Ryde Rowing Club’s Yogi Ashworth has taken silver for the Royal Navy after competing at an international naval regatta in Rio de Janeiro.
The 19-year-old teamed up with 23-year-old Benjamin Nash to represent Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth in the Midshipmen’s double sculls at the XLVIII Regatta A Remo da Escola Naval.
Despite having just 3 training sessions together before travelling to Brazil, the Royal Navy pairing finished second in the Friendly Navies competition on Rio’s famous Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas.
Ashworth, who rowed in the bow with Nash at stroke, had initially responded to an email at Dartmouth seeking people with previous rowing experience.
It was only after being selected that he discovered the competition would take him more than 5,000 miles from home to Brazil.
Yogi said:
“BRNC Dartmouth does not usually have a rowing team, so when I received an email asking for those with rowing experience, I put my name down.
“It was only after selection that I learned the race was going to be in Brazil and only in a couple of weeks’ time.
Article continues below this advertisement “After a total of 3 training sessions together, we were lining up on the start line.”
Conditions in Rio were surprisingly British, with persistent rain and little wind, something Ashworth felt could work in the Royal Navy crew’s favour.
The pair made a flying start over the 1,000m course and led the field through the opening 250m.
However, the Brazilian Navy’s Escola Naval crew gradually began to close the gap. The boats were level at around halfway before the hosts edged ahead, eventually crossing the finish line between 1 and 2 lengths clear.
Yogi recalled:
“After crossing the line, forearms burning, we saw we had secured second place. As much as we were proud of our second, we were truly gunning for first.”
Any disappointment was eased when the British pair discovered just how experienced their Brazilian rivals were.
Yogi added:
“When the Brazilian side admitted that they had been rowing together for years, it made Ben and I feel a bit better.
“Regardless, it meant bringing glassware home, which is now on proud display in the Arthur Harrison VC Gymnasium back at Dartmouth.”
The setting added another dimension to Ashworth’s first experience of international competition.
Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, surrounded by Rio’s mountains and overlooked by Christ the Redeemer, was also the venue for the rowing and canoe sprint events at the 2016 Olympic Games.
For the Ryde youngster, stepping onto the podium there provided a memory unlikely to be forgotten.
Yogi said:
“Racing on the iconic Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas is truly one of my most fond rowing memories.
“It was my first international regatta, so coming to the podium was truly special. The scenery was incredible, the distinctive steep mountains of Rio and having Christ the Redeemer watching over made an unmatchable atmosphere.”
Ashworth also paid tribute to the Isle of Wight club where his rowing career began.
He said:
“Lastly, I would like to thank Ryde Rowing Club for bringing me up from a complete rowing beginner to competing internationally. I owe it to the club.”
