150 Years Young and Still Moving Forward!

Some of Stratford Boat Club’s members take time out to consider the past but more especially look forward to the future after 150 years of existence!

Some reminiscences from Paul Stanton, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s President

“The Club was formed in 1874: the central part of the clubhouse dates from the 1890s and remained much the same until after WW2. The efforts of members, often building facilities themselves, has added various additional areas since then, the last being the Gym Pavilion in 2015.

Stratford Boat Club was formed as a men’s only club: only in the 1970s, one hundred years after ifs foundation, were women allowed to become full members. The Club has a varied history with some outstanding achievements dotted along the way: the crew that got to the final of the trials for the 1948 London Olympics, the Gold Medal at the 2012 Paralympics, and the Olympic Silver medal in Paris this year. A fine record for a club that has always had very limited resources.”

 Steve Wellstead: Junior Coordinator. Coordinates the activities of the junior squad coaches and organises the junior summer camps throughout August and serves on the various Club committees

“Junior rowing at Stratford upon Avon Boat Club has transformed over the last one hundred and fifty years. Our clubhouse walls display the early achievements of a few dedicated schoolboy rowers from the 1900s, yet today’s junior rowing scene in Stratford has grown tremendously. We now have a thriving squad of around eighty boys and girls alongside a growing number of adaptive junior rowers.

Our mission is to prepare young athletes for a lifelong passion in rowing. With that goal, our junior programme offers them the full spectrum of the sport – sculling, rowing, coxing, coaching and more. Competing across regional and national events, Stratford Boat Club’s juniors are a regular presence at some of the country’s most competitive races, bringing back medals and trophies that celebrate a tradition of success.

None of this would be possible without our dedicated volunteer coaches, safety launch drivers and the many supporters who make it all happen. But perhaps the strongest testament to our junior programme is the legacy of our athletes: many go on to row at other clubs and universities, some become coaches guiding the next generation and a select few have even reached the heights of Olympic and World Champion glory. As we look ahead, we’re excited to build on our legacy and carry junior rowing on the Avon forward for another one hundred and fifty years!”

Julian Foster: long standing volunteer, former Club Captain and Masters sculler

“My first thought on being a volunteer at Stratford upon Avon Boat Club was of immense gratitude to the many people who have selflessly given their time and energy to Stratford Boat Club. I have never forgotten how Chris Morgan, the then Club Captain, drove me all the way to Trentham Regatta for my first race as a junior with the sculling boat strapped to the roof of his old Ford Escort.

My first serious stint as a volunteer was captaining the Club in the mid 1990’s when the Club had suffered several setbacks. I am eternally grateful to the many people who stepped up to do tasks such as repairing boats, helping with fundraising, coaching and acting as vice captains for the different squads.

Family and career limited my opportunity to give much support to the Club for a while but I remained a member of ‘Team Hamburger’ for many years, grilling burgers at the Club’s regattas which was great fun as well as a good fundraiser!

Approaching retirement, I learned to drive safety launches, enabling me to repay some of the support the Club has given me. I am privileged to provide safety cover and occasional coaching tips for the youngest members of the Club: it is immensely satisfying to watch these youngsters grow from nervous beginners to confident, capable young adults who show great team spirit.”

Camilla Hadland-Horrocks: Gold Medalist World Rowing Junior Championships 2010 Women’s Eight and rowing commentator

“It’s been fantastic to see the Club feature so strongly at every level of the sport, international, national, grassroots and also participating in brilliant community initiatives. What makes the Club so successful and special is its ability to support members and athletes with whatever their aspirations may be. To see Stratford Boat Club’s name feature amongst some of the largest clubs and events up and down the country still instils a huge sense of pride in me. The Club was instrumental in making me feel welcome and at home with a new sport when first taking it up at Stratford School and encouraged me to take it all the way to the highest level. Without the Club, I would not still be involved with rowing to the level I am today and it’s always wonderful to return home to visit and see the next generation of Stratford junior rowers falling in love with the sport in the same way I did twenty years ago! A highlight this year was to witness the 150th year celebrations at Henley Royal Regatta and seeing the diversity of the Club’s membership represented on this world famous course!”

