The ‘Island double header’ of Ryde and Shanklin Regattas took place in difficult weather conditions last weekend (Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st May).
Saturday saw Ryde Rowing Club host their home Regatta under a beautiful blue sky, but a gusty North Easterly wind had the Wightlink sponsored Club concerned that once again – as last year and following two years lost to Covid – the Regatta would succumb to the weather. However, although the conditions remained a challenge and there were a few capsizes in the small boat events, the Regatta was completed with just the loss of the J16 Quad 4s – as the tide ran out.
The men’s Coastal Junior 4s was the race the whole Ryde club had been looking forward to after last week’s mishap where the crew collided with Christchurch, and the Ryde A crew were looking to show what they are capable of. The crew of Matt Chalmers, Ben Sanderson, Will Hunt and Paddy Kearney – with Mai Mackay coxing – started as favourites for the race with Southampton crew not available, and they did not disappoint, winning comfortably by 4 lengths.
Behind them, Ryde’s B crew of Lars Groothuis, Charlie Watts, Isaac Gibson, and Alf Scott – coxed by Joe Bird – had an excellent battle with good crews from Coalies and BTC. All 3 were neck and neck for most of the race, but in the final push to the line, BTC gained a 2nd place by 2ft from Ryde’s B crew with Coalporters about a length down.
In the Junior Pairs race Ryde’s, A crew of Paddy Kearney and Will Hunt managed a 2nd place behind Southampton in a close race. The Ryde Clubs B crew of Matt Groothuis and Dan Sanderson got off to a good start, but equipment failure meant they were unable to finish the race.
In the Ladies Junior Pairs, Chloe Hughes and Stella Baisley had a collision on the buoys with another crew and unfortunately turned over, ending their race. In the Ladies Novice sculls, Stella, having a first race on the sea, started well but fell off her seat and capsized in the difficult conditions and was unable to finish her race.
In the Men’s Coastal Junior sculls, Ben Sanderson had a good start and was in contention when he was caught by a wave which capsized him. There was better news in the Novice sculls race, where Ryde was represented by Bradley Whiting and Dan Sanderson. After a somewhat nervous start, both completed the course with Bradley coming a respectable 3rd and Dan 5th out of 12 crews entered.
Ryde’s J16’S crew was unable to race as the tide had sadly dropped too much for the race to be completed.
On Sunday, at Shanklin for the part 2 of the “Island ” weekend, a blustery wind saw conditions very difficult to get off the shore and – after six races – it was decided that conditions were not getting any better, and so the Regatta was sadly cancelled. The only person to get afloat was Ryde club captain Ben, who put yesterday’s disappointment behind him to get a good 2nd place in the Junior Sculls event.
Ryde Regatta 2023 Results:
Men’s Senior Fours – 1st BTC, 2nd Coalporters, 3rd Christchurch
Men’s Coastal Junior Fours – 1st Ryde, 2nd BTC, 3rd Ryde
Men’s Novice Fours – 1st Shanklin, 2nd Poole/Ryde Composite, 3rd Southsea
Ladies Senior Fours – 1st Shanklin, 2nd BTC, 3rd Coalporters
Ladies Junior Fours – 1st Southsea, 2nd Lymington, 3rd Shanklin
Ladies Novice Fours – 1st Coalporters, 2nd Christchurch, 3rd Southsea
Master’s 40/A Fours – 1st BTC, 2nd Southampton, 3rd Poole
Master’s 50/B Fours – 1stPoole, 2nd Southsea
Ladies’ master’s 40/A Fours – 1st Poole, 2nd Coalporters, 3rd BTC
Men’s Senior Pairs – 1st Poole, 2nd BTC, 3rd Southsea
Men’s Coastal Junior Pairs – 1st Southampton, 2nd Ryde, 3rd Southsea
Ladies Senior Pairs – 1st Shanklin, 2nd Poole, Southsea
Ladies Junior Pairs – 1st Southsea, 2nd Shanklin, 3rd Southsea
Men’s Senior Sculls – 1st Gibbs of Poole. 2nd Barnes of Lymington
Men’s Coastal Junior Sculls – 1st Chivers of Itchen, 2nd Hoyland of Poole
Men’s Novice Sculls – 1st Chivers of Itchen. 2nd Hoyland of Poole. 3rd Whiting of Ryde
Ladies Senior Sculls – 1st Faithfull of Shanklin, Merritt-Smith of Southsea
Ladies Junior Sculls – 1st Mann of Southsea, 2nd Florence of Southampton
Ladies Novice Sculls – 1st Reeve of Southsea, Peny of Southsea
