By Isle of Wight Observer
Island rowing clubs delivered solid performances at the Coalporters’ 150th Anniversary Regatta, with Newport, Ryde, and Shanklin crews all making their mark in the fiercely-contested three-boat format over 1,500 metres (1,640 yds).
Newport Rowing Club came within striking distance of a championship lead with their junior crew: Mariana Hare (cox), Boris Hare, Connor Garner, Nathaniel Hamilton, and Eric Williams. They edged BTC in a tense semi-final and powered past Southampton in the final by two lengths – and are now just one point behind in the Hants & Dorset standings. Their Open Novice crew of Fiona Brookes (cox), Freddie Hollis, Max Gasper, Jude Williams, and Riv Szawiel beat Southampton in the semi, before narrowly losing to Poole in the final. Flora Lockey, Cara White, Grace Garner, Julia Coulson, coxed by Brookes, the Women’s Novice crew recovered from an early crab, to close a four-length gap to just one, showing remarkable resilience.
There was a commanding win for Ryde in the Women’s Coastal junior four, consisting of Emily Kellerman, Abi Locke, Alexis Owen, Eva Gordon, and Ruby Read (cox). They dominated both the semi and final to take their championship tally to five. The junior senior four – Will Hall, Paddy Kearney, Charlie Watts, Isaac Gibson, and coxed by Mai Read – finished a close second in their final. Young cox, Harry Watts, earned ‘Cox of the Day’ for his sharp turn in the Coastal junior four, with Lars Groothuis, Ben Robotham, Cameron D’Arcy, and Lukas Georgiou, who won their heat and placed third in the final.
There were also strong efforts from Shanklin Rowing Club. Junior pair, Esme Walters and Anna Scott, finished second to Itchen in their heat, while the Men’s Masters four – Paul Gamble (Shanklin), Chris Clarke, Julie Clarke, Harry Hare, coxed by Mariana Hare – secured a solid second, behind BTC.