By Isle of Wight Observer
Island Rowers had a successful weekend at Poole Regatta, with a series of strong results.
Ryde’s pride of place went to the women coastal four of Eva Gordon, Alexis Owen, Emily Kellerman and Fiona Owen, with Ruby Reed coxing, also cox of the regatta. They finished second in their heat and went on to win the final, claiming their second Hants & Dorset Championship point of the season, following their home win at Ryde the previous week.
Ryde’s J-16 boys coxed quad of Joe Bird, Charlie Watts, Cameron D’Arcy, and Max Locke, with Harry Watts coxing, also won their race. Ryde’s open junior senior coxed four, of Isaac Gibson, Charlie Watts, Ben Sanderson and Yogi Ashworth, with Mai Reed coxing, finished third in their final. The open coastal junior four competing consisting of Cameron Darcy, Yogi Ashworth, Ben Robotham and Joe Bird, with Ruby Reed coxing once again, finished fourth in their final.
In the small boat events, the J-16 boys double, of Max Locke and Joe Bird, were pipped on the line to finish second behind host club, Poole, in one of the closest races of the day.
Newport entered six crews, with U-14 rowers of Mariana Hare and Fiona Brookes, joining forces with Olivia Mumberson and Martha Egerton from Shanklin, coxed by Esme Walters to race in the U-14 quad. Despite only having one practice session ahead of the race, they won decisively.
The junior pair, of Jake Garner and Nathaniel Hamilton, finished third in their final, and racing again with Boris Hare and Connor Garner, coxed by Mariana Hare, finishing second in the open junior final.
Newport women’s novice crew of Flora Lockey, Julia Coulson, Grace Garner, and Helen Hopper, coxed by Fiona Brookes, reached the final, but finished sixth. The open novice crew of Freddie Hollis, Riv Szawiel, Max Gasper (in his first race) and Eric Williams, coxed by Fiona Brookes, reached their final and finished fifth.
Shanklin continued their strong start to the season, and also celebrated successes at Eton’s Dorney Lake, with six junior golds and five junior silvers.