Illness, injury, holidays and engagement celebrations led to a much depleted team from Wightlink sponsored Ryde Rowing Club attending the last Hants & Dorset Championship Regatta at Western Shore, Southampton on Saturday.
With the Hants & Dorset ARA Championship winning Men’s Coastal Junior Four not present, the Club’s best chance of success came from the Ladies Senior Four of Sophie Brown, Hayley Spall, Lou Maidment and Maddie Dunn with Sam Brown coxing. The crew, who have missed much of the season through injury after a winning start, were desperate to show that they were returning to form and could still mount a challenge and so were very encouraged by an excellent 2nd place, less than a length behind the Association Champions from Itchen Imperial, who they pushed all the way to the finish.
The Club also boated a very young Men’s Novice Four of Joe Groves, Jake Redstone, Tom Kearney and Dom Douglas with Sam Brading coxing once again. With an average age of just fourteen, the team competed well in the difficult conditions but failed to make the final. This crew competed again in the Boys J16 event with Elys Norman racing instead of Dom, where they finished in 4th place and 4th place was also the result for Men’s Novice Sculler Dale Buckett.
This regatta completes the Hants & Dorset Season and at the Association Council Meeting after the regatta Ryde were confirmed as the Hants & Dorset ARA Men’s Coastal Junior Fours Champions – the Clubs forty-second Hants & Dorset ARA Championship win – and their selection to represent the Association at the South Coast Championship Regatta- which will be the 36th time the Club has represented the Association.
