Bridgnorth Regatta

Several fixtures were rained off last Saturday but the rowing went ahead with almost every member of the Boat Club competing at Bridgnorth Regatta. The round robin format of the event meant that every crew raced at least twice so everyone got plenty of racing. 

There were wins for the Novice Coxed Four of Harry Gemmill, Ben Thomson, Toby Messervy-Whiting, Evan Goss and Marcus Milton, who won two rounds against Worcester Rowing Club to get their pot. Ashley Nock and Joe Essery racing J18 double had a win against their club mates Josh Crump and Alex Thorburn.

 

There were two finals places for the J15 squad. The girls’ coxed quad of Cathy Lunn, Olivia Sparks, Elodie Williams and Francine Bath (coxed by Heloise Messervy-Whiting) beat crews from Northwich and Hereford to reach the final where they just missed out on a pot. The boys’ J15 A quad of Alec Berry, Matt Hill, Harry Smith and Jordan Barnes (coxed by Toby Burrows) beat a crew from Worcester Rowing Club and the RGS Worcester B crew to earn their place in the Final where they unfortunately lost to The Grange School.

For the J14s Bridgnorth was their first experience of an ‘away’ regatta and they competed in a range of boat classes including singles and quads. There were no overall wins but several crews got through to finals – including the speedy double combination of Fraser Sparks and Felix Haynes who put clear water between their boat and a Northwich Rowing Club double. 

Special mention goes to Aysen Naylor racing in her first singles’ race. She put on a great display of novice sculling and achieved a dead heat against her opposition from Gloucester. 

Despite the near constant rain from the moment we arrived to the moment we left Bridgnorth, spirits remained high and our rowers were a credit to their School. Well done to everyone who took part.