Ryde crews claimed several top-3 finishes as rowers enjoyed near-perfect conditions at Shanklin and Ryde regattas.
The Isle of Wight rowing season gathered pace over the weekend as Shanklin Rowing Club hosted Saturday’s regatta before Ryde Rowing Club welcomed crews from across the south coast on Sunday.
The weather provided a welcome contrast to last year’s events, when poor conditions led to numerous cancellations. This time, both regattas were completed in full and on schedule.
For Wightlink-sponsored Ryde Rowing Club, the weekend brought a mixture of encouraging performances and tough competition against strong mainland opposition.
Saturday’s regatta at Shanklin saw Ryde’s Women’s Senior Four produce one of the club’s best performances of the weekend. Stella Baisley, Alexis Owen, Eva Gordon and Emily Kellerman, coxed by Ruby Read, secured 3rd place in the final.
There was further success in the Women’s Novice Sculls, where Alexis Owen progressed from her heat to finish runner-up in the final. Club-mate Stella Baisley also reached the final, eventually placing 4th.
Ryde’s Open Senior Four of Joe Bird, Paddy Kearney, Will Hall and Charlie Watts, coxed by Harry Watts, finished 3rd in their final, while Kearney and Hall came 5th in the Open Senior Pairs. Watts also finished 4th in the Open Novice Sculls.
Elsewhere, Ryde’s Women’s Junior Four finished 5th, while both the Women’s Novice Four and Women’s Masters 40 Four crossed the line in 4th place.
At Sunday’s home regatta, the Women’s Senior Four again led the way for Ryde, repeating their 3rd-place finish from the previous day to secure a second successive podium place.
The Women’s Novice Scullers were again among the club’s strongest performers, with Alexis Owen finishing 3rd and Stella Baisley 5th in the final.
Ryde’s Open Senior Four finished 4th on home waters, while Paddy Kearney and Will Hall again placed 5th in the Open Senior Pairs.
One of the most dramatic moments of the day came in the Open Novice Sculls when Charlie Watts capsized close to the finish line after rowing strongly throughout the race. Joe Bird went on to finish 7th in the same event.
The Women’s Masters 40 Four and Women’s Novice Four both finished 4th in their finals, while Fiona Owen and Abi Locke placed 4th in the Women’s Senior Pairs.
Newport Rowing Club also enjoyed a successful regatta, finishing runners-up in both the Open Junior-Senior Fours and Women’s Novice Fours.
Among the visiting clubs, Itchen enjoyed a particularly successful weekend, winning both the Open Senior Fours and Women’s Senior Fours, while Poole, BTC, Lymington and Coalporters also featured prominently across the programme.
RESULTS – RYDE REGATTA
Open Senior Fours: 1 Itchen, 2 BTC, 3 Coalporters
Open Junior-Senior Fours: 1 Southampton, 2 Newport
Open Junior Fours: 1 Coalporters, 2 Poole, 3 Southampton
Open Novice Fours: 1 Shanklin, 2 Poole, 3 BTC
Women’s Senior Fours: 1 Itchen, 2 Coalporters, 3 Ryde
Women’s Junior Fours: 1 Itchen, 2 BTC, 3 Poole
Women’s Novice Fours: 1 Southampton, 2 Newport, 3 Itchen
Open Masters 40 Fours: 1 BTC A, 2 BTC B, 3 Coalporters
Open Masters 50 Fours: 1 BTC, 2 Southampton
Women’s Masters 40 Fours: 1 Itchen, 2 Poole, 3 Lymington
Women’s Masters 50 Fours: 1 Coalporters/BTC Composite, 2 Poole, 3 Shanklin
Open Senior Pairs: 1 Poole, 2 BTC, 3 Southampton
Open Junior Pairs: 1 Poole, 2 Coalporters, 3 Southsea
Women’s Senior Pairs: 1 Itchen, 2 Coalporters, 3 Shanklin
Women’s Junior Pairs: 1 Lymington, 2 BTC, 3 Itchen
Open Senior Sculls: 1 BTC, 2 Poole, 3 Poole
Open Junior Sculls: 1 Lymington, 2 Lymington, 3 Itchen
Open Novice Sculls: 1 Lymington, 2 Coalporters, 3 Itchen
Women’s Senior Sculls: 1 Coalporters, 2 Itchen, 3 Itchen
Women’s Novice Sculls: 1 Poole, 2 Shanklin, 3 Ryde
