Tag Archives: Bryony Francis

Stratford Regatta: Another Success!

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The weather could not have been better for the Stratford upon Avon Boat Club regatta on Saturday but perhaps a little too hot for some of the athletes but that didn’t stop the great participation with local crews and further afield from Evesham Rowing Club, Royal Grammar School Worcester Boat Club, King Edward V1 School Boat Club, Cheltenham Ladies College Rowing Club, Hereford Rowing Club, Magdalen College School Boat Club, Worcester Rowing Club as well as major entries from Stratford upon Avon Boat Club itself. The regatta this year had three divisions and one hundred and twenty four separate races starting at promptly at 08.30 and running all day through until a close at 17.00hrs! Running a regatta to time is no mean feat and is a tribute to the race organisers!

This year the Club was very heartened again by the huge turn out from local and distant clubs and the interest from the public. A massive thanks to all our hard working Stratford Boat Club members, visiting crews, umpires and officials and especially the public for supporting the event. The Club was especially honoured to have Stratford upon Avon Town Council Mayor Cllr Sam McNaught Barrow attend the regatta and walk the course with Stratford Boat Club Chairman Dawson Curnock.

Stratford’s young J13 rowers showed determination at their first home regatta by putting in a spirited performance at the Stratford Junior Sprint Regatta, their home event and only the third competition of the season. With friends and family watching, there was an added sense of pressure but the young athletes rose impressively to the occasion.

The day began with the coxed quad of Harriet Wheeler, Zilpha Pope, Safian Khan and Luke Spurling, expertly steered by Hattie McGurk. After a challenging start, the crew quickly found their rhythm, displaying smooth, composed rowing as they powered down the course. Despite closing the gap on their competitors, they were just unable to overtake before the finish.

In the doubles’ events, three crews took to the water: Ruben Hawkswell and Gregor Francis; Enoch Stanford and Eftychios Ntoukakis; and Margo Paul with Natasha Wallace. All three pairings delivered confident and controlled performances in their heats. Margo and Natahsa came especially close to victory, narrowly missing out by just a bow ball in a thrilling finish.

The singles races rounded off the day for the J13’s, with athletes showing admirable endurance after a full schedule. Georgia Wheeler and Hattie McGurk both produced energetic efforts. The boys’ singles competitors—Gregor Francis, Enoch Stanford and Eftychios Ntoukakis—demonstrated excellent commitment by doubling up to ensure a full field in the J13 Open category, racing with energy and composure despite their earlier events.

Off the water, the squad played an important role in supporting the smooth running of the regatta, providing a shoe-running service between boating areas throughout the day. Their teamwork, positivity and enthusiasm never faltered.

Commenting, Rebecca Paul, the J13 Coach said, “All in all, it was a fantastic showing from the young squad who proved themselves to be a credit to the Club both in competition and in their support of the event.”

In their first race of the day, the Stratford Boat Club WJ15 doubles (Parsons and Hammond) pulled back after a slow start to lead against Worcester Royal Grammar School from half way, winning the semi-final by a convincing one length. In an exciting and close final against Evesham RC, they competed strongly, almost neck and neck from the final bend but could not overhaul their competitors who won by one length.

In a second WJ15x2 showing, Scarlet Wheel and Raya Hothi started strong, rowing a strong race against Hereford, keeping level all the way until Hereford pushed forward towards the finish line in the last few strokes.

Tristan Hammick, OJ15 singles, got off to a great start! He was in the lead all the way to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, then on the last push his opponent from Hereford sprinted on to clear a win of half a length.

WJ15x1 saw the final two entries for the J15 squad. After having a first race scratched, it was straight to a semi-final for both Stratford athletes, Meredith Paul and Abi Dunn, faced crews from Evesham and Worcester. Cheered by the home crowd, both Stratford athletes had convincing wins to reach an all-Stratford Final. The final was just as exciting; it was neck and neck until the ferry bend when Dunn nudged ahead and took a lead for a home club win!

For the J16 Stratford squad Ed Appleton sculled first in Division One, with a strong and competent row, losing to the eventual event winner from Magdalen College by one length. In Division Two, Euan Richter and Will Shaw sculled very well to win their semi but in the final, they were pipped to the finish line by a canvas with Magdalen College taking the event win for OJ16 2x.

In Division Three in the WJ16 4x- event, Orla Linforth, Immie de Pennington, Maria Ntoukaki and Erin Appleton (bow) took a four length victory to win the event in a straight final. Commenting, Hugo Happel, J16 Coach said, “Well done to all athletes today, some brilliant sculling!”

Stratford’s J17/J18 squad were also in action. First to go was the open double scull of James Albrighton and Theo Richter: after pulling out an early lead, the boys succumbed to King Edward School in the first round. Next on course were the women’s double scull of Tessa Parkin and Josephine Cooper who overcame crews from Evesham Rowing Club and Cheltenham Ladies College on their way to winning the final against Worcester Rowing Club. The women’s coxless quadruple scull of Lily Warren, Poppy Warren, Sophie Evans and Bryony Francis continued their winning ways with a confident win over Cheltenham Ladies to set up a local derby with Evesham Rowing Club in the final. The girls delivered again with a one length win to take the trophy.

Dawson Curnock, Stratford Boat Club Chairman commented, “It was a long day’s racing: our tea tent was extremely busy dispensing dozens of cakes and snacks. What a magnificent day topped by great racing! We ran the regatta under very tight safety protocols. We were especially grateful for the help and tolerance of those operators who work and make their living on the river.”

Saturday proved to be another day of rowing success, fun times and great learning for the Stratford Boat Club’s squads through the age range. Saturday’s Junior Spring Regatta was the 500m course following the Avon through the town from Holy Trinity Church through to the finish line at the Club’s grounds.

Helen Heenan, Stratford Boat Club’s Regatta Secretary said, “We were blessed with good weather for the regatta and there were crowds watching the racing adding much to Stratford’s atmosphere and vitality: we were glad to showcase our sport and demonstrate our part in the success of our town! Again, we appreciate the tolerance and help from the other river users and colleagues and look forward to our Fun Regatta on Saturday 11 July.”

