In contrast, on the Sunday, the Ryde Club took its largest ever Junior team to the Wessex Junior Regatta, held at Bryanston School, Blandford, Dorset. The event, in its 4^th year, continues to grow in popularity with over two hundred crews entered from thirteen Clubs racing in quads, doubles, and sculls in age groups from J11 through to J16 over a short 300m straight course. For around half of the fifteen students in the team this was their first experience of competitive rowing and proved to be a steep learning curve but invaluable experience. Understandably the best performances came from the more experienced Juniors with the hi-light being Adam Edward’s win in the J13 Single Sculls. Runners-up spots were achieved by Tom Clark in the J16 Single Sculls and in a composite J16 double with Southampton - and again with James Eklund and Ian Dyer in the J16 Coxed Four - with Ollie Gove steering.  The J13 Coxed Quad of Adam Edwards, Josh Colleyer, Ollie Gove and Max Reeve, coxed by Tom Clark also achieved a second place and James Eklund and Ian Dyer finished 3rd in the J16 Boys double. Charlotte Brimstone and Louise Glover raced as a J13 double and then individually in the J13 Single Sculls reaching the semi-finals. Making their racing debuts for the Club was Emily Camm, Holly Evans, Eleanor Gaskin, Nicola Hailstone, Christian Lacey and Leona Fisk who all raced above expectations in a variety of combinations from single scull, doubles and coxed quads.

The Ryde Club would once again like to acknowledge and thank Shanklin Rowing Club for their help with the loan of their Minibus while the Ryde Clubs vehicle remains out of action and to Vestas who supported the Junior Teams trip to the Wessex Junior Regatta.

The Ryde Club returns to Hants & Dorset Coastal action this Saturday when they compete at Woolston Regatta staged by Southampton Rowing Club.

Attached photos shows RRC Junior Team at the Wessex Junior Regatta, Bryanston School. Blandford, Dorset, Sunday, 11th June, 2006.