Plymouth Schools Success at Indoor Rowing Championships

On the morning of the 5th March, 35 students assembled from schools
across Plymouth to travel to London for the National Junior Indoor
Rowing Championships. Departing at 6am, spirits where high in
anticipation of personal bests and medals.

London traffic put the dampers on this, with a jam at Heathrow
which meant that the journey stretched to five and a half hours for
the 230 mile trip. Battersea Park however was basking in the sun
and spirits lifted as we made the first race with 5 minutes to
spare.

Katie Pearson, Y7 Plymouth High School for Girls, pushed hard and
took bronze with a personal best. This was to set the standard for
the day. Jacob Dawson, Plymstock School, had been beaten by one
tenth of a second at both the British Indoor Rowing Championships
and the West Regional Championships, so was out for revenge.
A tight race again but this time Jacob took gold, setting a PB in
the process. This was followed by a bronze in the Year 10
race for Laura Harris of Plymouth High School for Girls, and a
silver in the Year 12 event for Lucy Patten of Devonport High
Schools for Girls.

A bronze was also won in the Year 12 boys mixed team event.
Ten other students were placed in the top ten, with three just
outside the medals in fourth place.

Plymouth Schools have now set a ‘bench mark’ and are a force
to be recognised on the Indoor Rowing circuit.

The day was completed with meeting the Oxford and Cambridge boat
race teams who assisted at the event.

Kevin Sellar
Community Rowing Coach

Plymouth