Saturday 12 September was The Great River Race on the Thames and Stratford upon Avon Boat Club was again out in force representing Stratford in the capital. The crew consisted of Ruth Winter, Will MacLeod, Phoebe Winter, Stephen Rose, Cassie Bird and Tabitha Bird along with others from the Mayflower Offshore Rowing Club and Devil’s Elbow Rowing Club.

Said Ruth Winter, Stratford Boat Club’s Recreational Rowing Squad Organiser, “We broke an oar on the start so we were a rower down and still managed to complete the course half an hour faster than last year! It was a very enjoyable, satisfying race this year. Phoebe and Cassie who are still part of Stratford’s Junior Squad did very well indeed and stroked the race most of the way: we’re all very proud of them!”

Ross Regatta has always been a favourite away regatta for Stratford upon Avon Boat Club not only that it is a two day event but also because of the friendly atmosphere and high quality of completion. This last weekend’s away regatta at Ross on Wye was no exception though the weather was disappointing.

Said coach Dr Graham Collier, “Sunday started well with Laura Tiller winning her WJ16 1x category and then the Junior squad with KatiePhilips, Gracie Mitchell, Emily Browne, Jessica Wiesheu and cox Mimi Hill winning their WJ13 4x+ race. There were many of the finalists who came very close – WJ14 2x, Isaac Herring rowing up to J16 1x, some of the WJ15 girls and boys J14 2x, Autumn Keil WJ13 1x to name a few.”

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club stayed local on Saturday 22 August with a short trip to rival neighbours at Warwick Boat Club. The rivalry was intense as Stratford won five finals in all with Esme Booth (WJ16 1x) winning two finals; Isaac Herring (J15 1x) and a WJ14 1x win for Amy Neville.

The other notable win was Stratford’s Mix IM1 4+. Said Ruth Winter, Stratford’s Recreational Squad Co-ordinator and crew supporter, “In the first heat, the four raced against Cardiff and Vale and we were easily the better crew. Shortly after, Stratford raced local rivals Warwick. We were in control of the race right from the start and we moved ahead just after coming under the bridge. Stratford continued to widening the gap right up to the finish.”

Commented Victoria Ward, rowing at two position, “We had one short training session before our races: we clicked really well and we were feeling happy going into the race even though we were racing up a category as IM1. Events got a bit stressful when Harriet our cox was pulled off the water just as she was about to race in her doubles final when the organisers thought thunder and lightning was imminent. As a result, we boated late and had to get Harriet out of her boat as soon as she had raced. However, we composed ourselves and won our semi-final against Derwent comfortably. We then had a quick turn around and race the final against home crew Warwick and we didn’t even have time to get off the water before our final! We had a much better start for our final and the boat really started to move so we managed to pull clear of the Warwick crew and win by a good margin.”

Stratford’s Mix IM1 4+ crew was composed of stroke: Oli Smith (Captain of Boats); 3: Ben Gittus Smith; 2: Victoria Ward; bow: Phoebe Winter and cox: Harriet Buckley. The Club will be out in force at Ross on Wye Rowing Club Regatta over the Bank Holiday weekend

Events entered at Warwick included:-

Open Masters Double Sculls.
Mixed Intermediate Double Sculls.
Open Junior 16 Double Sculls.
Open Junior 14 Double Sculls.
Women’s Junior 14 Double Sculls.
Women’s Senior Intermediate II Single Sculls.
Open Junior 15 Single Sculls.
Women’s Junior 18 Single Sculls.
Women’s Junior 15 Single Sculls.
Women’s Junior 13 single Sculls.
Mixed Senior Intermediate I Coxed Fours.
Open Masters A Coxless Pairs.
Open Masters D/E Coxless Pairs.
Open Intermediate I Double Sculls.
Women’s Junior 18 Double Sculls.
Women’s junior 15 Double Sculls.
Open Master’s G single Sculls.
Open Junior 16 Single Sculls.
Open Junior 14 Single Sculls.
Women’s Junior 16 Single Sculls.
Women’s junior 14 Single Sculls.

Alfie Nash, Stratford’s Junior J16 Lead Coach said, “On what was a very hot and humid day, racing took place over a challenging 500 metre course: the start having the wonderful backdrop of Warwick Castle, whilst the finish, adjacent to St Nicholas Park, proved to be a great draw and focal point for the spectators. Although shorter than many of the events in the rowing calendar, successfully completing the narrow windy course required both speed and a high degree of steering competency.”

The club was represented by men and women with a wide range of abilities and ages, some of whom were competing in their first regattas in their chosen event.

Whether successful or not, all of the Stratford members contributed to what was very hard-fought and exciting racing. The high level of competency and competitiveness of the Stratford members highlighting the breadth and depth of the talent at all levels within the club. Stratford members competed in more than twenty separate categories during the regatta and were represented by more than one athlete in many.

Stratford Boat Club will be competing over this weekend’s Bank Holiday at Ross-on-Wye in what will be the last event of the current rowing year. However, unlike other sports, it is straight into a new rowing year where the club will be focusing on competing in Head races – timed events raced over much longer distances – over winter and into next year.

For media coverage, see Stratford Observer online http://bit.ly/1KlcGK5, Stratford Observer back page and Stratford Herald p17

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club enjoyed a great day’s racing at the annual City of Oxford summer regatta held on Saturday 15 August. The Women’s Junior 15 Quadruple sculls crew were victorious winning comfortably by three lengths against a crew from City of Cambridge. The Stratford crew members are Claire Teakle (stroke), Olivia Hansen, Isabella Rosso, Sofia Ward (bow) and Emily Brooks (cox).

