Medals for Nottingham RC at the National Championships

July 21, 2009

The National Rowing Championships took place over three days at the Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont. Conditions varied, although it was generally cool, breezy and showery. Yet the competition suffered a blip on Friday when racing was suspended for over an hour due to thunder and lightning.

Nottingham Rowing Club’s talented Junior squad, made up of local school pupils from the City and County, were undeterred by the conditions on their home water and by the end of day one over ten crews and scullers were into the finals. Rowing in their distinctive Lycra suits emblazoned with the Robin Hood logo and with dark blue, light blue and gold oars there was no mistaking Nottingham rowers.

First onto the podium was Katy Bartlett (Holygirt School) in the WJ 15 event, coached by Julie Edwards, World Class Start coach sponsored by Siemens. Alicia Brown (Arnold Hill School) was fifth in the same race. Next Nottingham RC rowers to take a gold were:

Callam Jones (Belvoir High) in the J14 single sculls, coached by Jim Waller, who led his race out of the blocks and won convincingly. Dominic Parnell (Grove School Balderton) although only thirteen, was fifth in the race.
Holly Oughton (Holygirt School) and Mary Wilson in the WJ 15 2x sculls. Sculling beautifully they put in a critical burst at 500m and beat the field winning by over three lengths.
The next gold was won by the boy’s J14 coxed quadruple scull of Jack Caston (Becket School), Joe Topham (Trinity School Aspley), Harry Townsend (South Wolds School, Keyworth) who were coxed by Llachlan Smith and stroked by Callam Jones taking his second gold of the day.The crew is coached by Steve Millett and has not lost a race all season.

Silver medals were won by:

Jo and Harry in the J14 boy’s double sculls. They caught their opponents on the line and avoided the bronze medal.
Ed Fisher (Harry Carlton School East Leake) and Dominic Harrison (Colonel Frank Seeley School Calverton) were themselves caught on the line having led for most of the race by sister club Newark in the boy’s J15 2x sculls.

A surprise bronze was won by Alexandra Millett (Becket School) and Helen Ladds (South Wolds School Keyworth) coached by Paul Stevens in WJ14 2x sculls. And finally the day ended with another Julie Edwards crew taking the bronze in the WJ16 4x sculls. Katy Bartlett and Alicia Brown were joined by Georgia Smith and Lucy Crooks (Nottingham High School for Girls).

The following day Julie’s world Class Start Girls won two more golds.Emma Lindley (Carlton-le-Willows School) won WJ17 sculls and was joined by Vicky Bramley (Bilborough College)and won the WJ 18 double sculls gold beating Henley Rowing Club by a second. Ben Sibly (Bilborough College) came 4th in J17 sculls and 5th in J18.

The Junior squad ended the Championships with 6 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals and outperformed their total of 9 medals at the National Schools Regatta.

Again on the final rain soaked day Lyndsey Morton won the gold medal in the Women’s single sculls by .94 of a second from her Minerva-Bath rival. Dave Marshall teamed up with a Reading University colleague and won the Double scull gold comfortably. Athelie Redwood-Brown won bronze in the women’s lightweight sculls and brought the medal rush to a close.All three scullers are coached by Ade Roberts, High Performance coach based at Holmepierrepont.

Matt Ballam came 5th in U23 sculls, Sam Ward was 5th in Junior double sculls and the men’s eight came 4th in the final race of the regatta.

"8 gold, 2 silver and three bronze medals is quite a haul" said club president Keith Atkinson "but what really impressed me was how the athletes took the racing to the opposition. Many medals were won by a matter of feet. Well done the rowers,their hard working dedicated coaches and supportive friends and parents."

Report from Nottingham RC

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