RYDE ROWING CLUB. COALPORTERS REGATTA, Saturday, 10th June.

Ryde Rowing Club, sponsored by Wightlink IW Ferries, competed at the Southampton Coalporters Regatta, on the river Itchen, on Saturday (10th June 2023) over a 1500 metre course, with a racing turn and with a maximum of three boat racing so most events involved heats, semi-finals and a final.

The Men’s Coastal Junior Four A Crew of Matt Chalmers, Ben Sanderson, Will Hall and Paddy Kearney with Mia Mackay coxing won their heat with comparative ease but unfortunately came up against the current H&D Championship Leaders from Southampton and a very good Christchurch crew in the semi-final and could only manage 3rd place in a close race – with the times of all three crews faster than the crews in the second semi-final. The Men’s Coastal Junior Four B Crew of Joe Bird, Matt Groothuis, Charlie Watts, Dan Sanderson, and Mia Mackay coxing once again finished 3rd in their heat. Due to crew absences, they had two Novice Oarsman rowing – Matthew and Joe - who was competing in his first sweep oared fours race.

The Men’s Coastal Junior Pair crew of Dan Sanderson, Matthew Groothuis finished 3rd in their semi-final in another close race.

However, the hi-light of the day for the Ryde Club came in the Ladies Coastal Junior Pairs where Stella Baisley and Chloe Hughes rowed excellently to win their event and claim their second Hants & Dorset ARA Point of the season – and promotion to Ladies Senior status for next season – even more impressive when you consider that Chloe was a Novice Oarswomen.