The Start Line: Time to channel the Pet Shop Boys and go west for this weekend’s racing
Join us at The Start Line and look ahead to a big weekend of domestic racing, particularly on the Wye and Gloucester Sharpness Canal
How can you keep on winning? (c) Drew Smith
A right good rumble expected at Ross Regatta for anniversary celebrations
Described as “almost a last hurrah before the start of the dreaded head season,” Ross Regatta is set for two days of racing across the bank holiday weekend. This year is a special year for the club as they will celebrate 150 years of Ross Regatta. Sunday will see Ross Masters and Juniors Sprint Regatta racing downstream on the Wye over 550m, while Monday will be the Ross Open Regatta over the longer 750m course.
Each year, over the August Bank Holiday, the Ross Regatta brings boat crews and spectators from all over the country. Ross Regatta attracts almost 1,000 competitors aged from 11 to 77 competing in 140 events. The summer festival spirit is expected to continue throughout the two days and racing on the water is expected match the energy on the banks. This year’s regatta has had to be moved further upstream due to low water levels of the Wye.
As expected, it is the junior events (particularly the Single Sculls and Double Sculls) that have drawn the largest entries.
Keep an eye out for the Women’s J13 Single Sculls. Seven scullers from Hereford RC, Stourport RC, Stratford-upon-Avon BC, and Evesham RC will all be fielding young scullers. Seven seems to the magic number as another magnificent seven from across the country will be racing in the age category above. This is also the case with the Women’s J16 Single Sculls, which will have it’s final at 12:28.
The Doubles should bring some brilliant in the morning. Four crews; Hereford RC, Queen’s Park Chester, Worcester RC, and Warwick BC will compete for the Open J18 title while another seven and six will race the in the Open J14 and J15 event respectively.
The junior action continued in the afternoon as an armada of boats will contest the Open J14 Single Sculls field. In the largest event of the day, the hopes of the home crowd will be pinned on ‘Vaughan’. They’ve got a bye in the first round and will race either ‘Lyttle’ of Hereford RC or City of Bristol’s ‘Cooper.’
Credit: Drew Smith
As crews brace for an extra 200m of racing the next day, the first race of the bank holiday will be in the Women’s Double Sculls as Exeter RC take on Stratford-upon-Avon BC. They are two of nine crews in this field and part of a quintet of boats making the trip from Shakespeare country hoping to race fast and loose and send the opposition packing.
In arguably the fastest races of the day, Ross RC will meet the winner of Evesham RC versus Stratford-upon-Avon BC in the final of Open Quadruple Sculls. The Women’s event will have Llandaff RC and Exeter RC going head to head in one semi-final, meeting either Ross RC or Stratford-upon-Avon BC in the final.
Speaking of Quadruple Sculls; the mixed event is also proving popular. Some of the aforementioned usual suspects will be involved along with a couple of crews from City of Bristol RC.
More information is available here.
West Country action continues in Gloucester
Racing at Gloucester Regatta
Gloucester RC is set to host two days of racing on their famous Sharpness Canal. Racing will take place over the 500m course from free starts on both days. On Sunday, the organising committee have added beginner events and will be an excellent racing opportunity for those who have started rowing since the 1 August 2024.
Much like Ross, the first day will see the Masters and Juniors Regatta while Sunday will play host to the Open Regatta.
Worcester RC will in the thick of the action from the get go on Saturday. They will have Open J18 and Women’s J14 Single Sculls racing in all five of the first races of the day.
Throughout the first day, there will be three categories of Eights racing. It will be a two boat showdown in the Open J18 event as Hereford RC and Evesham RC face off in the final. On the Masters side of things, two crews from Bewdley RC as will as a crew from Bristol Ariel RC will race for the Women’s Mas C/D/E category while Llandaff RC and Avon County RC will go head to head for the Open Mas B title.
The two largest events will be the Open J16 and J18 Single Sculls with eight athletes racing in each.
Sunday’s racing will kick off with the opening heat of the Women’s Quadruple Sculls at 09:00 as Llandaff RC race Dart Totnes ARC for berth in the semi-finals against Worcester RC. The other semi-final will have Exeter RC squaring up agains the second of the Worcester boats.
Racing will run until 14:24 when the winner of the Women’s Single Sculls will be crowned. Dart Totnes ARC ‘Hallett’ have a bye through the the semi-final and she’ll be waiting with baited breath to see if her two club mates will be joining her in the hunt for a place in the last race of the day.
All information about Gloucester Summer Regatta can be found here.
What else is on this weekend?
- Aberdeen Sprint Regatta- more information
Through the eyes of a junior: Reflections on fineboat waters in coastal boats
Coastal rower Dylan Hurley, Age 14, reflects on inshore rowing, blisters and making progress after Exmouth Rowing Club’s annual training camp at Wimbleball Lake in June.
Social Spotlight: Postcards from Training Camp
With the countdown well and truly on until the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai, the Women’s Squad are racking up the miles in Varese.
View this post on Instagram
That’s all from The Start Line this week!
Got any stories for us? Email [email protected]!