For media coverage see Stratford Observer back sports page https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2026/06/26&pages=24#page/24 and online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-hold-annual-junior-sprint-regatta-on-the-river-avon and Stratford Herald page forty four and online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/picture-special-crowds-line-the-avon-for-stratford-s-junio-9471642

For more great pictures of the regatta, see the Baines’ family selection https://1drv.ms/f/c/8e50dac120123b06/IgBsmV_VQX7ERb2X8L7KMt7eAXr-gPIhhjLrGTQmfDl9TqM

Stratford Clean Up The Medals at Evesham Head

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Making a welcome return to the Stratford Boat Club’s racing calendar, after several years of cancellations, was Evesham Autumn Head. The race which was run over 2000m on the River Avon in Evesham always proves popular and this year was no exception.  Stratford upon Avon Boat Club packed the entries with over thirty crews racing over three divisions.

The J14s were out in force fielding crews across all three divisions. An excellent day of racing kicked off with Chris Durance, Arthur Burt and Archie Eaton delivering composed performances in their single sculls, unfortunately losing out to strong Evesham crews enjoying home advantage over familiar waters. Hot on their heels in the girls’ event came Islay Milles and Eva Cruise who processed to blow the opposition away finishing first and second in one of the larger events of the day. To prove it was no fluke, the girls swiftly returned to the start in their double scull for a Division Two race and duly confirmed their status as Queens of the Avon with a blistering performance against yet more strong opposition. Double medals, and all before lunch.

The afternoon saw the now familiar local derby between the Stratford J14 boys’ quad (Eaton and Burt joined by Eli Ford, Archie Mansfield and Ethan Siwakowski) pitted against Evesham. As best of frenemies, the two boats battled valiantly down the 2km course with the Evesham crew recording a winning time less than one second better than Stratford’s, an incredibly close result over a long distance.

Coach Jon Francis was pleased with the day and said, “They’ve built on solid performances at Wallingford to land the first silverware of the new season, proving this squad have the makings of something special”. Club Chairman, Dawson Curnock, was similarly impressed not least with the young athletes’ ability to navigate the gentle curve of the river whilst avoiding the large yet static moored barges.

Stratford’s J15 squad fielded a large entry at Evesham, with ten boats in total across all three divisions and with many of the athletes rowing the 2km course twice. First up in the lovely flat conditions were the doubles, with all three girls’ crews finishing a few seconds apart in fifth (Martina Bruce/Bethany Hammond), sixth (Abi Dunn/Meredith Paul) and seventh (Lillian Parsons/Scarlett Wheeler). In the boys doubles, Reuben Stanford and Tristan Hammick had a good row to finish second.

Later in the morning, the J15s rowed in the quads, with the girls racing well against a field of Headington School boats (which took the top four places) finishing sixth in the division (Meredith Paul, Bethany Hammon, Raya Hothi, Martina Bruce, Charlotte Mansfield (cox)). The boys once again demonstrated the power that had given them good finishes in national events last year to win their division by nearly a minute (Nathan Leobordis, Reuben Stanford, Herbie Shickle, Conner Birrell, Tristan Hammick (cox)).

In the final division of the day, Stratford’s J15’s put out four singles, with Abi Dunn placing fourth and Raya Hothi eleventh in a competitive girls’ race. In the boys’ races, Conner Birrell had an excellent race, setting off at the head of his division and increasing the gap to the chasing boats to secure his second medal of the day, and Nathan Leobordis followed not far behind in third.

Stratford’s combined J17/J18 squad were in action throughout the day with the first crew down the course being the women’s J18 coxless quadruple scull of Bryony Francis, Lily Warren, Josephine Cooper and Poppy Warren.  The crew opened the scoring for the club with an emphatic win over Evesham on their home water.  Next up was the open J18 double scull of Ollie Rowlands and Theo Richter who delivered a strong performance to record third place overall. Matching the boys’ efforts, the women’s J18 double scull of Alice Jones and Sophie Franklin also recorded third place. Hot on the heels of the doubles was the women’s J18 single scull of Becca Smith who battled down the course for fourth place overall. In the final division of the day, all the J17/J18 athletes had the opportunity to race again. With the opposition firmly in their gaze, the Mixed J18 coxless quadruple scull of Lily Warren, Ollie Rowlands, Theo Richter and Becca Smith sneaked victory over AB Severn by a mere two seconds. Then came the turn of the women’s J18 coxed four of Sophie Franklin, Josephine Cooper, Poppy Warren, Bryony Francis and Alice Jones (coxswain) who again delivered the goods to win by two seconds over Evesham Rowing Club.

First up for Stratford Masters Women Division One were Corinna Burger and Helen Helliwell in a Women’s Masters C double. Their first race after training through the summer, Corinna said, “After a period of anticipation, we were off with good consistent rowing right up until the end, minding a few trees along the way and coming second overall.”

Next up were Ellie Davis (stroke) and Gina Fusco in women’s masters E double. Competing in their first head together, they executed their plan to row a strong, steady and relaxed race which led to a win. The crew were delighted.

In Division Two, Rebecca England (stroke) and Lucy Scarlett racing in their first head together in the senior women’s double. They had a good start and settled into a solid rhythm, Scarlett steering an excellent course round the long bowside bend. A final push gave them the win with which they were thrilled.

In the last Division Three of the day Women’s Masters had three crews entered. Corinna Burger, Clare Booth, Claudine Pearson and Ruth Poulten (bow) in the Women’s Masters D quad. Their boat, Imperious Countess first outing with new riggers and a new crew formation. In the water, the first stroke appeared to demonstrate a complete inability to row but captain Ruth Poulten (bow) navigated “gate-gate” with calm and confidence and thanks to on-land support and a spanner, gates and oars adjusted, once again the crew were mobile. Ruth steered the course superbly for a respectable timed result. Handicaps placed Stratford third behind two home crews. Ruth Poulten said, “Crew camaraderie, team focus and determination ensured we overcame a number of obstacles on the day to complete the 2k race with smiles all round.”

The newly formed Women’s Masters C crew of Rebecca England (stroke), Ellie Davis, Lucy Scarlett, Gina Fusco were joined by J16 Cox Rory in a coxed four. They started well and settled into a strong rhythm. Pushing off the bend, they were able to increase their power, upping the rate and ably steered by Rory Jones, they overtook two quads ahead of them. This gave them the momentum they needed to finish strongly and take the win.

