Rowers from Newport, Shanklin Sandown and Ryde enjoyed success at the 2026 South Coast Championships in Deal, securing a host of victories and podium finishes.
The 3 Isle of Wight clubs travelled to Kent on Saturday (12th September) for one of the biggest events on the rowing calendar, bringing together clubs from across the South Coast.
Hosted by Deal Rowing Club on behalf of the Coast Amateur Rowing Association, the championships saw crews compete over a straight 1,800m course, with junior events staged over 1,000m.
The annual event brings together champions from the Hants & Dorset Amateur Rowing Association, Coast Amateur Rowing Association and West of England Amateur Rowing Association for 7 championship events, alongside open events and the Junior Regatta.
NEWPORT RETAIN SOUTH COAST CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
Newport Rowing Club took 4 crews to Deal, including 2 Junior Senior status open crews.
Its championship crew represented the Hants & Dorset Amateur Rowing Association, having already won the Hants & Dorset championship, while the B crew competed in the supporting regatta.
The B crew of Boris Hare, Toby Batchelor, Hal Collins and Theo Kousounis, coxed by Fiona Brookes, were first to tackle the 1,800m course, which took competitors underneath Deal Pier during the opening half of the race.
Newport held a narrow advantage over Coalporters approaching the pier when the latter altered course and moved into Newport’s line.
The Island crew was forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision, costing them the lead and ultimately the race, with Newport finishing 3rd.
Newport’s A crew of Ollie Coulson, Matt Swiss, Jake Garner and Alex Barnes, coxed by Mariana Hare, faced a difficult outside lane draw and some of the roughest sea conditions.
However, they used their power and technique to establish a length’s lead by the time they reached the pier.
Improving conditions during the second half of the race allowed Newport to extend their advantage and cross the line with a clear winning margin, securing the club’s 2nd consecutive South Coast championship victory.
Newport’s Open Junior crew also raced well but narrowly missed out on a place in the final, while the Women’s Junior crew also fell just short of progressing.
DOUBLE DELIGHT FOR SHANKLIN SANDOWN RC IN DEAL
Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club had 4 crews competing in the 1,000m junior event and 3 crews taking on the 2,000m senior competition.
The Boys J14 Quad of Louie Laidler-Jones, Harry Watts (RRC), Taylor Speedie, Alex Collier and Lottie Pettitt opened the club’s campaign with an impressive 3rd-place finish, with Louie and Taylor making their competitive debuts.
The Girls J14 Quad of Elsie Flower, Emily Macdonald, Thea Laidler-Jones, Ava Shaw and Esme Walters were also making their competitive debut and finished 4th in a tough final featuring crews up to 2 years older than them.
There was another 4th-place finish for Shanklin Sandown’s Boys J16 Quad.
The Girls J16 Quad final proved to be a much closer affair, with Rose Collier, Ella Hayden, Martha Eggleton and Connie Batley-Smith, coxed by Esme Walters, involved in a 3-way battle with Lymington and Shoreham.
A final push over the last 200m saw the Island crew overhaul Lymington to take victory.
Shanklin Sandown’s Junior Ladies B crew finished 5th in their heat, narrowly missing out on a place in the final, while the A crew of Olivia Mumberson, Evie Crew, Evie Selway and Lottie Pettitt, coxed by Esme Walters, progressed after comfortably winning their heat.
Conditions had become more challenging by the time of the final, but the crew used the strong tailwind to their advantage and moved into the lead by the halfway stage after overtaking Herne Bay.
They maintained their composure and rhythm to hold off a late challenge from Southampton, winning by a length and securing Shanklin Sandown’s first-ever victory in the event at the South Coast Championships.
The Junior Men’s Four of Fin Diffey, Tobin Green, Isaac King and Digby Ridgwell, coxed by Jane Denby-Roach, also comfortably won their heat.
In the final, the crew rowed through Poole to join the frontrunners but were unable to overhaul a strong Lymington crew over the final 200m, taking 2nd place.
DOUBLE WIN FOR RYDE ROWING CLUB
Ryde Rowing Club also celebrated a successful trip to Deal, securing 2 victories in the open events alongside several strong performances.
Ryde’s first win came in the Open Women’s Senior Fours, where Alexis Owen, Fiona Owen, Abi Locke and Stella Baisley, coxed by Ruby Read, produced an excellent performance to take 1st place in the final.
A second victory followed in the Open Women’s Masters Four, with Maggie Sanderson, Fiona Owen, Abi Locke and Claire Gordon, coxed by Mai Read, also taking 1st place.
In the Open Under-14 Quad Sculls, Ryde’s Harry Watts competed as part of a composite crew with Shanklin Sandown, finishing 3rd in the final.
Ryde’s J16 Coxed Quad was another composite entry, this time with Southsea. Alex Biddle of Southsea joined Cameron D’Arcy, Max Locke and Joe Bird, with Harry Watts coxing, to finish 5th in the final.
The club’s Open Senior Four of Harry Croft, Paddy Kearney, Joe Bird and Charlie Watts, coxed by Harry Watts, finished 6th in their final.
Ryde’s Open Novice Four also competed as a composite crew, with Newport’s Finlay Harris-Gorbutt joining Cameron D’Arcy, Max Locke and Harry Croft, with Harry Watts coxing. They finished 6th in their heat.
The Open Novice Women’s Fours crew of Abby Bird, Clare Gordon, Demi Cranham-Ede and Polley Townson, coxed by Mai Read, finished 3rd in their heat to qualify for the final, where they took 4th place.
There was further Island involvement with Poole Rowing Club, as Ruby Read coxed Poole’s Girls J14 Quad to victory.
Mai Read coxed Poole’s Women’s Junior Four to 4th in their heat and qualification for the final, where Ruby Read took over coxing duties as the crew finished 5th.
Ryde oarsman Dale Buckett, who is competing for Poole this year, was also a member of Poole’s Championship Senior Four representing the Hants & Dorset ARA, with the crew finishing as runners-up.
Former Ryde oarsman Tim Ash, who rowed for the club in 1989, was meanwhile part of the Hastings crew which won the Championship Masters 40 event.
