GB National Rowing Championships.
Sunday, 20th July, 2008.
Two Crews from the Wightlink Sponsored Ryde Rowing Club represented the
Island at the GB National Rowing Championships last weekend (Saturday,
19th/Sunday, 20th July, 2008) held at the National Water sports Centre,
Nottingham, and the Club maintained its good record in this event returning to
the Island with two silver and one bronze medal.
The Clubs Senior A Crew of Mike Jenner, Ben Ade, Ian Hayden and Matt Allsopp
first competed individually in the Open Men's Coastal Single Sculls where Mike
Jenner pulled off a surprise result finishing in the silver medal position and
pushing Matt Allsopp, last years gold medal winner into third place and a Bronze
Medal - the Gold Medal going to GB Junior International James Foad from Itchen
Imperial Rowing Club. Coastal Junior Scullers Ian Hayden and Ben Ade, both
racing above their status finished in 4th and 5th place respectively with Ian
gaining the all important Hants & Championship point.
These four, with Cox Bryony Reeve then competed in the Men's Open Coastal Coxed
Fours along side the Clubs "B" Crew - their Coastal Junior Crew of Callum Lowe,
Tim Wiggins, Francais Moore and Tom Clark who were competing in their first
National Championships. In this final, old rivals BTC Southampton set off at a
blistering pace which hardly faulted, to take the Gold Medal with the Ryde A
Crews finishing just behind to take the Silver Medal. The "B" Crew, again rowing
above their Status did remarkably well against Senior opposition pushing the
Itchen Imperial Senior Crew all the way and actually getting ahead of them with
500m to go - but they could not sustain their pace finishing just outside the
medals in 4th - however they were able to claim the all important Hants & Dorset
Championship Point for the CoastlJuniors moving them ever closer to this
Championship.
Photo: Ryde R. C. Senior A Crew, just before they collected their Silver
Medal in the Men's Open Coastal Coxed Fours.