Last up of the day for Women’s Masters was the beginners quad crew of Sarah Walker (bow), Charlotte Juxon (2), Urania O’Reilly (3), Sally Bliss (stroke) and Jen Carey (cox). They came over the line in great form to finish second of three in their first ever head race together. They kept a steady rate from the start with a final push to secure their position. the crew were super proud of what they achieved.

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald page sixty three and online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/stratford-rowers-are-out-in-force-at-evesham-event-9437519 and also Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-win-medals-galore-at-evesham-autumn-head and also back sports page https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/10/17&pages=24

Stratford Excel at Ross

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The traditional end of season event for Stratford upon Avon Boat Club arrived over the Bank Holiday weekend with thirty one crews travelling to Ross Regatta. The event is considered a classic on the club racing calendar with two days of racing on the beautiful River Wye. This year, low rivers levels demanded a change in the course and prior experience at the event was no longer an advantage.

For Stratford’s Masters, Rebecca England and Lucy Scarlett enjoyed racing the short 550m sprint course in the Women’s Masters A/B double on Sunday. They started well at a lively rate of thirty eight strokes per minute and quickly moved up on Evesham, their opposition, who benefitted from the staggered start. Settling at thirty six strokes a minute, Stratford powered through to take the lead which they held to the end, winning by a comfortable four lengths.

Whilst the J13 and J14 squads were not at full strength, they made their mark on Sunday’s sprint regatta. Racing over 500m of sun-drenched River Wye the youngest members of the Club chalked up some commendable displays of composed sculling with several victories in qualifying heats. The J13 boys will have doubtless absorbed some technical lessons that will prove vital as they look to develop throughout the coming season, whilst the J14 boys (Reuben Stanford and Connor Birrell) sculled beautifully but were finally outmatched by strong opposition from local clubs in their finals. However, the day truly belonged to the girls with Charlotte Franklin (WJ13.1x), Abi Dunn (WJ14.1x) and the WJ14 double scull of Martina Bruce-Bonilla with Bethany Hammond working their way through their heats to claim deserved victories in respective finals.

Coach of the J13/14 squads Jon Francis was impressed by their performance. “Ross is our traditional end to the summer regatta season and a great place for our athletes to shine. They all gave it everything they had and I’m delighted with the results”.

In the J15 events, Rory Rowan and Euan Richter took on home favourites from Ross Rowing Club in the double sculls event but were unable to overturn the Ross combination who were lifted to new heights by the home crowd support.

Stratford’s J16 squad competed in a mix of J16 and senior events as they sought to make a mark on the Regatta.  Fielding no fewer than five crews in the senior double sculls event the crews raced each other plus visitors from Exeter Rowing Club, City of Bristol RC and Stourport Boat Club. Lily and Poppy Warren succumbed to Exeter however then went on to win over Poppy and Martha Baines. Martha Cooke and Millie Smith pushed Bristol hard to the line whilst Alexandra and Bryony Francis saw off Stourport Boat Club. The Francis combination then met Sophie Evans and, fresh out of retirement, Imogen North. North and Evans pipped the Francis crew and then went on to avenge the other Stratford crews by beating Exeter in the final to take the winners pots.

Elsewhere in the draw, the WJ16 coxless quadruple sculls event was an all too familiar showdown between Stratford and Evesham.  The Stratford crew came out on top with a solid win and a place on the top step of the podium.

The day continued with another J16 athlete rowing up to senior in the women’s single sculls event.  A plucky row from Martha Baines saw here come close to causing upset in the event however narrowly missed out to a handy sculler and eventual finalist from Stourport.

In the WJ16 double sculls event, the combination of Maeve Dunn and Isla Dunn overhauled Queen’s Park Chester Boat Club to secure a final versus Stratford’s own Poppy Warren and Bryony Francis.  A race to the line saw Maeve and Isla take the win getting the job Dunn in style!

In the morning division, the J17/18 squad fielded two mixed doubles, with V Vondrak and Xavier Sissins-Roffey first down the course. They started strong, winning their first race against Ross by a length to move onto the semi-final. Hoping to meet the other Stratford mixed double in the final, in the next race they faced a strong crew from City of Bristol who ultimately beat them by a quarter of a length. Meanwhile the crew of Seth Vondrak and Lucy Sartain put in a strong performance in the other semi-final of the event against scullers from home club Ross, racing with composure to win by a length over the senior crew. They then faced a strong Bristol crew in the final where they sculled well, executing their race plan but eventually losing out by just half a length.

Also in the morning, the multiple Women’s doubles crews, including three pairs of sisters made up of J16 & J17s! First up were sisters Lily and Poppy Warren, who started off strong and persevered through a tough race but unfortunately lost out to their opposition. Up next were sisters Poppy and Martha Baines: in a well executed race, the pair had a strong finish but ultimately fell short against strong opposition from Exeter. Also racing in the W2x event was J17 athlete Sophie Evans and her coach Imogen North. They raced against Exeter successfully in their first race and went on to win against another Stratford double in their semi-final. This resulted in a close race against another Exeter crew in the final where they took the win for the event.

In the afternoon, the mixed four crew of Alexandra Francis, Xavier Sissins-Roffey, Ollie Rowlands, Poppy Baines and cox Will Dalrymple-Baker raced up into the open fours category. Opposed by a strong and experienced crew from Bristol, they narrowly missed out on a final after a well executed sprint race. In the Op2- event, two scratched crews meant that the Stratford pair made up of siblings Seth and V Vondrak were in a straight final, coming up against a composite Hereford/City of Bristol crew. Although they rowed an excellent race, they lost to the opposing crew who had a couple years more experience than them, as frequently happens when racing up in the Open category. Finally, in the mixed quads event Nick, Amélie, Toby and Lucy Sartain came together as a family. They rowed well, overcoming the challenges that come with rowing with crew mates of varying sizes (!) to finish just short of the eventual winners of the event, Ross.

