Tag Archives: Gina Fusco

Stratford Triumph at Northampton and at Home

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Stratford upon Avon Boat Club Masters ladies Gina Fusco and Christine Goodwin continued their racing journey this weekend with a trip to Northampton Rowing Club to compete in the Northampton Head of the Nene.

The race saw the double swap seats in their new combination for the first time with Gina setting the rate and rhythm at stroke and Christine steering at bow.

A great fast start saw them settle into their race plan quickly and row the course fluently and with new precision, resulting in a medal win in their category by eleven seconds over their Northampton rivals.

The athletes commented, “We felt we rowed a good race and our legs gave us the power we needed. Special thanks to our coaches Colin and Dani for their continued guidance and encouragement and also to Robert for being our patient support vehicle. There is still lots to work to be put in going forward but it has been great to have the training pay off.”

Gina and Christine are affectionately known as ‘Rhubarb and Custard’ by their Stratford Boat Club colleagues, a reference to their matching kit and general mischief in the boat!

Meanwhile, athletes back in Stratford took part in their own mini head race on Saturday on the upstream stretch of the Avon. This was the Club’s second mini head with five crews taking part. Run 1 starting just past Fisherman’s car park to upstream to the top where the boats turned ready for Run 2 returning downstream to the car park. Two crews then returned to the Club with the other three competing in Run 3 and Run 4. The focus was on the results for Runs 1 and 2 only where the times are averaged out to provide a ranking.

Coxless and coxed fours, quads, doubles and a single all took part: the overall ranking for Run 1 and 2 was calculated with the results adjusted for age and boat type. Commenting, Chris Belcher, Midweek Rowers’ Vice Captain and organiser of the mini head said, “A big ‘thank you’ to the two launch drivers, timekeepers, result recorders and helpers who made the event possible. We will do it all again in the spring, hopefully with more single scullers to make the event more challenging!”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald page fifty five and https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/masters-duo-clinch-gold-medal-9237228 and Stratford Observer on the back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2022/01/28&pages=032 and online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-upon-avon-boat-club-win-gold-in-masters-ladies-race-in-northampton-head-of-the-nene

Stratford Clean Up Indoors and at Wycliffe!

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The weekend saw a welcome return to racing on the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal for the annual Wycliffe Small Boats Head.  Held over 2500m, the Wycliffe event always attracts quality crews from around the region and for the 42nd edition the competition did not disappoint.  As the wildfowl of the nearby Wetland Trust stirred from their slumber, the Stratford upon Avon Boat Club athletes pushed off to get racing underway in Division 1. The WJ14 coxed quadruple scull of Lucy Yang (cox), Poppy Baines, Alexandra Francis, Meg Nuttall and Lily Warren were first down the course. Surging past a quality outfit from Hereford Cathedral School, the girls went on to take the bronze medal.  Later in Division 3, the open J14 coxed quadruple scull of James Albrighton (cox), Seth Vondrak, Ollie Rowlands, Sophie Evans and Alice Jones delivered more hardware with a commanding row to take the silver medal.

Stratford’s J15 athletes continued their initiation to head racing and came back with an impressive medal haul. Lucy Sartain won Silver in the WJ15 1x category, beating the girls from Wallingford Rowing Club. Will Dalrymple-Baker won Bronze in the OJ15 1x in 11:58.9, beating strong opposition from Queens Park High, Dart Totnes and Wallingford Rowing Club. Will and Jamie Wilcock collected Bronze in the OJ15 2x, in 10:37.9, beating crews from QPH, Dart Totnes, Kings Worcester, Hereford and Monmouth.

Charles Happel was the only J16 competing in the OJ16 1x event, and set a Silver medal winning time of 11:11.6, beating strong opposition from Queens Park High and Hereford Cathedral.

The day started early for Stratford’s J17/18 Performance squad in Division 1, with Toby Sartain and Will Beattie finishing third in the open doubles event. Freya Watts (WJ17) and Amelie Sartain (WJ18) also competed in their respective singles races, both placing second overall. Later in Division 2, they raced alongside Fleur Griffiths and Lucy Browne in the WJ18 quad event, competing against fellow teammates Ruby Howells, Harriet Holmes, Martha Usselmann and Elisabeth Edwards. In a field of stiff competition, the girls finished eleventh and twelfth respectively. Tomi Wilcock and Will Beattie also raced in Division 2, placing fifth in the open J18 doubles event. With the wind picking up in Division 3, Martha Usselmann stepped into the WJ18 doubles event to replace an injured teammate to row with Harriet Holmes, the pair achieving a strong fourth place, just ahead of Fleur Griffiths and Ruby Howells who finished fifth. The open J17 singles event rounded off the day for the squad, with Tomi Wilcock coming in second, and Toby Sartain just after in third.

Christine Goodwin and Gina Fusco, Stratford Masters also competed in the doubles event.

This weekend was also the annual British Rowing Indoor Championships which this year took place in a fully virtual format.  Athletes competed for glory from living rooms, conservatories, garden sheds and garages across the globe. In her first year of rowing, Cara Berisford-Murray represented Stratford upon Avon Boat Club in both 500m and 3min races for Year Eight girls’ category. In a thrilling three minute event, Cara walked through the field to secure the Silver medal just 1.5 lengths behind the winner.  Not satisfied with one medal, Cara went on to dominate the 500m sprint event taking Gold.  Commenting, Steve Wellstead, Junior Co-ordinator and J13 coach said, “A truly magnificent start to her rowing career and results of which she can be proud!”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald page fifty three and online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/rowers-claim-medals-galore-9229376 and also Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-upon-avon-boat-club-enjoy-success-at-british-rowing-indoor-championships-and-wycliffe-small-boats-head and back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2021/12/10&pages=024

For more great pictures of Wycliffe Small Boats Head, see Stuart Baines’ selection https://1drv.ms/u/s!AiW2DAyn9tg9j4MIWDlZpSwGKK7L_w?e=rYDQUC