Vesta Scullers Head of the River Race.
Saturday 3rd December 2011.
Last Saturday (3rd December) five Senior members of Wightlink sponsored Ryde
Rowing Club competed in the Vesta Scullers Head of the River Race in what will
probably be the Clubs last competitive outing of 2011 which has been another
good year for the Club.
The Vesta Scullers Head is the largest single-division processional single
sculls race in the world, and is held over the 4.25 mile championship course
from Mortlake to Putney on the Thames. First sculled in 1954, this years race
involved almost 500 scullers attracting entries from all over the United Kingdom
and the world, with standards ranging from internationals to novices.
The best performance for Ryde came, not surprisingly, from their GB Masters Gold
Medal winner and Hants & Dorset ARA Senior Sculls Champion, Ian Hayden, racing
in the Masters B category, who finished 59th overall and 2nd in his category
with a time of 22 minutes 19 seconds. Next to complete the course, racing in the
Masters C category was Mick Jenner, who finished in 164th position overall and
10th in his category in a time of 23 minutes 17 seconds. Matt Allsopp, in his
first competitive outing for the Club since his return to the Island, was the
next Ryde Sculler home, competing in the Masters A category, he finished 170th
overall, 12th in his category with a time of 23 minutes 20 seconds. Russell
Page and Nick Pike were competing in the Masters D category with Russell
finishing ahead of Nick, in 202nd position overall, 10th in this category with a
time of 23 minutes 35 seconds with Nick 24th in the category in a time of 30
minutes 35 seconds.
Photo: Ryde R. C "Masters" Scullers at the Vesta Scullers Head - Ian Hayden,
Rusell Page, Mick Jenner, Nick Pike and Matt Allsopp.