Amanda Bowden: Masters’ Vice Captain and medal winning Masters’ sculler and rower

“The Masters’ squad has seen considerable growth in rowing membership post Covid: It is now a regular occurrence to see Masters’ crews taking to the river every day of the week and throughout the seasons in all boat classes.

The aim of the squad is twofold: firstly to enable members to row independently as single scullers, giving flexibility to enjoy the river when they have the opportunity and secondly to join the squad, connecting and meeting other members to form crews, thereby having fun rowing in a variety of boat classes.

Masters rowers at Stratford benefit from being part of a readymade community where members meet new people, make friends and join in with the Club rowing and social activities. Rowing is a fabulous sport that strengthens physical and mental health, offering the opportunity for competitive racing at all levels. The Masters’ squad at Stratford enters all levels of competition from novice to European level. The winter head races and summer regattas are a huge amount of fun, through which further connections with the wider rowing community are forged.

The Masters’ women have seen the most significant development over the last two years. The nature of the rowing stroke and strengthening work is particularly beneficial for growing bone density and women can feel hugely empowered by others in the crew which makes rowing particularly attractive as a sport for life. The highlight of this year was the Masters Women’s VIII racing at the Veterans Head of the River Race and we were further inspired when Esme Booth, our Silver Olympian, came to support her mother and the other women who were in that crew. The achievements of Esme Booth rowing for GB is hugely motivational for the Masters’ women as Esme role model shows all being the best version of what we can achieve oneself and dedication to your crew!”

Esme Booth: Silver Olympian 2024, World Rowing Championship medallist, physiotherapist and support worker

“Now as an Olympic Silver medalist, I owe so much of my success to Stratford upon Avon Boat Club. Growing up in Stratford, the Club was where I first learned to row, and it was here that my journey in the sport began. The supportive environment taught me essential skills and instilled in me the discipline needed to operate at the highest level. The Club’s training and team mindset set a strong foundation, preparing me to tackle the intensive training programme at Oxford Brookes University.

Rowing isn’t just about medals, it’s about enjoying the journey, seizing every opportunity and putting in the hard work. The support and encouragement from Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s coaches and my teammates made those early years memorable and motivating. They showed me that success doesn’t just mean winning but taking every opportunity and always giving it one hundred percent!

I hope my story inspires young rowers at the Club to pursue their dreams, knowing they have a strong community behind them. Stratford Boat Club is where it all started for me and I’m grateful for the role the Club played in helping me achieve everything I have in my rowing career!”

Imogen North: Seniors’ Vice Captain and J17/18 Coach

“Rowing is an addictive sport which, for many like me, becomes not just a sport but a way of life! I have been a member of Stratford Boat Club since 2010, when I was just twelve years old. Over the years, my involvement with the Club has evolved from a junior athlete, to a university student training over the holidays and now as a junior squad coach and Senior Vice Captain. At each stage, there have been different challenges balancing training, study, work, social life and my coaching and committee roles within the Club but one thing always remained the same, my passion for the sport. I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by friends and family, some of whom are also members of the rowing community and all are supportive of my commitments to the sport and the Club. Without this, I wouldn’t have had the incredible experiences rowing has given me.

Today, looking back at my time in the Club, I can say that what makes Stratford Boat Club is not the building or the equipment (although they do help!) but the people within it. Without the many coaches that have given their time and the other members supporting and pushing me over the years, I wouldn’t be the rower or individual I am today.”

 Mark Dewdney: Head Adaptive Coach, British Rowing Medal of Merit 2023, British Rowing West Midlands Lifetime Achievement Award 2021, former Chairman Club Adaptive Group/Adaptive Strategy Group and Ambassador for International Mixed Ability Sports

“Stratford’s award winning Adaptive Section started in 2015, is the largest most impairment diverse squad in the UK. Membership of some twenty athletes, the squad has an enviable competitive record. It is widely regarded as the most advanced provision in the country and, as such, it has an important role in mentoring other less experienced clubs on best practice, safety and other matters. The primary focus is delivery of an enjoyable sport to many but with the ability to support those with paralympic ambitions. The recent formation of a junior adaptive squad bodes well for the future.”

