Boat Launch and Jack Pike Sculls.

Saturday, 10th May, 2008.

Ryde Rowing Club staged their annual club sculling event on Saturday, sponsored by Jack and June Pike. Jack a long standing member of the Club is rightly credited with helping to establish competitive sculling on the Island. Thirty years ago he built a mould and started to produce wooden single sculling boats, that up to that point had been few and far between at Island rowing clubs. The introduction of competitive boats lead to a surge in interest in single sculling that is maintained to this day with Ryde becoming one of the most successful sculling clubs in the Association highlighted by Jacks son Nick who has won four consecutive Hants & Dorset Senior Sculls Championships.

Ten Club members competed in the event on Saturday, with two five boats heats leading to a four boat final. The event, staged over Ryde's 1910m Regatta course is run on a handicap basis with Coastal Junior Scullers starting thirty seconds behind the Novices and the Senior Scullers a further thirty seconds behind that, the close racing confirming that the handicap was about right.

The first heat was won by Novice Sculler Tom Clark in a time of 9 minutes 8 seconds with Senior Sculler Nick Pike second in 9 minutes 10 seconds to both gain a place in the final. They were joined by Senior Sculler, Mike Jenner, who won the second heat in a time of 9 minutes 44 seconds with Novice Sculler Callum Lowe finishing second in a time of 10 minutes 16 seconds.

Novice Sculler Tom Clark won the final in a time of 8 minutes 42 seconds. Interestingly he was the only sculler racing in a wooden boat - the "Josie" - one of the first built by Jack thirty years before. Senior Scullers Nick Pike and Mike Jenner finished 2nd and 3rd respectively, in times of 9 minutes 3 seconds and 9 minutes 15 seconds with Callum Lowe 4th in a time of 9 minutes 34.

While the main event was taking place over the Ryde Regatta course a Junior event, known as the "Junior Jacks" took place in training sculls over a 300m straight sprint course, for Club Juniors under 14. Nine Junior were involved racing in three heats of three with Max Reeve, Emilie Rose and Sam Corney winning to gain a place in the final which was won by Sam in a close finish from Max.

Prizes were presented to the winners by Club member Roy Terry who was involved in the building of those first wooden sculls with Jack.

Earlier in the day the Club had launched a new plastic Coastal Coxless Pair/Double Scull named "Stephanie" after the Clubs long serving Bar Manager and Committee Member Steph Hickman. A new Coaching/Safety boat was also launched named "Speedy one" following generous sponsorship received from Speedyhire.

An enjoyable day was completed with a traditional oarspersons supper in the Clubhouse on the Saturday evening.

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