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Solid Progress for Stratford at Stourport

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The Women’s Masters C VIII coxed by Jen Carey with Amanda Bowden, Suzie Radley, Rebecca England, Jeannette Caldicot, Katie Burman, Fiona Schultz, Lucy Scarlett and Gina Fusco had a fantastic row at Stourport Regatta at the weekend beating Avon County easily. The crew took advantage of the staggered start, pulling away around the outside of the bend and Avon County failed to respond. As this was her first regatta, Katie Burman summed the event up well saying, “I loved learning and laughing with you all!”

Following this race, four of the women split into a smaller boat class and raced twice more in a coxed four. Despite being a masters’ crew, they were racing at senior level age 19-27. They beat Furnival B crew easily in the semi final and narrowly lost to Furnival A crew by a foot in the final. Jeannette Caldicot reflected, “It was a really solid row. We were neck and neck for the first half of the race: then Furnival pulled away and we came back on them. We believed we were close to coming through at the finish.” Jen Carey, cox, said, “Everybody gave their best, I couldn’t have asked any more of them. It was an excellent race!”

The first masters’ race of the day, in drizzly conditions, was the Low CRI men’s VIII, stroked by David Phillips followed by Thomas Garner, David Vazquez, Tim Hayter, Gary Kinley, Dave Edwards, Andrew Lear, Richard Forrest and coxed by Jen Carey: the crew had a strong start at rate thirty seven strokes per minute, led by stern pair of  David Phillips and Thomas Garner. Both crews stayed level to the 500m bend. With a settled rate of thirty four strokes per minute, the crew began to take their inevitable disadvantage of the outside of the bend: Bewdley used their inside line to creep forward and out of the bend the bows were level. Into the last 250m the Bewdley push to the line proved too much for Stratford and Bewdley took the lead by a canvas across the line. Commenting, Amanda Bowden, Stratford’s Masters’ Vice Captain said, “A well rowed 1000m by Stratford, this crew is making good progress, maybe next time!”

Our thanks go to Dave Edwards for towing, to Elisabeth Edwards for her support and all the other members who have coxed, coached and subbed in for training sessions.

On Sunday, Stratford raced again in the 500m sprint races. The mixed double of Fiona Schultz and David Phillips raced hard, demonstrating boat winning speeds. Despite competing in a borrowed boat, they lead the semi final all the way, unfortunately being overtaken in the last stages by Derwent Rowing Club.

For media coverage, please see Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-club-masters-make-progress-at-stourport-regatta and Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/masters-secure-regatta-victory-9378935

Onwards to 2023!

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It was a bright, sunny morning, and Stratford upon Avon Boat Club were out in force with twelve athletes competing in freshly assembled crews for the annual Boxing Day Regatta. First up was Team A: Martha Usselmann, Matt Meynell, Heather Hayton, Elisabeth Edwards and cox Cameron Dalrymple-Baker vs Team B: Jack Arrowsmith, Will Dalrymple-Baker, Jackie Josbury, Amanda Bowden and cox Katie Phillips. All crews raced twice, switching their lane after the first race. A quick start saw Team A draw ahead but Team B held their own, keeping level with Team A until the final few lengths of the race where Team A pulled away to take the first win of the day. Both teams had a quick turn around and were soon back up at the start, ready to go again. Another quick start from Team A saw them claim victory once more, with Team B battling with them to the end.

Both crews were pulled in and Team A swapped out with Team C: Katie Phillips, Ruby Howells, Cameron Dalrymple-Baker, Dave Edwards, and cox Elisabeth Edwards. Team B stayed on, swapping their cox for Martha Usselmann. Crews paddled up to the start and moved off with a strong start but the slightly fresher Team C gradually pulled away from Team B to take the lead, crossing the line just ahead of Team B. Both crews turned and headed back up on opposite sides. Once again both crews had a strong start, with Team C pulling away initially but Team B keeping the pressure on them. Team C crossed the line first but their aggressive racing line caused Team B to move close to the bank to avoid contact which led to the race being considered a draw.

Finally Team A swapped in with Team B, with both crews changing their coxes to Amanda Bowden (A) and Will Dalrymple-Baker (C). Both crews headed up to the start line for the final two races of the morning. Once more, quick starts from both crews were seen and they kept level with each other for the first half of the race. A burst of pressure from Team A as the crews passed the theatre saw them move away from Team C in the final stages of the race and take victory. Both crews took a leisurely paddle back up to the start in an attempt to catch their breath and lined up once more. Both crews were quick off the mark and kept level, with Team C starting to move ahead as the crews reached the halfway mark, however a well timed call from Team A’s cox saw the boat gain speed and move away from Team C just as the crews crossed the finish line.

With four wins across the morning, Team A were declared the victors and were each awarded a Stratford Boat Club tankard. Tankards were also awarded to all who coxed, as well as one being awarded to the brilliant finish marshal, who helped signal the end of each race.

Commenting, Paul Stanton, the Club’s President said, “Many thanks go to Trevor Tiller, Zöe Edwards, Helen Smith and Ian Wilcock for marshalling and to Dave Edwards for organising the event.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald pages forty and thirty eight.

For more great pictures of the Boxing Day Scratch Regatta, see David Phillips’ excellent selection https://1drv.ms/u/s!AiBE8NqoVVypgg6L22bLS2AnUG6E?e=3kjYqr

Christmas Excess Blown Away!

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Courtesy of DP Photos

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s annual Scratch Regatta took place early on Boxing Day morning and over fifty members managed to leave their beds after the overindulgence of the Christmas festivities. The crews were supported by friends and relatives who came down to the river to watch the spectacle and cheer

Twenty six competitors, including four former junior members and visiting rowers took part. A nice mix of mature and younger members

Courtesy of DP Photos

from all sections of the Club came with their families. Some of the athletes have been rowing for less than a year.

Six crews raced in a knockout competition. The final was won by a masters and juniors mixed crew of Simon Beard, Nixie Brunt, Khloe Curnock, Richard Shepherd and coxed by Katie Wellstead. Club tankards were awarded to the winning crew. The conditions were mild with little wind or current and the crews were supported by club volunteers

Commented coach Helen Smith, joint organiser. “All races were over a short sprint course from the Ferry to the Club grounds on the Town stretch of the River Avon”

The racing provided great interest to early morning sightseers and visitors watching from the Recreation Ground, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre Terrace, Bancroft Gardens and The Tramway Bridge. Said Dawson Curnock, Chairman for Stratford Boat Club, “The scratch regatta caught the imagination of all who came down to the river and gave us added impetus to move further ahead for fundraising in 2019 to achieve the funds to refurbish and replace our fleet and equipment”  

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club will be back on the river this week and after the New Year training hard for the 2019 head season, the Senior squad’s entry at Henley Royal Regatta and their own regatta in June

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online http://www.stratford-herald.com/94254-stratford-boat-clubs-boxing-day-scratch-regatta-hailed-success.html and page fifteen

For more great Boxing Day Scratch Regatta pictures, see David Phillip’s selection https://www.dpphotos.co.uk/Boxing-Day-Regatta-2018/ and Stuart Baines’ pictures https://1drv.ms/f/s!AiW2DAyn9tg9jOluK1P6Ae2IgUtZMA