Ross Regatta
Sunday
It was a very soggy start to the day and the relentless rain was a bone chilling cold. An early start for one of our youngest athletes Millie Short who raced at 9am. Millie racing in the Women’s Junior 14 single sculls against Stratford upon Avon RC put in a fine performance and was level with her opponent over half the length of the course. At the finish the Stratford upon Avon girl just got away beating Mille by on only half a length. It was an exciting race to watch.
Next to race was our Women’s Junior 18 Coxless Quadruple Sculling Boat. Racing against City of Bristol Rowing Club in their first race they made it look oh so easy and took the win by over 4 lengths. In driving, ice cold rain they raced their final against Royal Chester Rowing Club. This time the race was a battle with both boats side by side all the way, the legendary Ross Regatta course with its bends, twists and turns making it impossible to judge who was leading this close race. As the finishing bell peeled and both crew crossed the the line neither crew knew who was victorious. The Umpire announced ‘Staines by two feet’ and for a moment there was Sunshine through the rain as the smiles on the faces of our exhausted athletes lit up the sky!
In the afternoon the rain stopped and after hours of cold and wet there were out breaks of sun and warmth. Racing in the double Sculling boats we had Bella & Millie again in the Women’s Junior 14 competition, Paige & Zara in the Women’s Junior 18 event. Both crews Sculling well but still unable the beat their opposition.
Olive & Fi racing in the Women’s Junior 15 double sculls, put in a tremendous performance in their first race with a classy demonstration of sharp, high rate Sculling they qualified to race in the Semi-Final where they met and raced a crew from Evesham Rowing Club. The Evesham RC crew beat our girls and went on to win the Competition.
Felix Stewart our only boy racing this weekend, competing in the Open Junior 18 single Sculling event passed easily through his qualifying heat and went on the Win in the Final by a huge margin. Felix had a tough day racing at Gloucester and had come up against a member of the Junior National Squad in final and was only just beaten. It was therefore good see he was not disheartened and went to win so well at Ross Regatta.
Our masters men also raced twice unsuccessfully but showed some improvement between their races. The second race was against an older crew ( masters E crew) so our athletes had totake a 3 second time penalty at the start. It’s normally quite difficult to catch-up after taking a time penalty on such a short course. Our athletes did well to stay within a few lengths of the opposing crew.
The last race of the day...actually occurred after the Regatta had finishing as a Giant Yellow Duck raced against a Giant Pink Flamingo down the Regatta Course. The inflatable animals were powered by the athletes of Wycliffe Rowing Club & City of Bristol Rowing Club. The surprise Winner was the Staines Boat Club Women’s Eight who were on a training outing and appeared out of the blue, crossing the finish line to steal the victory for the giant Pink Flamingo (see photos)
The miserable rain and cold of the Morning didn’t deter us from having fun and Winning a few races on the day. CONGRATULATIONS to the winners and thank you for helping to make it a fabulous weekend
Monday
It was with relief that we awoke to dry weather all be it cloudy but warm. It was our Women’s Squad chance to race in two fours in the morning and then an eight in the afternoon.
The first boat to race was a Coxed four that lost their race against a crew from Pengwern Rowing Club (Wales) who went on to win the competition. But the second boat a Coxless Four beat Runcorn Rowing Club and were the winners of their event.
In the afternoon the two crews came together and raced in the Eight and beat a Bewdley Rowing Club crew and so qualified for the Semi-Final. In the Semi-Final race the Staines crew raced a crew from Llandaff Rowing Club that included four National Champions. It was a close race from the start and as the crews navigated their way down the twisting, bendy Regatta course they fought hard for position. It was almost impossible for the spectators to judge which crew was it the lead. At half way it looked like Staines BC were pulling ahead. A nervous ‘Watling Family’ (Mum & Dad, see photos) looked on as both their daughters were in the Staines BC crew and had learned to Row at Ross Rowing Club. Just before the Finish the Llandaff RC managed to find a little more power a pushed ahead of the Staines BC crew to take the win (see photos of both the Eight’s races)
Only two Juniors had stayed to compete on Monday. Twins Felix & Zara Stewart raced in the Junior 18 Mixed double sculls event. They looked fantastic on the water as they powered their way to a convincing lead winning the race and competition easily. WELL DONE Felix & Zara
Felix also raced in the Final of the Open Junior 18 single sculls competition. He made the victory look effortless as he gracefully navigated the course many boat lengths ahead of his opponent from Liverpool & Victoria Rowing Club.
The sun began to shine on Ross Regatta and it was dry until the end of the day, which was a fabulous way to end the weekend for all the visiting Rowers
CONGRATULATIONS! to all the winning Staines Boat Club athletes. Despite the wet weather TEAM STAINES (Juniors, Seniors & Masters Squads) had a great weekend away Rowing
