Weekend Regattas hit by weather

Recent heavy rainfall has forced the cancellation of a number of rowing events this weekend, including regattas at Shrewsbury, Bedford, and Thames Ditton.

The River Severn is one of a number of UK waterways prompting significant safety concerns as a result of the wettest April on record, and the conditions have resulted in the cancellation of the Shrewsbury Regatta for the first time in its history.

“Our concern is the safety on and off the water of competitors, and we have decided that… we will not be able to put the necessary safety [precautions] in place to ensure safe racing on Saturday,” Shrewsbury Regatta secretary Ali Thomas told Shropshire Live.

“In addition our trailer parking area is waterlogged, as is the car park. Watching two Land Rovers sliding all over the place without a trailer on the back has convinced me that there is no way we can safely park trailers.

Bedford Rowing Club has also been forced to cancel its 2012 Regatta, owing to the unrowable conditions on the River Great Ouse.

“Every effort has been made to hold this event,” said a statement on the Bedford RC website. “Ultimately it was decided that the stream in the Start Marshalling area was too fast to safely marshal boats, spin them, and attach to the stakeboats.”