Junior Success at Pangborne Small Boats Head
Ten athletes from Ross Rowing Club Junior Academy attended Pangbourne Junior Sculls for 14 year olds and above on Saturday, 13th. After awful weather all week and a high risk of cancellation; rowing conditions were perfect on the day. The Races took place over 3000m. Unfortunately morning racing was delayed which meant there was not much recovery time for those racing both in the morning and the afternoon.

Charlotte Leach and Kerry Meek came sixth in the WJ16.2x steering a good course down the middle of the river. Next were the boys in the J14.1X with Johan Lai taking the silver medal behind his adversary from Marlow. Last but not least; the WJ14.IX event where Catrin Morris earned a Bronze medal and Jess Crossman won Gold. It was excellent sculling from both girls and they recorded a faster time than most of the boys in the same age group. In the afternoon Lucy Jones gave a good performance finishing eighth out of thirteen competitors. The J14.4x+ consisting of Johan Lai, George Probert, Nick Burden, Dale Kernot and last minute stand-in cox Skye Jenkins were trailing by quite a distance with 600m to go. With lots of encouragement from the bank and clear instructions from their cox the boys eventually only came second, again to Marlow, by 3 seconds. In the final race of the day Catrin and Jess paired up in the WJ14.2X. They were happy with their bronze position feeling that technically it was the best that they had ever raced together.

Continued...

Fours Head
On the same day, two Ross crews competed in the Veteran Fours Head of the River, a four-and-a-quarter mile race over the Boat Race course between Chiswick and Putney. The Veteran B crew of Paul Carpenter, Steve Randell, Philip Davies and Anthony Dixon-Gough, coxed by Morgan Baynham-Williams, were defending their title from last year, but found the competition too strong as they were over-taken by three of their Vet B rivals. They will work hard through the winter in preparation for next summer's regattas. The ladies' crew of Nicky Wild, Dawn Evans, Annie Williams and Rowena Pollock rowed well in their first race together on the "Tideway". There were coxed by ladies captain Sheron Dean-Lucas, and finished fourth in their Veteran C category. This crew are looking to build on this good experience for future races next season.

Juniors hit the British Indoor Rowing Championships
The Junior Academy took 35 athletes to the British Indoor rowing championships that is held at the national Indoor Arena on Sunday, 21st. The competition was fierce as usual and the junior athletes gain the benefit of seeing how they compare against the best in the whole country. It was a day of some excellent performances by the squad with over 50% achieving personal bests however no medals were won.

The best result was newcomer Charlotte (Charlie) Morris who in her first BIRC's event gained 5th place in the Wj15 event. Other excellent results cam from Johan Lai 11th (J14) and Will England was also 11th in his J15 event. Many thanks to Mandy Crossman and Wendy Burden for the great organisation and an excellent squad meal was enjoyed by athletes parents and coaches afterwards.

Ross Rowing Club win at Evesham Head of the River
On a bitterly cold November Saturday (26th November), three crews from Ross Rowing Club travelled to Evesham to take part in their annual Head of the River Race and all returned with medals.

First off were the Men's Masters D (average age of 50) coxed four of Jeremy Picton-Turbervill, Graham Watling, Paul Brodholt and Dave Sykes coxed by Lucy Jones who won their class by a 30 second margin despite having to negotiate their way out of some overhanging branches halfway down the course. Had it not been for that incident, they would have been very close to the Masters class course record.

Next the Women's Intermediate 3 double scull of Geraldine Calcraft and Holly Campbell not only won their class but set a new class course record and compliments from the Commentator on their fine style! Finally the Women's Senior coxed four of Geraldine Calcraft, Holly Campbell, Emily Preece and Georgina Watling coxed by Rhodri Morris won their class by 15 seconds.