Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club took 5 crews to Southampton for the coastal fours head last weekend, the last head race before the regular season starts in May. The race, in 2 divisions, took the form of a time trial over 4 kilometres of the river Itchen. The Junior men’s four of Arlo Adds, Carter Horrix, Louis Sheasby, Fred Giemza-Pipe and Esme Walters secured top spot in their event with a convincing win, finishing over 30 seconds ahead of the 2nd-placed crew. The Boy’s J16 quad scull of Tobin Green, Layla Katirewa, Horrix, Sheasby & Walters, also had a commanding win in Division 2, winning by over a minute and recording the 2nd fastest time of the division. The mixed master’s crew of Anna Scott, Paul Gamble, Kev Faithfull and John Langbourne secured a 3rd-place finish, whilst the club’s Novice ladies four of Lisa Atkin, Sam Travis, Anna Scott and Evie Selway finished in 4th place, this in their first outing in this combination and there was also a 4th-place finish for the Master’s ladies’ crew of Jane Denby-Roach, Stella Gamble, Hayley Owen and Lisa Robertson. The club would like to thank Ryde Rowing Club for lending the club a boat for the event.
There were slightly disappointing results for the 3 crews from Ryde Rowing Club who competed in the Southampton Coastal Head of the River Race. In Division 1, the Club had a young Coxed Coastal J16 Ladies quad scull competing, of Lottie Pettit, Emily Kellerman, Alexis Owen and Mia Read with Ruby Read coxing, who finished 2nd in their section. Also, in Division 1, the Clubs Men’s Coxed Coastal Junior Four of Lars Groothuis, Isaac Gibson, Joe Roberts, and Charlie Watts, coxed by Harry Watts who finished 6th in their section. In Division 2, the Clubs Men’s Coxed Coastal Novice Four of Ben Robotham, Fin Diffey, Lucas Georgiou, and Joe Bird – coxed by Lottie Pettit – also finished in 6th place in their section. 
