Steve shares this latest report on behalf of Ryde Rowing Club. Ed
Wightlink sponsored Ryde Rowing Club maintained their strong record of regional representation when six of their Junior squad were selected to represent the Wessex Region and compete in the National Junior Inter-Regional’s Regatta at the National Water sports Centre, Nottingham, on Saturday (21st April).
The Championship is contested between the 11 British Rowing Regions, with the Thames region split into two (Thames Upriver and Thames London) to make 12 teams in total.
High standard of racing
All events are raced over 1,500 metres with the heats timed and the fastest six crews going through to the Grande or “A” finale with the others into the Petite – “B” Final.
A points system is applied, determined by the results to establish which region are the national champions.
The standard of racing is very high with a number of Junior Internationals and crews from the top public schools competing.
Junior Ryde athletes
The Ryde athletes and support team travelled to Nottingham late on Friday afternoon, staying locally before gathering at the National Water Sports Centre on the Saturday morning.
Five of the selected Club Juniors – Tom Starkey, Tye Cameron, Ben Sanderson, Austin Smith with Danny Sanderson coxing provided the region’s Boys J16 Coxed Four and Freya Drage was selected as part of the Girl’s composite J16 eight – a boat type she had never raced in before.
Competed above expectations
The Four and Freya in the eight all competed above expectations. The four finished their first race in a time of five mins 55 seconds to finish in fourth place and just miss out on a place in the “A” Final.
In the “B” Final they improved on their time by two seconds – finishing in third place and ninth overall.
The Wessex J16 Eight – with Freya racing in the “engine room” at three finished their first race in sixth place race in a time of six mins 04 seconds – also missing out on a place in the “A” Final. They finished in fourth place in the B Final – tenth overall with a time of six mins, 14 seconds.
These performances helped the Wessex Region achieve a point’s total of 93 for the event.
