British Rowing is pleased to announce that arrangements are now at an advanced stage for the forthcoming South Coast Championship Regatta which this year is being held at the Wimbleball Lake near Dulverton This year’s prestigious regatta will be held on Saturday 11 September and will involve a full racing programme throughout the day, with the popular Junior Regatta being held in the morning starting at 09:00, whilst the Championship and Open Regattas will start at 13:00. 

Co-organisers Steve and Andrew Worley have already put in a tremendous amount of hard work to get the event up to this point and they have recently passed a rigorous inspection of the course and facilities at the Lake by delegates from the three Associations from along the South Coast of England involved in the Championships.

The days racing is expected to attract upwards of 500 rowers who will represent clubs from as far as Deal and Herne Bay in the South East, the likes of Southampton and Southsea in the South right down into deepest Cornwall where the likes of Greenbank Falmouth and Castledore will be in action.

Races on the Lake will be using the courses that were trialed last year, with the Junior Regatta held over 1000 metre stretch. Those in the Championship and open events will be over mandatory distance of 2000 metres.  The organisers have also confirmed that the proposed starting times will depend on the number of entries to all the junior and open races and unlike the restricted programme of events offered at previous Championships will also offer categories for all standards of ability and size of racing boat.
What has been confirmed is that all of the supporting functions and events will be held in the Regatta field at Wimbleball Lake under canvas.  The Reception and Draw will be on Friday evening and will be by invitation only but additional tickets will be made available if there is suitable demand.  

All the civic and other dignitaries have confirmed that they will attend the reception and these include Lady Elizabeth Gass, the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Councillor John Edney, the Chairman of Somerset County Council, Ms Andrea Davis, the Deputy Chairman of the Exmoor National Park Authority and Mr Peter Bartlett, Patron of the South West Lakes Trust.
 
On Saturday, the prize giving for the Championship and open events will be held and where Ed Coode, twice World Champion and Olympic Gold Medallist, has kindly agreed to present the prizes.  Ed won his first World Championship in 1999, as a substitute in the British men's coxless four, rowing with Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell.  In 2001, he won a second World Championship in the men's coxless four with Steve Williams, Rick Dunn and Toby Garbett.  In the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, he rowed in the coxless four with Pinsent, Cracknell and Williams  where they overcome champions Canada to secure gold.

After the prize giving, there will be music from the Tone Valley Jazz Band in the marquee.  The band was formed in 1959 by a group of local musicians living in the Taunton area and has appeared on television, radio and also in films.  If you feeling hungry there will be a hog roast provided by Yarn Market Hotel in Dunster and the bar will be open all evening serving a selection of drinks including real ale from the Taunton Brewing Company. 

Further information is available on the Regatta website, or alternatively you can contact the organisers Steve and Andrea Worley at s.a.worley@btinternet.com if you need more information. Details on camping and other accommodation arrangements can also be found on the website.