For media coverage, see Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-triumph-at-end-of-season-ross-regatta and also back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/08/29&pages=24

Busy Weekend for Stratford’s Rowers in Stourport, Peterborough and Maidenhead

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The weekend saw Stratford upon Avon Boat Club athletes from across the age ranges compete on the Severn in the leisure capital of the Black Country, Stourport on Severn. Hosted by Stourport Boat Club, the two day regatta commenced on Saturday with a 1000m course against the stream on the mighty River Severn.

Flying the flag for Stratford’s J16 squad, the double scull of Josephine Cooper and Bryony Francis took on local rivals from Evesham Rowing Club. In peremptory form, Cooper and Francis executed their race plan with precision to deliver the win despite having to take evasive action to avoid colliding with an errant Masters double scull that had strayed onto the course.

Racing a W2-, the J17/18 crew of Alex Francis and V Vondrak rowed an excellent first race, pulling ahead of their Hereford competition to a clear water win. In the final, against Stourport’s own pair, they unfortunately lost however still rowed a great race for their first regatta as a boat.

The J17/18 crew of Xavier Sissins-Roffey and Scarlett Richardson took on the 1000m course in the mixed doubles event in the afternoon division. In their first race against Stourport, they rowed a terrific race beating the opposition on their home water by over three lengths. This meant they had a place in the final where they were up against Ross Boat Club. In the final the Sissins-Roffey/Richardson double put on another excellent performance and after a rapid start, they quickly pulled ahead of Ross. They then continued pushing, extending their lead further and leading them to victory and first place medals.

Stratford’s Women’s Masters also competed in four events at Stourport Regatta on Saturday. In the morning division Stratford’s Women’s Masters’ V111 competed as a scratch crew. The crew was ably coxed by Jen Cary and comprised of Rebecca England at stroke, Jeanette Caldecott, Lucy Scarlett, Fiona Schulz, Katie Burman, Abby Symons, Caroline Collins, and Charlotte Jones at bow. Rowing together for the first time, they faced an older Bewdley crew and consequently had the daunting prospect of their opposition having a ten second head start. The Stratford crew started strongly, building a good rhythm before settling at a rate of thirty three strokes per minute. Through the middle of the course, Stratford began gaining on Bewdley and moved up to within half a length. Despite pushing hard, they unfortunately ran out of river, crossing the finish in second place.

First up in the afternoon division was the newly formed WMas 4+ Category E (stroke: Caroline Collins, Abby Symons, Katie Burman and Charlotte Jones). Whilst really pleased with their row in their first race together, they were beaten by a more experienced Warwick crew. The crew are really excited to push on to more racing in the future.

The WMasE 2x of Ellie Davis (stroke) and Gina Fusco (bow) took a while to get into a solid rhythm and this combined with bow’s steering an unconventional course meant that the crew lost their race to Derwent who went on to win the final.

The last of the women’s crews to race on Saturday was the WMasB4+, cox Jen Cary, Rebecca England, Jeanette Caldecott, Lucy Scarlett, and Fiona Schulz. For the second time that day, they watched their Bewdley opposition have a head start. The Stratford crew had a solid row, increasing their togetherness and improving technically from their previous races together. While Stratford gained on their opposition, reducing the deficit off the start, the strong Bewdley 4+ pushed back, holding off Stratford to the finish.

Meanwhile at Peterborough Regatta on Saturday, the WMasD2- Suzie Radley and Amanda Bowden raced on the laned 1km course at Peterborough. They were racing for the experience against senior women (35years their junior) as they finalise their preparations for World Masters Regatta in September, to be held in Banyoles, Spain. They raced hard, and finished in a time of 4:07 minutes whilst making improvements on the previous race. The pair will utilise the remaining weeks of August to practise the lessons learnt from the last three races and are looking forward to World Championships having competed at Euro Masters two years ago.

On Sunday Rebecca England and Lucy Scarlett were ready for action once more and returned to race at Stourport sprint regatta in the Masters’ women’s A 2x. Racing against Furnivall Sculling Club, the Stratford double had a really good start with Lucy Scarlett at bow steering a fantastic line around the bend. They quickly moved up and took the lead over their opposition. Maintaining a smooth and relaxed rhythm, Stratford were able to extend their lead over Furnivall, finishing four and a half lengths ahead. Scarlett and England are thrilled with their win and now look to build upon it throughout the head season.

Saturday also saw Stratford’s Adaptive squad compete at Maidenhead. The squad competed in a mixture of singles and doubles event. There highlight for the squad was Jordan Clark’ first regatta, winning the final by a convincing five lengths with his rowing partner Aron Altman. Aron also partnered Gillian Middleton for another win in what has been a very successful season for her. There were several more decent performances and a few disappointing ones. Mark Dewdney, Stratford’s Head Adaptive Coach commented, “We were a bit sloppy in our organisation for the event and sport always finds you out! We have had a better season than envisaged and are bringing on a number of new rowers. This will spur us on to be better the next time”.

Jake Blatcher, who is a great helper with the squad, had a good day getting through to the final of the mainstream singles event, he was defeated by an outstanding local sculler but was pleased with his efforts.

For media coverage see Stratford Herald page thirty nine and https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/severn-heaven-for-rowers-from-stratford-club-9429336: also see Stratford Observer https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-rowers-in-action-at-stourport-peterborough-and-maidenhead and back sports page https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/08/15&pages=24

Stratford’s Juniors & Masters Score at Henley!

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The Henley Town and Visitors’ Regatta, a prestigious event with roots tracing back to the late 1850s, has evolved significantly over the years. Initially known as the Henley Rowing Club Boat Races, it underwent a name change in 1887 to Henley Town Regatta, with the term ‘Visitor’ later incorporated to signify its welcoming stance towards rowers from clubs beyond Henley. This regatta is unique in offering competitors the chance to experience the Henley course in a multi-lane format, a feature typically exclusive to venues like Dorney and Nottingham.

The J14s thoroughly enjoyed their first experience of rowing the world-famous stretch of the River Thames that just weeks earlier had hosted the world’s finest rowers roared on by society’s loudest. Connor Birrell and Tristan Hammick thrived on the chance to race down the most picturesque of courses laying down commendable times in their finals both in a double then separately in single sculls but being unlucky to not come away with medals for their efforts.

