BTC Regatta. Saturday, 26th August

The BTC Rowing Club Regatta, at Western Shore, Southampton was the venue for the final Coastal Regatta of the season on Saturday, 26 August and resulted in several more wins for the Wightlink sponsored Ryde Rowing Club.

Pride of place went to Senior Sculler Nick Pike who notched up his  thirteenth victory of the season to comfortably retain the Hants & Dorset Men's Senior Sculling Championship - with just one defeat during the season. Ryde Scullers Matt Allsopp finished 2nd and Mike Jenner 4th.

In the Men's Senior Fours event the two Ryde Crews - the A crew of Nick Pike, Matt Allsopp, Mike Jenner, Ian Hayden and Cox Penny Glazzard - and the B Crew of Con and Christy Sullivan, Ollie Bottrell and Steve Salter, coxed by Clare Salter raced neck and neck to the line the B Crew edging out the A Crew by the narrowest of margins - just half a canvas to secure Ryde's 6th Senior Fours win of the season.

A further victory came in the Men's Novice Fours where the crew of C. Shell, James Eklund, Tom Clark and Jamie Lawson secured their 2nd Novice win to gain promotion to Coastal Junior status. The same crew with Rachael Brimstone replacing C. Shell competed in the J16 Fours finishing in 3rd place.

There were high hopes that the Men's Junior Senior Four of Adam Drockitt, Dave Squibb, Matt Evans and Sam Cocker coxed by Penny Glazzard might force a win over Itchen Imperial, who had led this Championship for most of the season, and snatch the title at the last minute - but it was not to be - as they lost out by just half a length. This forced the crew into the unfortunate position of having to return to Southampton on the Sunday to face Southsea in a row-off for the second South Coast Championship place - which they secured with a 3/4 length victory, which although close they never looked like loosing.

The two Ladies Junior Crews had mixed fortunes with the A crew of Aimee Dibbens, Hayley Edwards, Kim Salter and Rachael Brimstone and cox Adam Edwards having the better of the B Crew of Chloe Attrill, Steph Goody, Sophie Draper and Claire Salter with Steve Salter coxing,  avenging their defeat of the previous week. However in spite of a good row they were not quite good enough to beat Champions Christchurch finishing second with the B Crew in 4th.

The Club had two crews competing in the mixed race at the end of the Regatta with a crew made up of Claire, Kim and Steve Salter with Ollie Bottrell and Adam Edwards coxing winning.

The Club is still trying to work out how its four wins, three second and a third failed to gain them the Regatta's aggregate shield as well - but this will have to remain one of the mysteries of BTC Regatta!