Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club travelled to Folkestone for the South Coast championships: the grand finale of the coastal season.
The Junior squad secured two victories with the Girls J14 quad of Izzy Bounds, Layla Katirewa, Ella Haydon, Immy Burfitt and Esme Walters, leading from the start and proceeding to dominate the race, winning by over 10 lengths and securing victory for the 2nd successive year.
The boys quad of Tobin Green, making his competitive debut for the club, Murray Taylor (Itchen RC), Carter Horrix, Louis Sheasby and Walters took the plaudits in the J16 event. The crew secured a place in the final with a comfortable win in their heat and then took top spot on the podium with an impressive row in the final.
The victories also meant the Juniors won the Victor Ludorum trophy for the most successful Junior club, this again for the 2nd year running.
In the senior regatta, the club had four crews with two representing the Hants & Dorset region in the championship finals.
The Men’s Junior/Senior Four of Arlo Adds, Horrix, Sheasby, Fred Giemza-Pipe and Walters gained valuable experience finishing a creditable 5th despite having some equipment issues, whilst the Ladies’ Senior Four of Rachael Debenham, Phoebe Horan and Emily and Daisy Faithfull coped well with the conditions to finish just off the podium in 4th.
In the open events, the Men’s four of Kev Faithfull, Paul Gamble, John Langbourne, Andrew Tapsell and Jane Denby-Roach competed in both Masters’ 40 and the Open Junior Fours, demonstrating improving form and experience.
The Masters’ Race saw them finish in 5th spot in a tight race whilst in the Junior Men’s event, the crew finished in 4th spot and only just missed out on a place in the final.
All crew looks forward now to the Winter Head race season and an opportunity to hone their technique and further improve their endurance.
