Thanks to Alex for this latest report from the Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club. Ed
Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club enjoyed their most successful regatta of the season at Poole last weekend, bringing home four wins, a second place and two thirds amongst a host of fantastic performances. The regatta saw choppy conditions challenging many of Shanklin’s less experienced crews, needless to say all of these crews dealt excellently with the conditions.
Third podium finish for Girl’s J16 Sculls
In the Girl’s J16 Sculls, Hannah Cusworth earned fourth place, with Rebecca Nigh coming close behind her in fifth place. The two girls then teamed up with Juliette Wrixon, Dasiy Faithful and Sophie Swallow.
With Rebecca coxing, the crew were once again narrowly beaten to the win. They came very close to their rivals Christchurch, and were just two lengths off the eventual winners Poole. The third place in their third podium finish this year.
Wins for the boys J16 crews
In the boys J16 events, the club were very successful, winning both the J16 boys fours and sculls.
Harry Miselbach took his second win from three in the boys sculls race, coping far better than any other rower in the conditions to take a dominant four length victory.
He then joined Joe Robertson, Matt Miselbach, Harry Hopper and cox Anja Bennett in the J16 boys four, where their powerful display saw them take a three length victory over tailing field. Also in this race were the B crew of Jamiey Wain, Tom Leaver, Will Allsop, Sam Mabey and cox Alex Robertson.
The boys had a great start that saw them lead the race, they couldn’t hold onto the lead however, and after passing it over to the winning A boat, they slipped just outside the podium places, taking fourth out of eight! A great result for the boys in their first race together.
Mixing it up
The Boys J16 B joined forces with the Girls J16 boat to make up two Mixed J16 Fours, with Andrew Swallow replacing Tom Leaver. Both crews did very well, earning fourth and sixth place finishes.
In a mixed double sculls event, Harry Hopper and Alex Robertson rowed well in a troublesome race, where several incidents removed their chances of the race win. A good return row from the buoy turn however placed them just three lengths off the eventual winners.
Harry Hopper joined Joe Robertson, Henry Gove, Matt Miselbach and cox Anja Bennett in the Mens Junior Four. The four had a great start and lead the race for the first five hundred metres. On the return from the buoy turn, they were in a three way battle for the second qualifying spot where they couldn’t overhaul Lymington or Itchen in the close finish and took an agonising fourth place.
A comfortable victory for Alex
The club’s final two wins came from their championship winners. Alex Robertson took another comfortable victory in the choppy waters to take his seventh win of the season, before teaming up with Joe Murray to row their Men’s Junior Pair.
Despite a bad start, they quickly overhauled all other boats to lead into their buoy turn, after a great turn they rowed back comfortably to take their ninth win of the season.
The regatta saw the club achieve their highest aggregate points total of the season and took the club to twenty wins for the season, success that the club hasn’t seen in recent years.
Thanks to fellow rowers
The club would finally like to thank Ryde RC who helped with transporting boats this week.
The final Hants and Dorset regatta of the season takes place next week at Western Shore in Southampton.
Image: Two fours: Both J16 Boys fours – incl event winners