However, the girls’ quad of Raya Hothi, Bethany Hammond, Abi Dunn, Martina Bruce-Bonilla and Lilly Parsons (cox) chose their moment to shine. Racing up a class against Reading and Shiplake the girls were in imperious form, led from the off and controlled the race throughout gaining enthusiastic praise from the experienced commentary team for their composure and style. When they learned the medallists were much younger than their opponents, the commentary team momentarily lost their composure and professionalism. “Simply super” is not a compliment many get at Henley and is as close to an emotional outburst one could imagine before lunch.

Not wishing to pass up the chance for further glory, two doubles of Hammond/ Parsons and Hothi/Bruce-Bonilla took the Hereford boat to task in their second final of the day and pushed them to the line but narrowly missed out on a second medal.

Saturday also saw Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s J15s take to this famous stretch of the Thames for the first time in their junior rowing journey. Racing upstream over the 800m course, Will Shaw and Rory Rowan started strongly but lost out to the Shiplake Vikings OJ15 2x boys by three and a half lengths. Seb Happel and Ed Appleton sculled very well with precise steering but lost to the Wallingford boys by two and a half lengths in the semifinal. Wallingford would go on to win the event.

In Division Two, Erin Appleton sculled very well in the WJ15 1x event but lost by four lengths to the Hereford sculler who went on to win the event. Maria Ntoukaki won her semifinal against a strong sculler from Shiplake Vikings by three and a half lengths. In the three side by side final, Maria came second losing by one and a half lengths to the Hereford Sculler after being neck and neck for the majority of the race. Both scullers showed excellent sportsmanship during and after the race.

J15 Coach Hugo Happel commented, “This was a great experience for our J15 athletes. First time at Henley and they sculled with panache. Not enough for medals but great to test themselves and take away some good learning points for the future. Well done all athletes!”

Stratford’s under 16 squad attended in numbers to enjoy some summer racing.  First to go was the combination of Tessa Parkin and Josephine Cooper “rowing up” to J18 level in their double scull. With conditions lumpy on the Henley stretch, the two came home a strong second against West Midlands rivals from Hereford Rowing Club.  Next up was the coxless quadruple scull of Sophie Franklin, Bryony Francis, Isla Dunn, Poppy Warren who, although leaving Reading’s J18s in their wake, were unable to overhaul a quality Hereford crew and came home second overall. In the women’s J16 single sculls, it was the turn of Tessa Parkin and Martha Cooke to head down the track. Martha Cooke took on scullers from Pangbourne College and Shiplake Vikings with Pangbourne going through to the final. In the other half of the draw, Tessa avenged the defeats earlier in the day with a win over Hereford only to be overcome in the final by the charging Pangbourne sculler. To close the J16 day out, the women’s J16 double sculls event saw two crews from Stratford take the water. As the crowd refilled their Pimm’s glasses, Martha Cooke and Sophie Franklin chased Hereford down the course with style. Elsewhere in the draw, Bryony Francis and Isla Dunn saw off Shiplake Vikings with ease however, once again, the day belonged to Hereford Rowing Club as they led the Stratford girls home in the final.

Stratford Masters were also at Henley Town & Visitors’ Regatta with their W Masters A 2x crew of Rebecca England (stroke) and Lucy Scarlett (bow) racing the 800m upstream course. The determined Stratford crew fought hard from the start to catch up after the two opposing Masters B crews of Eton Excelsior and Oxford Amateur began with a head start, but despite the close finish it proved too much this time, with Stratford finishing half a length behind the second crew.

For media coverage see Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/stratford-rowers-among-the-leading-lights-at-prestigious-eve-9428575 and page thirty seven and also Stratford Observer https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-juniors-and-masters-compete-at-henley-town-and-visitors-regatta and back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/08/08&pages=24

Stratford Regatta: Success All Round!

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The weather could not have been better for the Stratford upon Avon Boat Club regatta on Saturday but perhaps a little too hot for some of the athletes but that didn’t stop the great participation with local crews and further afield from Evesham Rowing Club, King’s School Worcester Boat Club, Royal Grammar School Worcester Boat Club, Ross Rowing Club, King Edward V1 Boat Club, Cheltenham College Boat Club, Hereford Rowing Club, Cheltenham Ladies College Rowing Club and Magdalen College School Boat Club as well as major entries from Stratford upon Avon Boat Club itself. The regatta this year had three divisions and one hundred and sixty two separate races starting at promptly at 08.30 and running all day through until a close at 17.45hrs! Running a regatta to time is no mean feat and is a tribute to the race organisers!

This year the Club was very heartened again by the huge turn out from local and distant clubs and the interest from the public. A massive thanks to all our hard working Stratford Boat Club members, visiting crews, umpires and officials and especially the public for supporting the event. The Club was especially honoured to have Stratford upon Avon Town Council Mayor Cllr Dani Hunter attend the regatta and walk the course with Stratford Boat Club Chairman Dawson Curnock.

Stratford’s J16 squad were in action at Stratford’s home regatta held over 500m on the Avon. First to go were the singles sculls of Tessa Parkin, Becca Smith and Sophie Franklin. Fierce competition ensued with a win going to Becca Smith who swept aside quality opposition from King’s School Worcester. Next up were the double sculls of Isla Dunn/Poppy Warren and Maeve Dunn/Martha Cooke. Both crews made it through the early rounds to line up an all Stratford final where the Dunn/Cooke maintained their composure for a win on home water. Finally, the coxless quadruple scull of Bryony Francis, Josephine Cooper, Martha Baines and Millie Smith turned up the heat in a straight final against local rivals Evesham Rowing Club. Sculling strongly the SuABC girls took an early lead which extended over the 500m course for them to take the third win of the day and a clean sweep of ladies J16 events.

Dawson Curnock, Regatta Secretary and Chairman commented, “It was a long day’s racing: our tea tent was extremely busy dispensing dozens of cakes and snacks. What a magnificent day topped by great racing! We ran the regatta under very tight safety protocols. We were especially grateful for the help and tolerance of those operators who work and make their living on the river.”

Saturday proved to be another day of rowing success, fun times and great learning for the Stratford Boat Club’s squads through the age range. Saturday’s Junior Spring Regatta was the 500m course following the Avon through the town from Holy Trinity Church through to the finish line at the Club’s grounds.

