Wightlink sponsored Ryde Rowing Club competed in two very different events over the weekend travelling to Poole for their Coastal Regatta on the Saturday and to Blandford, on the Sunday to compete in the Wessex Junior Regatta held at Bryanston School.

The IW Festival on the Saturday resulted in a much smaller team than usual competing at Poole - just two fours attending - four of these crew members also competing in the Single Sculls events. In the Men’s Senior Fours the Ryde crew of Nick Pike, Mike Jenner, Matt Allsopp and Ian Hayden with Penny Glazzard coxing produced another fine performance. Having won their heat they faced BTC and Christchurch in the twice round final. The BTC crew were dropped early in the race leaving Ryde and Henley hopefuls Christchurch to battle to the finish Ryde taking the prize by around two lengths.

The young Men’s Novice Four of Ian Dyer, James Eklund, Tom Clark and Jamie Lawson, with Adam Edwards coxing also won their heat with comparative ease but then also faced strong opposition from a Christchurch Crew in their final were they were beaten into 2nd place by the narrowest of margins - just half a canvas.