Crews and Scullers from Ryde and Newport Rowing Clubs competed at the Southampton Coalporters Rowing Club Regatta on the River Itchen in Southampton over a 1500 metre course on Saturday (15th June). The highlight of the day for the Wightlink sponsored Ryde Club came from the Novice Ladies Four of Maggie Sanderson, Alexis Owen, Emily Kellerman, Mai Read, Stroke and Ruby Read coxing, who – having finished 2nd in the last 3 Regattas stepped-up to win the final in fine style after finishing 1st in their heat. They are now promoted to Coastal Junior status. In the Men’s Junior Senior Fours, there was a good performance from the Ryde Crew of Ben Sanderson, Will Hall, Dale Buckett, Paddy Kearney, stroke and Mai Read coxing, who finished a close 2nd in their Final. There was another good performance from the young Ryde Coastal Junior Four of Lars Groothuis, Joe Roberts, Isaac Gibson and Charlie Watts who stroked and was coxed by his younger brother Harry – who finished 1st in their heat and Semi-Final before being narrowly beaten into 2nd place in the Final. The young Men’s Novice Four of Joe Bird, Finn Diffey, Ben Robotham, Max Locke and Ruby Read Coxing came 3rd in their heat but qualified for the semi-final as one of the fastest losers where they finished in 2nd place just failing to make the final. The Men’s Senior Pair, racing above their status, raced well to finish 2nd in their heat qualifying for the final as one of the fastest losers where they finished in 3rd place. The Men’s Coastal Junior Pair of Charlie Watts and Joe Roberts also rowed well in their heat finishing in 2nd place – but failing to make the final and in the Men’s Coastal Junior Single Sculls both scullers – Ben Sanderson and Paddy Kearny finished 3rd in their respective heats failing to make the final. 
Newport entered a Men’s Novice crew of Carl Nordbruch, Ed Hopper, Chris Clarke and Jake Garner and the Women’s Masters crew was made up of Jo Hand, Lexie Nestor-Powell, Julia Coulson and Julie Clarke, with both crews coxed by Mariana Hare. The Women’s Masters came up against the event winners, BTC, in their semi final and despite a solid performance were beaten by several lengths. The Men’s Novice crew romped through their heat, beating a much younger Coalporters crew. In the semi final they found tougher opposition from Coalporters A crew who pushed them all the way to the line. Newport won by the smallest of margin, being one second faster. Their opposition in the semi final qualified for the final as a fastest loser, so they met again. The final between Newport, BTC and Coalporters was a close run race. All three crews reached the turn within a length of each other, with Newport in 3rd place, but Newport accelerated better out of the turn, and overtook BTC with 600m to the finish. They were closing fast on Coalporters, but the finish came to soon for them with Coalporters winning by 2 lengths. Once again Mariana Hare caught the attention of the officials gaining more points as 3rd best cox of the day. 