Steve Wellstead, Stratford Boat Club’s Junior Coordinator said, “We were blessed with good weather for the regatta, there were crowds watching the racing adding much to Stratford’s atmosphere and vitality: we were glad to showcase our sport and demonstrate our part in the success of our town! Again, we appreciate the tolerance and help from the other river users and colleagues and look forward to our Fun Regatta on Saturday 12 July”

For media coverage of Stratford Boat Club’s Saturday Junior Regatta, see Stratford Herald page forty seven and Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/picture-special-battle-of-the-titans-at-stratford-boat-club-regatta

Stratford Out In Force at Bedford and Henley

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At Bedford Spring Head on Sunday, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s youngest squads were out in force and able to display their skills on a stretch of river that was perfect for all to witness how far they have progressed. The J13’s, racing up a category as J14’s, put out two quads in consecutive divisions who both recorded solid times and impressed with intelligent race plans that saw them cross the line just seconds apart. The combination of Burt, Franklin, Heenan and Siwakowski ultimately claiming bragging rights on this occasion over Durance, Cruise, Jackson and Ford. The coxswains of those boats, Lilly Parsons and Islay Milles respectively, then raced-up again in the J14 double sculls and showcased some real promise with a composed performance and a highly creditable time.

The J14 squad were similarly well represented. Hothi and Mansfield competed early in the double sculls but were beaten into second by a strong Walbrook Rowing Club pairing. A mixed quad of Stanford, Lebordais, Birrell and Dunn, coxed by Mansfield, enjoyed the strong challenge from local clubs and also managed to record the second fastest time in that event. Tiring of second place finishes, Birrell and Lebordais took to the water again in a double scull and blew the competition away, recording the event’s fastest time and taking the gold whilst being chased all the way to the line by their squad mates Hammick and Shickle whose performance was no less commanding.

Both Stratford Boat Club J15 coxed fours were racing: first up were Seb Happel, Will Shaw, Euan Richter and Ed Appleton, coxed by Rory Jones, rowing neatly in the OJ16 4+ against three home crews from Bedford School in seven minutes and thirty seconds, beating all crews coming in as one out three. Next up were Orla Linforth, Maria Ntoukaki, Naomi Sime and Erin Appleton, coxed by Ed Appleton, rowing nicely in the W4+ and setting a great time of eight minutes and seventeen seconds, matching the Stratford WJ18 crew!

Finally, in the OJ15 2x event, Euan Richter and Rory Rowan sculled well over the 2k distance, in eight minutes and seven seconds which wasn’t enough for a medal. Commenting, Hugo Happel, J15 Coach said. “Credit to all three J15 crews, they all did a great job!”

A glorious spring day saw a total of thirty five crews from Stratford upon Avon Boat Club travel to Bedford for the Spring Head. Held over 2000m on the Great Ouse, the course runs through Bedford’s town centre making a theatre of rowing for the day. Stratford’s J16 squad competed in four events throughout the day. First to go was the women’s coxless quadruple scull of Martha Cooke, Tessa Parkin, Martha Baines and Bryony Francis who competed in the J17 event for the day and delivered a superb row scoring a second place against Walbrook Rowing Club. Next off was the women’s coxed four crew of Isla Dunn, Becca Smith, Tessa Parkin, Maeve Dunn and Bryony Francis (coxswain) who again rowed up a category to race against senior women and again demonstrated their quality to come home second against the Loughborough Rowing Club women. The racing continued thick and fast with the WJ16 double sculls of Martha Cooke and Isla Dunn sprinting home to fifth whilst Martha Baines and Bryony Francis took the win in style. Hungry for more, the J16’s then took to the water in the single sculls event.  Racing for a third time in the day Tessa Parkin came home a creditable sixth in a seventeen strong field, Becca Smith in fourth and Maeve Dunn took the win with a confident row in the late afternoon sunshine.

Racing first down the course for the Stratford crews were the boys J18 quads. Xavier Sissins-Rofey, Theo Richter, Jamie Wilcox and Seth Vondrak set off at a blistering pace, executing a solid race plan to put them in second place, although the fifth fastest overall crew of the day. Later in the day they returned to the water in Open Coxless Fours’ event, where they put down another strong performance against their older competitors to finish fourth.

In their first race of the day, Poppy Baines and Lucy Sartain paired up to race the WJ18 doubles in dominant style. They powered down the course taking an expert line through the bridges to claim a distinct win over the rest of the field. Also racing in the WJ18 doubles were Lily Warren and Aimee Appleton. They executed a strong race plan and raced tidily to come out third in their field. In the WJ18 1x event, both crews from Stratford put in good races to come second and third, chasing each other down the course. Later the WJ18 quad rowed an excellent race, brilliantly steered by Lucy Sartain, to win their event by over ten seconds. In Division Six, the crew of Alexandra Francis, Aimee Appleton, Scarlett Richardson and Poppy Baines took to the course in the Women’s Coxless Fours’ event: competing against older and more experienced crews, the four completed a powerful race to claim a win of over twenty seconds to claim silver.

The Bedford Course is a testing row over 2km, with the river becoming narrow in places and requiring crews to navigate numerous bridges. Commenting, Amanda Bowden, Masters’ Vice Captain said, “This was the first race for several of Stratford’s Masters’ crews and the first time steering a race for a couple of the bow steers persons. A huge co granulations for all who raced today! It was wonderful to see so many masters rowers competing in the sunshine today!”

The MxD4x of Suzie Radley, Dan Simkins, Patrick Taylor and Amanda Bowden won the category with an adjusted time of six minutes and forty eight seconds. The crew raced hard and were consistent throughout the race, despite steering challenges and very choppy water conditions in places. The MD2- of Dan Simkins and Patrick Taylor stuck to their race plan and were delighted to complete the 2k race in an adjusted time of seven minutes and twenty four seconds, under rating the winners, coming in second place. There is definitely more to come from this crew!

