double scull: their opposition included Louisa Reeve a two times Olympian who represented GB at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics only narrowing missing out on selection for Rio. Following an explosive start the Stratford boat lead the way for the first 300 metres but the power of the Olympians came through and they went on to win by two lengths. It was a valiant effort by the Stratford crew and a race of which to be proud.

Stratford’s senior men had formed two quadruple sculls for the event and ended up head to head in the final along with Quintin Boat Club. Not being used to the larger vessels on the Thames, the wash from a passing river cruiser outdid the Stratford scullers and the Quintin boat won out over both crews.

A special thanks must go to Jaguar Land Rover’s CSR team who managed to provide the club with a tow vehicle at the last minute following an unfortunate shortage at the club. Said Will Bird, who towed on the day, “The Discovery 4 is such a capable vehicle, it effortlessly towed our fully loaded 2.6 tonne trailer even with the car full of rowers and kit. A big thanks to JLR for the letting us borrow the Discovery: it’s great to see a big business supporting local community groups. Without the car lent to us, we wouldn’t have been able to get the club to the event at all!”

Many of Stratford’s Junior Squad also spent the week improving their rowing and sculling techniques at the 2012 Eton Dorney Olympic Rowing Lake with accommodation at Eton College. Stratford’s own weekly Summer Camps for juniors started 01 August for the whole month of August: there are still places available 22/26 August.

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald p16.

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club Masters’ Squad descended on the beautiful Worcestershire town of Bewdley this weekend for their two day summer regatta. The event which attracts crews from all over the country is held on the Severn finishing in the town itself watched by large crowds.

On Saturday on a hot summer’s day, it was the turn of the mixed Masters’ crew of Kjersti Woolley and Tom Doherty on the 800 metre course. In their semi- final, they recorded a comfortable win over the local Bewdley crew. In the final, they faced much tougher opposition from Derwent who were fresh from winning a bronze medal at the National Masters Championships a few weeks beforehand. In a close race with the lead changing several times, Derwent just squeezed through on the finish to win by half a length.

Another hot Sunday saw Stratford crews arrive in force for the 500 metres sprint races with first competitors being the Men’s Masters D coxed four of Stephen Haighton, Tim Lunel, Glyn Hawkins, and Wallace Brown. In a close race against a high quality Monmouth crew, Stratford was narrowly beaten by half a length.

Next up saw Mike Atkins racing in a single scull in the Masters G category, after the first win of the day with a fine victory over a younger Monmouth sculler by one length. In a close final later in the day in which the lead changed several times, Mike was just beaten by a length by the local Bewdley sculler.

The mixed Masters crew of Kjersti Woolley and Tom Doherty then had a repeat of their Saturday final against Derwent in their semi- final which saw another very close race, with Stratford again being pipped at the line by half a length.

The Masters’ D coxless pair of Richard Nelson and Simon Beard restored Stratford’s pride with an excellent semi- final win against a quality Stourport pair by a third of a length, and then went on later in the day to record a comfortable event win over Loughborough.

Not to be content with his efforts in the single, Mike Atkins was joined by Chris Straw in Masters’ Men’s F double sculls. In an incident packed race with local rivals Evesham, the race ended in a mid- course crash between both crews fighting for the centre of the river which saw the Stratford men unfortunately disqualified.

Stratford finished off the day’s racing with Richard Nelson, Simon Beard, and Tom Doherty in a composite eight with Bridgnorth. The crew which had a very successful winter’s head season was on their first regatta outing and not withstanding no pre-race practice, powered off the start at 45 strokes a minute settling to 40 strokes a minute to pull away from Monmouth down the course to win the event by three lengths. Beating the Monmouth eight crew containing the rowers who had beaten Stratford earlier in the day in the coxed fours proved a fitting end to a well run regatta.

Said Tom Doherty, Masters’ Men’s Vice Captain, “It was fantastic to see six Masters’ squad crews competing here which shows the continuing growth in strength of the Masters’ squad at Stratford, ably assisted by the great support and encouragement from Stratford’s Helen Smith and Christine Goodwin throughout the day.”

