THERE was success for Henley Rowing Club at Thames Ditton Regatta on Saturday.
Two crews were entered, both winning, turning a dismal day of weather into a bright day for the club.
The mens’ J15 quadruple sculls crew of Jonny Casey, Alex Spink, Guy Whitaker and Rory Willson, coxed by Cathrine Willson beat a strong Molesey Schools Rowing Association crew in the first round in an exciting race, to win by half a length. They then won the final comfortably against Wallingford, who buckled under pressure and crabbed.
The women’s J14 octuple sculls crew of Julia Domnick, Jo Unsworth, Gaby Halloran, Nicole Pownall, Olivia Boyce, Hannah Douglas, Emily Barrett, Georgia Roberts and Mary Arnold as cox, defeated St. George’s College Weybridge and Emanuel School each by two lengths in their two morning races.
After a wait of six hours in their final, which had to be restarted because of heavy river traffic, the crew sculled well to beat a strong Molesey Schools Rowing Association crew by one length. Not only was this the first time Henley Rowing Club had entered an octuple in a regatta it was the first regatta win ever for the club in this category of boat.
This crew with one enforced change will be competing in this category at the National Schools Regatta to held in Nottingham this weekend.
The following day, at Maidenhead Junior Regatta, in much finer weather, the wins continued for Henley Rownig Club.
The men’s J15 squad provided a win in the club quadruples event, with Nick Gordon, Tom Steindler, Jamie Pilgrim and Jack Chapman, coxed by Cathrine Willson, beating all comers.
There was also a beginners’ quadruple, of Ben Taverner, Stuart Gray, Seb Shields and Will Taverner, coxed by Cathrine Willson. They, having only been out as a crew twice before, managed to win their way into the final, sculling very competently, where they were narrowly beaten by a strong Guildford crew.
The women’s J13 squad helped by providing two girls to scull with the boys in J13 quadruple sculls. This crew with James Mills, Ben Brooks, Holly Hancock, Jenny Norman with Sian Ralph as cox — the only mixed crew in a boys’ event — won comfortably against Eton Excelsior in the final by two lengths having beaten a Maidenhead crew in a previous heat.
Published on 24 May 2008
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