The single scullers of Tom Doherty in the Masters’ E category and Nick Sartain in the Masters’ D category both rowed strong rhythms and completed the course in times of eight minutes and twenty one seconds and seven minutes and forty dix seconds respectively. Tom was nip and tuck with the Leicester sculler for the whole course, with choppy waters in the mid section adding to an eventful race. The Stratford sculler just prevailed by five seconds to finish in second place in a field of five competitors with local sculler Bedford using his local knowledge to run out the winner by nine seconds. The Mx2x of Tom Doherty and Rebecca England came fourth in their category.

The WMD2x of Suzie Radley and Amanda Bowden had a great start then as they overtook another double, this competitors lost control and steered into the Stratford double. This resulted in a stop, resulting in a considerable time loss of thirty seconds. The result was second place for the Stratford double. The OpME4- of David Noyes, Rich Shepherd, Nev Hands and John Charlesworth raced hard gaining valuable experience on a challenging course. Unfortunately the WME4x including Christine Goodwin, Gina Fusco was hampered by injury and sickness, thankfully they had two subs of Rebecca England and Imogen North and were able to enjoy a row over the course for time only in seven minutes and fifty seconds. Thanks again go to Hugo Happel and Steve Wellstead for towing the trailers and to all the support from the bank.

Meanwhile, Stratford’s adaptive squad attended the annual Adaptive Phyllis Court Time Trial on the Henley Regatta course. The squad was largely made up of established competitors, the event coming a little too soon for a number of recent recruits. The best Club time of the day was achieved by the mother and son combination of Ian and Paola Ward. Best newcomer went to Ricky Clutterbuck. Gillian Middleton, competing for the first time in a single scull, won the Club Most Improved category. Commenting, Mark Dewdney, Stratford’s Head Adaptive Coach said, “Phyllis Court is a useful precursor to the main regatta season. It was attended by the Henley MP, Mayor and Stratford Boat Club’s President, Paul Stanton. The next outing for the adaptive squad is Marlow Spring Regatta in early May.”

For great pictures from Bedford Spring Head, see Stuart Baines’ selection https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AAnHz3nIhATIuP8&id=3DD8F6A70C0CB625%21269548&cid=3DD8F6A70C0CB625

Stratford Cruise Home at West Midlands Junior Championships

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Stratford upon Avon Boat Club J13 squad were enjoying their first away fixture on Sunday at the annual West Midlands Junior Championships in Hereford, demonstrating just how much they have learned in a few weather-afflicted months. The reputation of the boys’ quad had clearly preceded them, their opposition elected to withdraw before the race leaving them free to proceed down the course in an impressive time. The girls’ quad was equally composed, just missing out on gold to a home crew who they chased all the way to the line.

After so many cancelled events the J14 squad were also out in force to demonstrate that the many hours of training had prepared them well. The J14 boys’ quad were in imperious form, sweeping aside the competition to win comfortably and earn the chance to represent the region on the National stage. Not to be outdone, the girls’ quad was equally impressive amongst strong competition, missing out on gold by just 0.7 seconds over the 1.8km course. In the WJ14 single sculls, Abi Dunn raced straight and strong to claim a deserved gold, followed by Meredith Paul (bronze) and Scarlet Wheeler just seconds later.

Competing for the first time as J15s, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club juniors had a very successful event on a beautifully sunny day. In Division 1, Maria Ntoukaki claimed a bronze medal in the WJ15 1x event, beating some strong opposition from Ross and Hereford Cathedral Rowing Clubs. In Division 2, the might of Royal Shrewsbury School Boat Club proved too much for Stratford’s OJ15 4+ boys consisting of Seb Happel, Will Shaw, Ed Appleton, Rory Rowan and Rory Jones (Cox), nevertheless a tidy and composed row in their first ever sweep event. In Division 3 in the WJ15 4+ event, Maria Ntoukaki, Orla Linforth, Erin Appleton, coxed by Ed Appleton and joined by Evesham rower Daisy Wilkes, beat strong opposition from Royal Shrewsbury over the 1800m course to claim gold and will be representing the West Midlands at JIRR in April, as a composite Stratford/Evesham crew. Also in Division 3, Stratford’s OJ15 2x of Seb Happel and Will Shaw saw off a raft of strong scullers and will be representing our region at the Junior Inter-Regional Regatta. Commenting, Hugo Happel, J15 Coach said, “Overall, a superb day with our juniors rowing with fine technique and panache.”

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club fielded a record twenty seven crews across the age groups with athletes from J14, J15 and J16 squads competing to represent the West Midlands at the Junior Inter-Regional Regatta in April. Stratford’s J16s competed in three events over the 1.8km course on the River Wye. First to race was Martha Baines in the WJ16 single scull: sculling well in the Herefordshire morning sunshine, she recorded a solid sixth place. Next to race was the women’s coxless quad in which Bryony Francis, Tessa Parkin, Maeve Dunn and Isla Dunn scored a creditable Silver Medal narrowly missing out to Hereford Cathedral School for the West Midlands jersey. Double sculls of Poppy Warren and Sophie Franklin plus Tessa Parkin and Josephine Cooper recorded sixth and seventh respectively in their event. Lack of opposition gave the WJ16 coxless four a place in the West Midlands team however the crew of Millie Smith, Becca Smith, Martha Baines and Martha Cooke used the event for race practice ahead of JIRR later in April.

The J17/18 squad turned up in numbers itching to put a long winter of training and no racing behind them and turn the hard work into winning races. They didn’t disappoint!

First up in Division 1 were the men’s and women’s coxless quads. The men’s boat of Vondrak, Wilcock, Rowlands and Albrighton, competing for the first time in this highly competitive boat class, sculled well and narrowly missed out on a bronze medal by just three tenths of a second, showing lots of promise for the season ahead. In the women’s event both Stratford and Royal Grammar School Worcester were fielding two boats each but it was a clean sweep for the Stratford girls of Baines, Francis, Warren and Sartain securing gold and Appleton, Cooper, Davis and Jones the silver medal.

Division 2 first saw the men’s pair of Sissins-Roffey and Vondrak up against Kings Worcester in a one on one match but the Stratford boys were too strong for them and took the gold easily. Next, the double scull combination of Albrighton and Rowlands fought hard in a tight bunch of four crews competing for the bronze but in the end narrowly missed out on a medal by just two seconds. The women’s double scull pairing of Vondrak and Richardson were up in a field of eight boats including the GB U19 represented Royal Grammar School Worcester crew. The Stratford girls showed how competitive they are by securing the silver just eight seconds behind RGS and were a clear twenty seconds ahead of the third placed boat.

