Across The Line: Royal Chester land top prize at the world’s oldest regatta
Find out what’s been going on across the UK as well as the action from Chester Regatta and the Scottish Championships
Credit: AllMarkOne
We’re Across The Line! Join us to look back on an outstanding weekend of racing from across the UK and Europe.
Royal Chester triumph on home water
Credit: AllMarkOne
Royal Chester were in fine form on home water as the club picked up 18 wins across the weekend at Chester Regatta. Nearly a third of the 61 crews entered were victorious on the Dee, including their Mixed Masters Eight who won the Kings Coronation Cup and the £2000 prize donated by the Walker-Williams Family.
James Cox of Agecroft had a homecoming to remember as he once again lifted the Championship of the Dee Trophy for the Open Single. After a bye in the first round of racing, Cox beat his opponent form the University of York in the semi-final by two lengths before securing victory by three lengths in an all Agecroft final. On the women’s side, scullers were racing for the City of Chester Challenge Cup. After a two length victory in her semi-final The Grange School’s Imogen Knox won her final in similar fashion with a three length victory over her opponent from Grosvenor Rowing Club.
Labelled as Chester Sprint Regatta, Sunday’s racing was shorter and sharper. With a focus on community rowing and engaging juniors, seniors, and masters rowers who have recently discovered the sport, the 350m racing downstream proved to be extremely popular. Chester Regatta has seen the event go from success to success and hopes that come their 300th anniversary in 2033, the event can grow to three days of racing on the Dee.
Full results from Saturday are available here.
Full results from Sunday are available here.
Parsonage and Maxwell top the rankings at Scottish Rowing Championships
Ben Parsonage and Imogen Maxwell won the Open and Women’s Single Sculls respectively at the 2025 Scottish Rowing Championships. Over 40 scullers were competing for the Walter Free Cup for the open event and the final was hotly contested by some of the finest scullers in the UK. 2024 British Champion Ben Parsonage of Clydesdale ARC has already been budy this seaosn winning at Ghent International Regatta before winning the Lightweight Single at Metropolitan Regatta earlier this month. He can now add Scottish Champion to that list of achievements after beating George Watson’s College’s Ezra Ferguson into second place. Ferguson, who swept up the J18 sculling medals with GWC winning the J18 single, double, and quad beat Stirling Rowing Club’s Gregor Hall by less than two seconds in the final after the man from Stirling mounted a sensational comeback in the final 500m.
Imogen Maxwell of Vesta Rowing Club made the long trip north from London but it was well worth it as she won the Amanda Cobb trophy by two seconds. Her closest opponent, Louise Brooks raced for for the University of Leeds as part of the strong contingent from the Yorkshire GB Performance Academy that travelled north of the border. It was a bountiful trip for the PDA who return to Yorkshire with a bronze medal from the women’s quad as well as silver and bronze in the women’s double.
Entries at this year’s Scottish Championships were up 8% on last year with more than 50% of those women and girls. There was also considerable growth in the number of masters entries too. This year’s event also served as the perfect opportunity to recognise the the hard work and contribution of Graeme Cunningham with a boat naming ceremony after 17 years leading Scotland at the Home International Regatta.
Catch up on all the results here.
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Check out last week’s results
British Rowing Masters Championships is this weekend!
An action packed weekend of racing awaits in Nottingham this weekend. One of those competing is Henley Women’s Regatta Chairman Naomi Ashcroft. Fergus Mainland caught up with her to find out what she’s looking forward to at the National Water Sports Centre as HWR gets ready to host thousands of competitors in less than two weeks.
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That’s all from Across The Line this week!
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