Stratford crews also made the finals in several other events including Women’s Novice double sculls Catherine Simpson and Danielle Raymond competing at their first regatta; Junior Boys Conrad Bird & Isaac Herring and Junior Girls Isabella Rosso & Claire Teakle J15 sculls.

Said coach Mark Holden, “All Stratford’s crews enjoyed some competitive racing over 1 km on the Isis, a picturesque stretch of the River Thames. The Club is now looking forward to this weekend’s local regatta at neighbouring Warwick Boat Club and a final regatta of the season at Ross on Wye on 29/30 August to close what has been a very successful season for the Club.”

Many thanks to all who joined us on Saturday 20th June 2015 on the banks of the Avon, opposite the RST for a great day of rowing.

Our Annual Regatta wouldn’t be possible without the support of our fabulous sponsors, listed on the left – THANK-YOU!

Sadly no pots but some really good performances across the board and a particular mention for Theo Mordaunt & Sofia Ward in a great final race against City of Oxford.

Conditions were very challenging with gusting wind and a strong field including several clubs from the Upper Thames region and the likes of City of Oxford and RGS High Wycombe.  Some of our juniors were rowing up and some competing for the first time against senior crews and with three wins and valuable experience gained, with this being the final Head, we are now eagerly looking forward to Regatta season.

J13A1x, Jeffrey Flambert, 4th of 5, 12.02

WJ13A4x+, SUA-Hill, 1st of 2, 09.42    WIN

J14A1x, Nathan Wiesheu, 6th of 8, 10.23

J14A4x+, SUA-Gould Yates, 4th of 5, 09.53

WJ14A2x, Autumn Lily Kiel & Jessica Wiesheu, 13th of 13, 10.57

WJ14A4x+, SUA-Neville, 3rd of 8, 09.10

WJ14A4x+, SUA-Griffiths, 7th of 8, 09.57

J15A1x, Conrad Bird, 8th of 10, 09.46

WJ15A1x, Georgina Cherry, 4th of 5, 10.14

J15A2x, Khalid Ahmad & Max Beishon, 4th of 5, 08.47

WJ15A2x, Theo Mordaunt & Claire Teakle, 4th of 7, 10.00

WJ15A2x, Issy Finch & Lois Battersby, 6th of 7, 10.20

WJ15A4x+, Jasmine Key, Katie Evans, Lois Battersby, Robin Connolly, cox Izzy Moore, 5th of 5, 10.15

J16A1x Isaac Herring, 8th of 12, 09.34

WJ16A1x, Esme Booth, 2nd of 8, 09.33

WJ16A1x, Laura Tiller, 7th of 8, 10.33

J16A2x, Ben Evans & Alex England, 4th of 4, 09.25

WJ16A2x, Milly Flambert & Lamorna Jarvis, 2nd of 6, 09.22

WJ16A2x , Jessica Cann & Niamh Mackey, 4th of 6, 09.48

WJ16A4x-, Jessica Cann, Laura Tiller, Esme Booth & Niamh Mackey, 5th of 8, 08.33

WJ16A4+, Theo Mordaunt, Liv Hansen, Georgina Cherry, Claire Teakle, cox Emily Brooks, 3rd of 4, 09.22

WJ17A2-, Cassie Bird & Phoebe Winter, 1st of 1, 09.40

Nov4+, Conrad Bird, Isaac Herring, Khalid Ahmad, Ben Evans, cox Izzy Moore, 2nd of 5, 08.24

IM2.4x-, SUA-Smith, 1st of 2, 07.11    WIN

WIM3.2x, Harriet Buckley & Lucy Weston, 8th of 8, 09.53

WIM3.4+, SUA-Lodge, 6th of 8, 09.46

MxNov2x, Jane Connolly & Richard Nelson, 3rd of 4, 10.45

WMasD1x, Jane Connolly, 2nd of 2, 13.22

MasD2x, Jo Wyles & Phil Marshall, 4th of 4, 10.02

MasE2x, Tom Doherty & Gary Clay, 1st of 4, 08.40    WIN

MasE.Nov2x, Tom Doherty & Gary Clay, 2nd of 2, 08.36

MasF/G2x, Simon Moore & Joe Moore, 3rd of 3, 09.50

In a composite MasD 8+ crew with Bridgnorth, Tom Doherty and Richard Nelson won their class at Runcorn by a large margin. In fact they beat all bar 7 crews in the event including 2 IM1 ,2 IM2, 6 IM3, and all 6 other MAS A,B,C,crews.

This composite crew is in training for the Vets Head of The River and will be coxed by our own Jen Clements, so this was a very promising performance for the Tideway next week.

Despite a valiant effort by a very depleted junior squad, they didn’t manage to secure any wins this time and neither did our seniors, however our veteran crews battled the cold and the fog in the morning to secure two wins.

Division 1

MasD.2x  Tom Doherty & Gary Clay, 22:18.503,1^st of 3   WIN

MasD.2-  Richard Nelson & Simon Beard, 22:39.855, 1^st of 2   WIN

Division 2

MasD.4+  Gary Clay, Richard Nelson, Simon Beard, Glynn Hawkins, cox Jen Clements, 22:02.678, 2^nd of 3

SUA-Reeder, SEN.4+, 20:07.697, 2^nd of 2

SUA-Bird, W.J18A.8+, 22:13.922, 2^nd of 2

SUA-Maher, W.IM3.2x, 25:00:778

SUA-Bird, J15A.4+, 22:39.199

KES-Beighton, NOV.4+, 21:49.322, 2^nd of 3