THE weather made for difficult rowing over the weekend and a difficult decision on Sunday for the traditional Isle of Wight regatta double-header at Ryde and Shanklin.
Ryde Rowing Club and friendly rivals, Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club, did their best to facilitate some great racing for rowers and spectators.
RYDE REGATTA
RYDE Regatta on Saturday went off as planned, but not without a weather scare — a gusty, north-easterly breeze on The Solent — which, if it had led to a cancellation, would have been disastrous for Ryde Rowing Club, with last year cancelled due to the weather, preceded by two years of Covid.
Although the conditions remained a challenge, with a few capsizes in the small boat events, the regatta was completed with just the loss of the J16 quad fours race, lost to the low tide.
The men’s coastal junior fours was the race the whole club had been looking forward to after the previous week's mishap, which saw the crew collide with Christchurch's, with the A crew keen to show just what they were capable of.
The crew of Matt Chalmers, Ben Sanderson, Will Hunt and Paddy Kearney, with Mai Mackay coxing, started as favourites for the race — and did not disappoint, winning comfortably by four lengths.
Behind them was Ryde’s B crew of Lars Groothuis, Charlie Watts, Isaac Gibson and Alf Scott, coxed by Joe Bird had an excellent battle, coming third by two feet.
Shanklin notched up four wins, with the senior ladies' crew of sister pairs Beth and Frances Katirewa, and Emily and Daisy Faithfull, with Esme Walters (cox), winning the opening race by a four-length margin.
Daisy and Emily also took the ladies' senior pairs, followed by Daisy winning the senior sculls.
The club’s fourth win came from the men’s novice fours crew of Carter Horrix, Paul Gamble, Louis Sheasby, Fred Giemza-Pipe and Walters (cox), who won by six lengths.
The Katirewa sisters were denied the club’s fifth win when a clash at the turns saw the crew drop into second spot and could not quite overcome the deficit.
In the junior pairs race, Ryde’s A crew of Kearney and Hunt came second behind Southampton in a close race, while in the novice sculls, Ryde's Bradley Whiting came third.
SHANKLIN REGATTA
ON SUNDAY, rough and blustery conditions led to the eventual cancellation of the regatta after just five races on safety grounds.
Ryde's Ben Sanderson put Saturday's disappointment behind him to gain a good second place in the junior sculls race.
The Faithfull sisters recorded another victory in the senior ladies' pairs for Shanklin.
Shanklin's men's senior pairs race saw Ethan Walters and Riley Horrix return to their home club to finish in an excellent second spot.
The club’s men’s master crew enjoyed two excellent rows, recording third and
fourth place finishes over the two regattas.
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