IWRF Time Trial. 1/2/26.

IWRF Time Trial. 1/2/26.

Sunday morning saw calm conditions on the River Medina for the first winter time trial of 2026. Thirty nine crews from the three islands clubs of Newport, Ryde, and Shanklin Sandown competed, over two divisions. 

Division 1 was run over the shorter 1750m course.  The Newport Open 4+ crew of Freddie Hollis, Connor Garner, Boris Hare, Jude Williams and coxed by Mariana Hare led off the division, and finished with the fastest time of 6.47. They were pipped in gold medal % time (GMT) though, by Charlie Watts of Ryde who finished with 76.62% of GMT, and Isaac King of Shanklin Sandown with 75.67%, against Newport's 75.22%.

Division 2 was run over the longer 3450m course. The Newport Op 4+ of Boris Hare, Connor Garner, Nick McChesney,  Jude Williams, and coxed by Mariana Hare had the fastest time of 13.01, holding off the challenge of Ryde’s crew of Joe Roberts, Lars Grothius, Charlie Watts, Paddy Kearney, and coxed by Mai Reid with 13.10. However, both fours were beaten in percentage of GMT by Shanklin Sandown sculler Connie Batley-Smith who recorded the highest GMT percentage of the day at 78.58%, compared to Ryde’s 76.13% and Newport’s 77.3%.  The second division also saw the Ryde women’s eight make their competitive debut, finishing in a time of 14.06, as they progress their training for a planned entry in the Women’s Head of the River Race on the Thames in March.

RYDE Results.

Division One. 1750m.

Coastal. Open 1x. Isaac Gibson. 1st. 07:48.02

Coastal. Open 2-. Joe Roberts, Paddy Kearney. 1st. 8:14.58

Mixed Coastal. J14 2x. Rosie Morris and Harry Watts. 1st. 10:23.69

Open 1x. Charlie Watts. 1st. 7:25.36. Lars Groothuis. 2nd. 08:08.56

Open J16 1x. Joe Bird. 1st. 08:15.09. Max Locke. 2nd. 08:25.70

Women’s 4+. Alexis Owen, Eve Gordon, Stella Baisley,  Emily Kellerman, Ruby Reid (Cox). 1st. 07:47.38

Women’s. Mas40. 4+. Lisa Murphy, Abi Locke, Maggie Sanderson, Fiona Owen, Mai Read (Cox). 1st. 08:06.22

[9 crews & Scullers]. 

Division Two. 3450m.

Coastal. Open 1x. Issac Gibson. 1st. 15:22.62

Open 4+. Paddy Kearney, Charlie Watts, Lars Groothuis, Joe Roberts, Mai Read (Cox) 2nd. 13:13.00

Open. J16.2x. Max Locke, Joe Bird. 1st. 15:47.00

Open Women’s 8+. Abi Bird, Alexis Owen, Emily Kellerman, Abi Locke, Eva Gordon, Fiona Owen, Stella Baisley, Lisa Murphy, Ruby Reid. 1st 14:06.00

[4 crews & Scullers].