For media coverage, please see British Rowing: https://www.britishrowing.org/2025/02/stratford-upon-avon-bc-celebrates-150th-anniversary and Stratford Observer pages six and seven https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/02/14&pages=24 and also online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/stratford-upon-avon-boat-club-looks-back-to-the-future-54103

Stratford take Silver Medal at Junior National Rowing Championships

The junior rowing season culminates each year in the British Rowing Junior National Championships held on the 2000m purpose built lake at the National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham.  The event held over three days represents the last opportunity for junior athletes to compete on the national stage after a year of training hard.

Day One saw the Stratford J14 squad competing in the Omnium event, a test of their skills and boatmanship. The day began with an initial time trial over 1000m in coxed quadruple sculls to determine placings for the finals later in the day. This was then followed by the Omnium in single and double sculls. In the individual event, Amelie Sartain secured right place from ninety one competitors followed by Elisabeth Edwards. Martha Usselmann and Sienna Rawlings took twenty seventh place in the doubles event, closely followed by the pairings of Harriet Hodgson and Sophie Elstone and Abbey Meggeson and Emma Harrison. The morning time trails resulted in the coxed quadruple scull of Amelie Sartain, Harriet Hodgson, Sienna Rawlings, Sophie Elstone and Mary Walton (coxswain) being placed in the C final whilst the crew of Abbey Meggeson, Elisabeth Edwards, Emma Harrison, Martha Usselmann and Rebecca Parkin (coxswain, on loan from Evesham Rowing Club) unfortunately missed a finals place by only 0.7 of a second, approximately 25cm over a distance of 1000m. After a long, hot, tiring, yet very enjoyable day, the races resulted in an overall position nationally of eighteenth place for the finals squad.

Days Two and Day Three followed the more usual regatta format where J15 and upwards crews raced side by side over the full 2000m course. First to go where the J15 coxed quadruple scull of Jasmine Mountney, Nixie Brunt, Mili Wilcock, Maiya James and Naomi Sergeant (coxswain) recording twenty third in the time trial of over forty crews competing and twenty fourth overall at the close of the regatta. Next up was Fred Tyler in the J15 single scull with a strong showing in the time trial finishing sixteenth. In the regatta format competition Tyler went on to improve his ranking to fourteenth overall from the forty scullers competing, a great performance and one that shows promise for next season. The final J15 crew competing was the women’s double scull of Mya Kenny and Alice Baines. Highly motivated from training the pairing opened well with eighth in the time trial with a time sufficient to put them in the top three at J16. Then on to the regatta format finishing the day second in the B Final and eighth overall. A highly creditable result.

Last but by no means least, the Stratford J16 squad took to the water. The recently formed coxless quadruple scull of Jessica Wiesheu, Autumn Keil, Emma Little and Talei Dunn put in an exemplary performance in the time trial. The crew’s aggressive racing style in an exciting and demanding semi-final earned them a place in the final of six crews. Still exhausted from their previous race, the crew sculled well but could not get amongst the medals. Joe Hodson (King Edward The Sixth Grammar School rowing captain) was one of thirty eight single scullers contesting the J16 event. He finished twenty fifth in the time trial and after racing strongly over 2000 metres was less than nine seconds from making the top twelve who qualify for the semi-finals. His day ended with a superlative piece of sculling to give him third place in the minor final. Said Steve Wellstead, Junior Co-ordinator, “The crowning moment for the club then came with the crew of Katie Wellstead, Emily Browne, Khloe Curnock and Molly Gill-Swift coxed magnificently by Mimi Hill taking to the water in the coxed four ev

Photo : Angus Thomas (werow.co.uk)

ent. After coming second in the time trial, first in the semi-final the crew raced superbly and skillfully in a most exciting final to finish just behind one of this season’s main adversary, Lea Rowing Club. As a result the girls took the Silver Medal in the event and a just reward for ten months of very hard work in the gym and on the water whilst studying for and completing GCSE examinations.  2019 promises to be another exciting rowing year for them all.”

For media coverage, please see Stratford Observer online at https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/stratford-youngsters-excel-to-seal-silver-medal-at-nationals

Another Colourful Fun Regatta!

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Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s Fun Regatta took place on Saturday amidst good humoured rivalry. While crowds from Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire and further afield came in great numbers, the weather was hot and thus the demand for the barbecue was diminished and many move to the tea tent and bar for sustenance! Cheers from crew supporters and visitors spurred on some seventeen crews to their fleeting place in history – winning, surviving, completing the course or being the best well dressed crew on the river!

