ITCHEN IMPERIAL ROWING CLUB REGATTA. SATURDAY 2nd AUGUST 2025.

ITCHEN IMPERIAL ROWING CLUB REGATTA. SATURDAY 2nd AUGUST 2025.

Ryde Rowing Club made the short trip to Southampton for the Itchen Imperial Rowing Club Regatta on Saturday (2nd August 2025) held over a 1400 metre course on the river Itchen where crews and scullers compete in three boat races usually involving heats and a final for each event type.

Wightlink sponsored Ryde Rowing Club had one of their most successful Regattas so far this season winning two events and claiming a Hants & Dorset ARA Championship as well as, almost certainly, representative honours for their Rowing Association – the Hants & Dorset ARA – for two fours crews at the South Coast Rowing Championships at Plymouth on the 5th and 6th September.

The hi-light for the Wightlink sponsored Club came in the Women’s Coastal Coxed Fours where the Clubs “A” crew of Emily Kellerman, Alexis Owen,  Eva Gordon and Abi Locke with  Ruby Reed coxing finished 1st in their heat and the Semi Final and went on to win the two boat final in convincing style. This win gave the Ryde Club the Hants & Dorset Amateur Rowing Association Women’s Coastal Junior Fours Championship and selection for the Association to represent them at the South Coast Championship Regatta in the Championship event. The “B” crew of Niamh Murphy, Demi Cranham-Ede, Carla Jenkins and Fiona Owen with Mai Read coxing finished 2nd in their heat.

There was another fine Ryde performance in the Open Junior Senior Fours event where the “A” Crew of Paddy Kerney, Will  Hall, Joe Roberts, and Charlie Watts with Mai Read coxing also won their final and were followed home in 2nd place by the Clubs “B” crew of Isaac Gibson, Yogi Ashworth, Ben Robotham and Joe Bird with Harry Watts coxing. This will almost certainly lead to the Club gaining South Coast Championship Association representative honours in this  Championship event at Plymouth as well.

The Club had two single scullers competing in the Men’s Open Sculls  - the “A” crew if Isaac Gibson finishing 2nd in his heat just missing out on a place in the semi-final but the “B” sculler Charlin Watts secured a win in his heat and semi-final before going on to finish in 2nd place in the final. The Club also had a Novice Women’s Sculler competing – Stella Baisley – who won her heat and finished 2nd in her semi-final just missing out on a place in the final.