For media coverage, please see Stratford Herald p16 and online at http://bit.ly/2aeg9Bg and Stratford Observer p37

Last weekend crews from Stratford upon Avon Boat Club competed at the Junior National Rowing Championships which were held at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham.

The J14 (13 to 14 years of age) had to compete is a skills event on the day before the regatta if they wished to race.

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s Fun Regatta took place on Saturday amidst good humoured rivalry. Although the weather didn’t attract the crowds hoped for from Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire and further afield, it helped by being not too hot. Cheers from crew supporters and visitors spurred on some twenty nine crews to their fleeting place in history – winning, surviving, completing the course or being the best well dressed crew on the river!

Said Paul Hazelwood, Stratford Boat Club’s Fun Regatta Organiser and Treasurer: “This year’s Fun Regatta was another great one in terms of number of local crews from companies and organisations such as Blythe Liggins Solicitors, Royal Leamington Spa; two crews from Warwickshire Young Farmers; Simplify IT Solutions Ltd, Alcester; Barford Cricket Club and BNI Warwick 49ers to name just a few. This year we also had several crews from parents of our young rowers: fierce competition – Mums against Dads!”

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s once again competed at this year’s Henley Royal Regatta with a Senior Men’s coxed four in the Britannia Challenge Cup and, with another excellent performance, they got through to the quarter finals again this year winning against Kingston Rowing Club. All those who were there and who watched the live stream had their nerves shredded for the second time and although the quality of the rowing was very high, alas the result went against Stratford in the quarter finals to a very talented Utah Crew from USA by a small margin. The crew of Martin Hotton, James Reeder, Ben Twiney, Chris Thomas and cox Becky Stokes did Stratford Boat Club proud.

Following the excellent performance of Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s senior men at Henley Royal Regatta’s qualifying competition on Friday, it was the turn of the rest of the club to showcase Stratford’s rowing ability at Ironbridge Rowing Club Regatta on Saturday.

Held in the locality of the world famous Ironbridge in Shropshire, the regatta attracts crews from all over the country for a two day exhibition of keenly fought competition raced over a 1000m course. Stratford Boat Club was represented by a number of men’s and women’s crews from across club throughout the day’s full racing programme.

First for Stratford were the women’s novice double scullers of Christine Goodwin and Emily Barret in only their second ever competitive event: they recorded a well deserved and first ever win against Minerva Bath in their first race. In the semi final in a hotly contested race, Stratford was just beaten by two lengths by a quality Swindon Rowing Club crew.

It was then the turn of the Masters men’s events which saw two crews competing in coxed fours competitions with the E crew of Gary Clay, Richard Nelson, Tom Doherty and Simon Beard, coxed by Lucy Brekwell from Bridgnorth, recording a good win by two lengths in the final over Evesham Rowing Club.

This was closely followed by the D crew of Tim Lunel, Simon Skillings, Glyn Hawkins and Wallace Brown just missing out on a win in a closely fought final to a strong Huntingdon crew by only one and a quarter lengths in a race fought all the way to the finishing line.

In an afternoon interrupted by spectacular torrential rain showers, it was the turn of the small boat crews which saw Victoria Ward returning to the water for her first race of the year following a serious knee injury. Racing in a very competitive Women’s IM3 single sculling event, Victoria was narrowly beaten by the eventual event winner from Grosvenor Rowing Club by three lengths.

The final event of the day for Stratford saw the double scull of Chris Straw and Joe Moore fresh from their victory at Stratford Regatta the week before, hotly contesting the final with Derwent/Derby Rowing Club only to be squeezed out of a win by only a length.

Said Helen Smith, Women’s racing crew co-ordinator, “It was fantastic to see the women’s novice crew of Christine and Emily record their first ever race win and to see Victoria return to competitive racing following a long period of injury recuperation: coupled with a strong showing from the men’s crews, this all bodes well for success at future events.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online at http://www.stratford-herald.com/54764-stratford-rowers-show… and p17 hard copy and Stratford Observer online http://stratfordobserver.co.uk/…/henley-next-agenda-ironbri… and hard copy p30.

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s Men’s Seniors 4+ won their heat against Kingston Rowing Club in the Britannia Challenge Cup by one foot!

Well done guys: well done Becky!