RYDE R. C. REGATTA

A significantly higher entry - at over one hundred crews - and the glorious weather, led to a very successful Ward House Financial Services Ryde R. C. Regatta on Saturday 2nd June. Nineteen races, the biggest Regatta at Ryde for several years were crammed into a packed four and a half hours of racing, with a race against time to complete the program in the window made available by the high tide over the Appley sandbank - and it is a credit to the crews and race officials that the program was completed. Hundreds of competitors, spectators, and visitors to the Island watched the racing from the sea wall by the Canoe Lake as Coxed Fours, Coxless Pairs, Single sculls and double sculls, for Men and Women, at four different statuses raced over the 1820m course that runs from Appley Beach out towards Ryde Pier head for the buoy turn, unique to Coastal rowing, and return to finish near Ryde's Appley Park Clubhouse. Following the Regatta many of those who attended enjoyed the Wightlink sponsored Ryde Clubs hospitality into the early hours of Sunday morning.

The pressure on time at the Ryde Regatta may well have had an impact on the result of the Senior Fours race where the Ryde A Crew of Ben Ade, Mike Jenner, Matt Allsopp and Ian Hayden, with young Bryony Reeve coxing clashed at the turn loosing several lengths on their rivals but had their protest turned down. In spite of this incident they battled back to finish less than a length behind the winners BTC. They reversed the result on the Sunday at Shanklin coming from behind to row through BTC to take their first Senior Fours win of the season. The Senior B Crew of Stuart Johnson, Matt Evans, Robin Kersey and Sam Cocker, with Penny Glazzard coxing on the Saturday and Ollie Gove on the Sunday rowed well to reach the final finishing 4th on each occasion.

The men's Junior Four of Callum Lowe, Jamie Lawson, James Eklund and Tom Clark, coxed by Ollie Gove also performed well considoring their lack of training due to exam pressure finishing 3rd at Ryde on the Saturday and 4th at Shanklin on the Sunday.

Fourth place was also the fate, on both days, for the Ryde Senior Ladies crew of Anna Bateman, Hayley Edwards, Sophie Draper and Rachael Brimstone, coxed by Adam Edwards.

In the Sculling races Ryde continued their domination of the Senior event with Nick Pike winning on both days with Matt Allsopp finishing second. At Ryde on the Saturday Mike Jenner completed a one, two, three for the host Club - but dropped back to 4th place on the Sunday, probably because he had one eye on the Senior Fours final still to come. Junior sculler Ben Ade competed competantly on both days finishing 3rd on each occasion against strong opposition from Itchen Imperial and the Novice scullers - Ian Hayden, Stu Johnson and Tom Clark also competed well with Ian showing the most promise with a third place each day.

Two Junior Pairs also competed at both Regattas - with Robin Kersey and Tom Clark in the A boat and Jamie Lawson and James Eklund in the "B" boat but neither challenged for the top places.

Full results from Ryde Regatta -

men's Senior Fours -

1st BTC         2nd Ryde           3rd Itchen

men's Junior Senior Fours -

1st Itchen      2nd Southsea

men's Junior Fours -

1st Christchurch        2nd Lymington         3rd Ryde.

men's Novice Fours -

1st Southsea     2nd Newport     3rd Christchurch

Ladies Senior Fours -

1st Coalporters        2nd Christchurch           3rd Southampton.

Ladies Junior Fours -

1st Coalporters        2nd  Southsea           3rd Westover

Ladies Novice Fours -

1st Itchen          2nd BTC            3rd Christchurch

men's Senior Pairs.

1st Lymington      2nd Itchen         3rd BTC

men's Junior Pairs.

1st Lymington      2nd Christchurch       3rd Ryde

Ladies Senior Pairs

1st Coalporters    2nd Southampton     3rd Southsea

men's Senior Sculls.

1st Pike of Ryde.     2nd Allsopp of Ryde     3rd Jenner of Ryde.

men's Junior Sculls.

1st Wardell of Itchen.     2nd Riceman of Itchen.     3rd Ade of Ryde.

men's Novice Sculls

1st Leelohardy of Itchen.     2nd Squires of Coalporters,     3rd Hayden of Ryde.

Ladies Junior Sculls.

1st Wardell of Itchen.     2nd Radband of Coalporters.     3rd Longmead of Coalporters.

Veteran Fours

1st Poole       2nd BTC        3rd Lymington.

Double Sculls.

1st Southsea     2nd Ryde

Aggregate Shield.

Itchen Imperial Rowing Club.

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