A depleted Ryde Rowing Club squad produced a string of encouraging performances at Swanage Regatta, with novice sculler Isaac Gibson delivering one of the standout results of the day.
With several members unavailable through injury, illness and holidays, the Wightlink-sponsored club travelled to Dorset for Saturday’s (4th July) regatta, which is contested over a 1,500m course featuring a racing turn in Swanage Bay.
As there is no local Hants & Dorset Amateur Rowing Association club in Swanage, the event is organised by volunteers from across the association. Ryde once again played its part, providing packed lunches for race officials, while Steve Bull served as regatta coordinator, Micky Jenner officiated, and club captain Paddy Kearney helped crew the safety boats.
Ryde’s Open Novice Four of Lukas Georgiou, Harry Crofts, Max Locke and Cameron D’Arcy, with Harry Watts coxing, finished 4th in their heat, narrowly missing out on a place in the final.
The Boys J16 Coxed Quad of Joe Bird, Harry Watts, Cameron D’Arcy and Max Locke, with Mai Read as cox, placed 5th in their final.
The club’s standout performance came from novice sculler Isaac Gibson. After missing out on places in both the Open Novice Sculls and Open Junior Sculls because of the regatta’s restricted entry system, Gibson stepped up to compete in the Open Senior Sculls – 2 categories above his usual level – and produced an outstanding performance to finish 3rd.
Fellow novice sculler Charlie Watts also impressed, winning his heat before finishing 2nd in the final.
Ryde’s Women’s Senior Four of Stella Baisley, Alexis Owen, Fiona Owen and Maggie Sanderson, with Ruby Read coxing, placed 5th in their final.
With several rowers unavailable, the Women’s Masters 40 Four competed as a composite crew alongside Andi Davies of Southsea and Jane Denby-Roach of Shanklin. Joined by Ryde’s Fiona Owen and Maggie Sanderson, with Ruby Read coxing, they raced well to claim 3rd place in the final.
In the Women’s Novice Sculls, Stella Baisley finished 5th in her heat and narrowly missed out on the final, while Alexis Owen secured 2nd place in her heat before going on to finish 4th in the final.
Elsewhere, Rosie Morris rowed in a composite Girls J16 Coxed Quad for Poole, Aby Bird competed in a composite Women’s Novice Four for Newport, and Ruby Read coxed Poole’s Open Masters 50 Four to 3rd place.
NEWPORT CREW EDGES OUT CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERS
Newport Rowing Club also enjoyed a successful day at Swanage Regatta, fielding 3 crews across the programme.
The club’s Junior-Senior Four of Ollie Coulson, Boris Hare, Jake Garner and Alex Barnes, coxed by Mariana Hare, renewed their rivalry with championship leaders Southampton in another closely contested race.
The crews were neck-and-neck throughout much of the contest, but Newport established a slender advantage after the halfway turn. Knowing Southampton would mount a late charge over the closing 200 metres, the crew dug deep to hold on and secure victory by a canvas.
Newport’s Women’s Novice crew joined forces with Ryde to form a composite crew and rowed well to finish 4th in their final, while the Open Junior Four finished 4th in its heat.
