New President for West of England Amateur Rowing Association

Peter Atkinson from Dart Totnes RC has become the first person to hold the Presidency of the West of England Amateur Rowing Association following his adoption at the recent AGM of the local rowing body.

55 year old Atkinson, who is a maths teacher at the Torquay Community College, started his rowing career as a coxswain at the Paignton Rowing Club in 1970 and became the regions President with the club in 1985. His move to near neighbours at Totnes in 1990 accelerated his rowing achievements and where he has become one of the countries top veteran sculler. He secured his first national veteran title back in 1996 when he won the Veteran B 1x event and which was followed two year later by his first World Masters title in Munich. Since then he has accumulated a vast number of gold medals, the last of which was won a few month ago in Vienna. During this thirteen year period Pete has won an incredible 19 World Masters races, a similar number of National titles as well a large number of silver and bronze medals and Henley Veteran victories.

He also served the region as its President back in 1997 and is also a hard working member of the Dart Totnes club where he is the current secretary for the Totnes and Bridgetown Regatta, the Dart Head of the River Race as well as the Totnes Mini Winter Head.
He plans to continue racing at the very highest level and will be training hard along with the large squad of veterans at the Totnes club in preparation for this years round of races, which culminates with the World Master’s Regatta that this year is being held at St Catherine’s in Canada