Last weekend saw the latest round of the Hants and Dorset Championship played out on the River Medina in Newport.
Saturday’s racing was exclusively in coastal fours, and it was Southampton’s BTC club that romped away with the majority of the trophies.
They took the Aggregate Cup for the most wins alongside the prestigious Men’s Senior Four race, this year sponsored by Mermaid Gin.
In an initially close race with the home Newport crew of Steve Salter, Rob Williams, Matt Swiss, and Toby Batchelor, they pulled away in the second half of the race, holding on to a four-length lead.
Men’s Novice crew
Newport were also pleased to be able to enter a Men’s Novice crew of Will Loveday-Powell, Connor Garner, Harry Hare and Boris Hare, although finishing down the field they acquitted themselves well in their first ever race.
Three of the Newport novice crew, along with Hayden Tiffin, a new 2022 recruit, raced in the J16 Quad on Sunday, again learning a lot from their first sculling race.
Aggregate Junior Cup
However the junior racing was dominated by Shanklin and Sandown who took the Aggregate Junior Cup.
Newport had a better day in the Small Boats races, with Matt Swiss retaining his Senior Sculls title, although he was pushed hard all the way to the finish by the Poole sculler.
Other wins
Toby Batchelor won the Novice Sculls event in his first sculling race of this season. In a very close race with Ben Sanderson of Ryde he won by two feet.
Newport also made the final of the Men’s Senior Pair, but were outgunned by Itchen Imperial.
Julie Clarke, for Newport, in her first sculling race acquitted herself well against much younger opposition, finishing third in her heat.
News shared by Julie on behalf of Newport Rowing Club. Ed
Image: BTC collecting the Men’s Senior Fours trophy from Lord Lieutenant Susie Sheldon