In Division 3 Stratford fielded three single scullers across the men’s and women’s event. Wilcock and Sissins-Roffey competed in a popular event with eleven boats and secured ninth and fourth respectively.  In the women’s race Francis also secured a 4th place in a field containing the Royal Grammar School Worcester girls from the doubles event. The final race of the day for the J17/18 squad brought the women together to compete in the eights race against Kings School Worcester. The scratch crew showed great form to row a tidy and strong race and took the gold medal by five seconds, rounding off a successful day in the sun for the squad.

For media coverage, please see Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-scullers-excel-at-west-midlands-junior-championships and back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/03/07&pages=24

For pictures of the West Midland Junior Championships, please see Stuart Baines’ great selection https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AHkTu3llJrwcWSA&id=3DD8F6A70C0CB625%21268907&cid=3DD8F6A70C0CB625

Racing at Last for Stratford’s J16 Squad!

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After an extended break due to high and fast river conditions and cancelled head of the river races, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s J16 squad were back in action racing at Wycliffe Big Head. Held over 4500m on the Gloucester – Sharpness Canal, the event provides an excellent standard of competition in the junior head racing season.

In a departure from normal events, Stratford fielded an VIII comprising Bryony Francis, Sophie Franklin, Josephine Cooper, Becca Smith, Tessa Parkin, Martha Baines, Martha Cooke, Millie Smith and Poppy Warren (coxswain). Commenting, Steve Wellstead, J16 Coach and Junior Coordinator said, “The crew delivered a strong performance throughout to finish a creditable second place just ten seconds behind Kings School Chester.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/crew-secures-second-place-on-their-return-9403133 and page thirty seven and also Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-clubs-junior-squad-return-to-the-water-at-wycliffe-big-head and also back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/02/07&pages=24

For great pictures of Wycliffe Big Head, see Stuart Baines’ excellent selection https://1drv.ms/f/s!AiW2DAyn9tg9kKVWi-QhE2c6RjH_Ng?e=d8AYdD

Henley Successes for Stratford Boat Club

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First to race for Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s J15 squad at the Henley Town & Visitors’ Regatta on Saturday was the coxed quadruple scull of Millie Smith, Maeve Dunn, Martha Cooke, Isla Dunn and Bryony Francis (coxswain). After a straightforward first round victory, the crew met Hereford Rowing Club in the final. Leaping out to a one/two length lead off the start, the Stratford boat was slowly reeled in with Hereford taking the victory by just one boat length. Hot on the heels of the quadruple sculls race the J15 single sculls took to the water. Becca Smith and Sophie Franklin turned the tables on Hereford to take wins in the first round. Sophie and Becca then met one another in the final. Teammates in training, the two engaged race mode with Becca taking the win by just over a boat length. In the Band 2 event, Stratford’s Millie Smith fresh out of the quadruple sculls final gave chase to a quality Hereford sculler but had to concede victory to the fresh legs of the Hereford sculler. Finally, the double sculls of Sophie Franklin/Martha Cooke, Becca Smith/Maeve Dunn and Isla Dunn/Bryony Francis took on Hereford Rowing Club yet again. The Stratford athletes pushed hard in the last races of the day, however were unable to turn over the Hereford advantage.

The Henley Town and Visitors’ Regatta, a prestigious event with roots tracing back to the late 1850s, has evolved significantly over the years. Initially known as the Henley Rowing Club Boat Races, it underwent a name change in 1887 to Henley Town Regatta, with the term ‘Visitor’ later incorporated to signify its welcoming stance towards rowers from clubs beyond Henley. This regatta is unique in offering competitors the chance to experience the Henley course in a multi-lane format, a feature typically exclusive to venues like Dorney and Nottingham. This year’s regatta saw a remarkable display of skill and determination, particularly from the junior competitors, who often find themselves competing at senior levels due to the event’s structure.

In a gripping display of competitive rowing, Stratford’s J16 Alexandra Francis took an early lead in the women’s singles event. Despite her initial advantage, the experience of her opponent from St Edmunds College—affectionately known as ‘Teddies’—proved decisive. The seasoned Teddies rower leveraged her age and experience to overtake Francis, clinching victory in a classic example of endurance and expertise triumphing over youthful vigour.

The J16 double sculls event introduced a fresh duo, Theo Richter and Seth Vondrak, who faced off against a seasoned team from Hereford. Although new to rowing together, Richter and Vondrak demonstrated promising synergy, hinting at a bright future for the pair. In the J16 singles, a thrilling head-to-head unfolded between Ollie Rowlands and Xavier Sissins-Rofey. Rowlands, with an early lead, maintained a slender advantage for the majority of the race, but it was Sissins-Rofey’s single sculling expertise that ultimately secured him the victory.

The senior open 2 coxless pair event featured Vondrak and Sissins-Rofey once again, this time showcasing their rapid progress as a crew. Having only formed a few months prior, they dominated their heat with a four-length lead, advancing confidently to the final. There, they faced a crew from the East India Club and emerged victorious, solidifying their status with a decisive four-and-a-half-length triumph.

The regatta culminated with a debut performance from a mixed J16 coxed four, consisting of Theo Richter, Ollie Rowlands, Sophie Evans, Alice Jones coxed by Meg Nuttall. Competing in the senior category with minimal preparation, their race was a testament to their adaptability and teamwork winning convincingly against a crew from Curlew.

Stratford’s Women’s Masters D double also enjoyed racing success at Henley. They won the heat against Maidenhead and Thames Tradesmen’s Rowing Clubs with a verdict of easily. The final was close off the start but once the double got moving, they came through Marlow Rowing Club, going into the lead and held that advantage, winning easily. Said Amanda Bowden, Stratford’s Masters’ Vice Captain, “The race practice in windy, choppy water conditions was valuable and we can take that forward to future races”.

For media coverage, please see Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/rowers-return-from-regatta-with-medals-9377981 and page forty three and Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-celebrate-success-at-henley-town-and-visitors-regatta