The Regatta Season – it’s here again!

 

Report from Nottingham Rowing Club’s Martin Kay:

Our annual Club Regatta was held on Friday 2nd April, at Holme Pierrepont Rowing Lake, and again heralded the first thrills of side by side regatta racing, bringing a breath of Spring (with attendant rain of course!)
 
J16 single sculls winners Dominic Harrison and Mary Wilson were pushed hard by their respective clubmates to get over the line first in their 1500m races with a strong crosswind all the way. Then Sam Ward, last year’s winner  of Open Sculls, returned from Southampton University to find a strong challenge from Tom Huskinson, forcing him to dig deep at 1600m gone, in order to pull through and win the 2000m race.

In J16 Double Sculls, Holly Oughton and Mary Wilson held their form to win the girls’ event, while the stars of the day must surely be the Gamble Brothers, Declan, 16 and Connor, 14, who unexpectedly held on to their 20 second age-handicap (for Connor), storming the boys race to win decisively. No chance of getting that handicap twice!
 
Vintage trophy tankards, kindly donated by the family of the late Mike Butterworth, were awarded to the young winners. Some of these tankards are over 50 years old, won by Mike at regattas from Leeds to Bridgnorth, lending a touch of continuity to our sport and a connection to the past for our new generation of keen scullers.
 
Thanks go to parents and supporters who provided video, umpiring and finish judging, plus vital cakes and tea, without which we could not run such an event.