South Coast Championships Regatta, 14/9/19. RYDE TRIUMPH AT SOUTH COAST CHAMPIONSHIPS.

South Coast Championships Regatta, 14/9/19.

RYDE TRIUMPH AT SOUTH COAST CHAMPIONSHIPS.

The 63rd South Coast Rowing Championships Regatta took place at Dartmouth, Devon on Saturday, 14th September and Ryde Rowing Club, representing their Associations – the Hants & Dorset ARA - for the 38th time, were triumphant in the most prestigious event of the day – the Men’s Championship Senior Fours. The event was not without controversy having to be re-rowed after several clashes at the start. In the re-row the Ryde crew consisting of Ollie Bottrell, Mike Ewing, Matt Allsopp and Mark Chatwin and coxed by Owen Barnaby, rowed through the field catching a crew from Exeter on the line to win the famous Bideford Bowl for the sixth time.

Further success for the Wightlink sponsored club came in the Junior 18 coxed Fours where the crew of Tom Starkey, Austin Smith, Ben Sanderson and Tye Cameron with Dan Sanderson coxing, who had had a disappointing season, finally came good, taking the lead soon after the start holding on to it until the end. This crew competed again later in the day – in the Open Men’s Junior Senior Fours race where they finished in 3rd place.   

Ryde Crews also competed in the Girls under 16 Coxed quadruple sculls where the crew of Poppy Starkey, Freya Drage, Niamh Edwards and Emily Davies with Cameron Adams coxing finished 4th in their heat – failing to make the final. However they raced again later in the day in the Ladies Novice Fours where they qualified for the final – finishing in 4th place.

A boy’s crew consisting of Harry Jones, Seb McKeown, Paddy Kearney and Dan Sanderson with Graham Reeve coxing competed in the Boys under 16 Quadruple Sculls found the going tougher also failing to make the final. They competed again in the Men’s Novice Fours where the finished 5th in the final.