Across The Line: Catch up on all the action from the Club Champs and Molesey Regatta
With two days of racing in Molesey and four days of action in Nottingham, it’s busy weekend for British Rowing Clubs
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We’re Across The Line! Join us to look back on a bumper weekend of racing in Nottingham and Molesey.
Missed any of the action from an incredible weekend in Nottingham? We’ve got you covered
For the second year in a row, Wallingford RC have won the Victor Ludorum at the British Rowing Club Championships. After winning the junior and overall VLs at the inaugural Club Championships 12 months ago, the Oxfordshire-based club have repeated the feat, lifting both trophies under the Nottingham sun. In the Senior VL Bath University BC were victorious after having a terrific Championships.
Speaking after an incredible four days of racing, Club Captain Geoff Brown was delighted with the whole club’s performances. “It’s brilliant. We’ve been building this junior programme for three or four years. It’s grown from about 40 kids across all age groups to about 130 now, so it means a hell of a lot,” he said.
“It’s been brilliant from all of them. I think the most exciting race was probably day three when our J16 girls won a gold medal, and that was really emotional for everyone. We had some brilliant performances from across the board, and today in the J14s and J15s, getting into B Finals is great for us. We won four gold medals this weekend, which has been brilliant, and we’re looking forward to next year for sure.”
Watch the all of the races back on Champs Live!
South West London descends on Molesey for a super weekend’s racing
Over two days of racing, hundreds of of competitors travelled to one of the best stretches of water in the country for Molesey Amateur Regatta and Molesey Junior Regatta. With racing downstream past Platts Eyot, athletes and spectators were treated to entertainment on and off the water throughout the weekend for the latest chapter of an event which dates back to 1867.
Saturday saw Molesey Amateur Regatta in full swing with seniors, masters, and U18s getting stuck into racing. Much like many of the summer regattas, the event is gladiatorial; one-on-one racing with the winner advancing through the rounds. The first of the finals came at 11:44 in the Open T1 Double Sculls. Kingston Grammar School BC, who train on the other side of Hampton Court Bridge were victorious over Walton RC by one length, one of five wins on Saturday for the local programme.
During the afternoon session, spectators were treated to some excellent racing and some razor tight margins across the finish line. In the Masters H Double Sculls, Thames RC took on Guildford RC and in thrilling race, the green and yellow of Guildford prevailed by just three feet! If you thought that was close then the the first semi final of the Open Single Scull is right up your street. ‘Cherry’ of Poplar Blackwall & District RC went head to head with ‘Kung’ of Auriel Kensington. With a place in the final up for grabs it was the Poplar Blackwall & District sculler who came out on top by one singular foot. However, in the final it was Staines RC’s ‘Magnussen who was victorious.
Sunday was the turn of the juniors. With over eight hours of racing it was a busy schedule with plenty of local schools and clubs wanting a piece of the action. The day kicked off with heats of the Women’s J15 A Double Sculls. A strong performance from Lady Eleanor Holles School BC carried them through the heat and the semi-final to book a place in the final against Guildford RC where the local duo won by one and half lengths. Much like the previous day’s racing, there were some electric finishes across the J13, J14, J15, and J16 competitors. Early in the morning, spectators lining the river banks to three finishes separated by two feet in the space on 10 minutes. Walton RC won their heat of the Women’s J16 Doubles Sculls, an event they would go on to win. This was one of eight wins for Walton RC on at the Junior Regatta. Shortly after Walton RC’s win in their Double Sculls heat, the crowds were treated to pair of inter-club rivalries, ‘Brackin’ of Kingston Grammar School BC won his heat of the Open J16 Single Scull while ‘Dawson’ of Staines RC won the final of the Open J14 event, both won by two feet.
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The two feet finishes kept on coming during the afternoon racing as Wimbledon High School BC’s ‘Martins’ won her semi-final of the Women’s J15 N Single Scull, propelling her to the final which she would win less than an hour later. The close racing continued in the Double Sculls and the Quads later on in the day. The final of the Women’s J14 Coxed Quads was a spectacular showdown between Wimbledon High School BC and Walton RC with the latter winning their final another two foot margin. Success continued for Kingston Grammar School BC who won their semi-final of the Open J15 Doubles by one foot over Walton RC, to set up an all Kingston GS final as the curtain call of the day’s racing. In that final race of the of the day ‘Atkinson’ was triumphant over ‘Pearce’ by a length and a half.
Full results are available here.
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That’s all from Across The Line this week!
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