ROWING - Stratford-upon-Avon Boat Club hosts annual Boxing Day Scratch Regatta - The Stratford Observer

ROWING - Stratford-upon-Avon Boat Club hosts annual Boxing Day Scratch Regatta

Stratford Editorial 29th Dec, 2021   0

STRATFORD-upon-Avon Boat Club hosted its annual Boxing Day Scratch Regatta with current and former club members taking to the water.

 

In celebration of Christmas, the club’s athletes took to the water and raced in more sturdy boats due to the river conditions following the Warwickshire Christmas Day downpour.

 




Crews were formed from current and former club members who were at home in the area for the festive period.

 


And the excesses of Christmas Day did little to dampen the competitive spirit amongst the crews on the water with each of the morning races hotly contested.

 

Successfully making it through the early rounds, the stage was set for the final between “Puddings” (Cameron Dalrymple-Baker, Martha Usselmann, Talei Dunn, Alice Baines and Matilda Watts) and “Pies” (Richard Aitchison, Katie Phillips, Katie Wellstead, Tomi Wilcock and Beth Edwards).

 

A clash of blades and suspect steering forced a re-row of the final race and, in the repeat attempt, a clean race saw “Puddings” triumph by half a length – a just result for the season.

 

Athletes were supported by family members, and members of the public along with the town’s Christmas visitors also came down to watch the spectacle and cheer the rowers on.

 

The crews were supported by club volunteers driving the safety launch and acting as scorers.

 

Vice Chairman, Dr Graham Collier said: “All races were over a short sprint course from the Ferry to the Club grounds on the Town stretch of the River Avon.

 

“The racing provided great interest to early morning sightseers and visitors watching from the Recreation Ground, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre Terrace, Bancroft Gardens and The Tramway Bridge.”

 

Dawson Curnock, Chairman of Stratford Boat Club said: “The scratch regatta caught the imagination of all who came down to the river and this year’s racing included many more juniors and it was good to welcome many athletes home from university.”

 

Junior Co-ordinator and competitor, Steve Wellstead said: “It was great to have such a mix of members competing and especially spectator parents and families.

 

“Their participation in the running of the Club has been a great bonus as they bring management and organizational skills to the Club as well as offering their time and effort volunteering and carrying out maintenance and other jobs.”

 

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club will be back on the river this New Year weekend and after the New Year, athletes will be training hard for the 2022 head season and the Club’s own regatta in June.

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