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Said Wallace Brown, Stratford Boat Club’s Fun Regatta Secretary, “This year’s Fun Regatta, our sixteenth, was another great one in terms of number of local crews from companies and organisations. This year we also had several crews from parents of our young rowers: fierce competition – Mums against Dads!”

Wallace added, “The ingenuity and effort put into the fancy dress was

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amazing – Boat Full of Sunshine, Row Britannia and Lightning Vikings – brought a smile to everybody’s face! Already we’ve seen several competitors sign up for Stratford Boat Club’s autumn Learn to Row courses for those wanting to try rowing even more seriously or just for recreational exercise.”

“We enjoyed hosting so many visitors and local residents at the Fun Regatta,” said Paul Stanton, the Club’s President. “This year we were so

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pleased to have Deeley Group sponsor the Fun Regatta: this was only the third time we have had the Fun Regatta sponsored and it proved a great success to have local companies support us in this very exciting year when we have done so well in local and national regattas and Henley Royal Regatta. The Fun Regatta helps us to show that rowing isn’t just about serious competition and that there is also the fun and recreational aspect to our sport. We are a community club and Deeley Group’s support will help us to pay for our increase in facilities and has increased our ability to provide sport for all especially those looking for weekday recreation and exercise.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald page 15 and Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/another-colourful-fun-regatta. For more great photographs, see https://www.dpphotos.co.uk

Stratford J13’s Battle of Blenheim

On Saturday 9th June, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s J13 squad travelled to Blenheim Palace to take part in their regatta organised by Hinksey Sculling School. The event which takes place over 500m uses three lanes for racing and is for athletes aged fourteen and under only so always has good competition.

First up for Stratford was the double of William Beattie and Harry Trueman: they managed to win their heat despite the poor steering from their opposition which nearly resulted in a crash. They headed back up the lake for their final where they met two crews with very tall boys in them. Beattie and Trueman raced well but the other two crews muscled their way down the course leaving the Stratford duo to pick up the bronze medal.

Next was the turn of the girls’ quad which due to sickness had a last minute substitution: the crew comprised of Harriet Holmes, Lucy Browne, Honour Keil, Freya Watts and cox Fleur Griffiths. The girls put in a massive effort in their heat to lose to a strong Headington School crew by less than a foot. This put them into the repechage where they faced another Headington crew. This time the Stratford girls were even more determined and lead from the start to ensure their place in the final. The quad made their way straight back to the start only to find the third crew into the final was yet another Headington crew. The Stratford crew had no chance for a rest and raced back, to be beaten by a boat length by the crew they had raced in the heat but Stratford picked up the silver medal.

The boys’ singles raced next with both Toby Sartain and Tomi Wilcock in action. Both had just one opponent in their heats. Sartain went first and raced down neck and neck most of the way with his opposition. As he reached the crowd that were all shouting, he put in a push to see his boat go into the lead to take his spot in the final. Wilcock was unfortunately not so lucky with his opposition: he came up against a very neat sculler who led from start to finish to knock out Wilcock.

Sartain went into the final to race the boy who had beaten Wilcock and another even taller boy. As they came down the course, Sartain did all he could but it was not enough and finished up with a well-deserved bronze medal.

Keil and Griffiths fresh from the success in the quad now went on to race in the double. They sailed through their heat to book their spot in the final. Again racing two crews from Headington School, the Stratford girls knew the race would be tough. With 100m left to go, they put in a massive push to take them from third to second and were moving closer to the first place crew. They didn’t quite manage to get there and the girls were elated to receive their silver medals.

Finally it was the time for Anne Mynors in the girls’ singles race. She raced another girl from Headington in her heat which was really close until her opposition had a problem with her boat and subsequently capsized, meaning Mynors had her place in the final. She rowed straight back to the start and raced back down the course fighting her way into second place and finishing Stratford’s day with another silver to add to the total.

Said Abi Terry, J13 coach, “A great day’s racing in the beautiful surroundings of Blenheim Palace. A very good start to some promising careers in rowing.”

For media coverage, please see Stratford Observer online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/stratfords-under-13s-enjoy-a-battle-at-blenheim and Stratford Herald online   http://www.stratford-herald.com/87687-stratford-rowers-shine-blenheim-palace-junior-regatta.html and page 20