Ryde Rowing Club travelled to the concluding event of the 2022 Coastal Season – the South Coast Rowing Championships – at Paignton in Devon on Saturday (10th September).
With the passing of Her Majesty the Queen before the event, there was some discussion if it should be cancelled, but, in line with the guidance of British Rowing and Sport England, the organisers decided to go ahead with the event – those in attendance showing their respect with a minutes silence at the Friday evening Reception for the Championship draw, which was then repeated during a break in the racing programme on Saturday.
The South Coast Rowing Championships is an event held annually on a 3-year cycle, shared between the Hants & Dorset ARA, the Coast ARA and the West of England ARA, where the 2 best crews from each Association compete in the Championship event with other crews who did not qualify for the Championships competing in the open events. Unusually at this year’s event, the West of England had decided to race the Regatta in Coastal boats and the Ryde Club was able to help out Plymouth Rowing Club with the loan of Boats.
Unfortunately, Wightlink- sponsored Ryde Rowing Club did not have any crews in the Championship event this year, but their open crews put up a pretty good showing with 1 win and a 2nd and 3rd place.
The Club’s Men’s Open Junior Senior Coxed 4 of Ben Sanderson, Dale Buckett, Joel Smith, Austin Smith, and coxed by Niamh Murphy, took an early lead in their final which they never looked like losing, eventually winning the race comfortably.
The Clubs Men’s Coastal Junior Coxed 4 of Bradley Whiting, Paddy Kearney, Will Hall, Callum Hynd, and again coxed by Niamh Murphy, rowed well in their heat to finish 2nd – qualifying for the final where they finished 4th.
Unfortunately, the 2 young Ryde Men’s Novice Crews were drawn in the same heat, forcing the Club to borrow a coxswain from Poole. However, both crews – the A crew consisting of Issac Gibson, Charlie Watts, Harry Jones, Dan Sanderson and Niamh Murphy, coxing and the “B” crew of (Cox) Matthew & Lars Groothius, Yogi Ashworth, Edward Williams with the Poole Cox – raced exceptionally well to finish 1st and 2nd in their heat both, qualifying for the final where they again both raced well to finish in 2nd and 3rd place.
The Club also had a Boys J15 Coxed Quad racing of – Issac Gibson, Charlie Watts, Edward Williams, Yogi Ashworth & Niamh Murphy coxing once again who finished 5th in their heat.
