RYDE ROWING CLUB. ROUND THE ISLAND REUNION. Friday, 2nd June 2023.

RYDE ROWING CLUB. ROUND THE ISLAND REUNION. Friday, 2nd June 2023.

On Friday, 2nd June (2023) Ryde Rowing Club held a reunion at their Appley Park Clubhouse for the present and past members of their Club who had rowed around the Isle of Wight. Shanklin Rowing Club were also represented.

The 55.2mile row has been completed by Ryde Crews and Scullers fifteen times since the first time in 1880 and while other local Rowing Clubs have completed the row – including Shanklin, Southsea, Southampton Coalporters, Jersey and Lymington Rowing Clubs it is believed that no other Clubs have completed the row as many times as the Ryde Club.

The Clubs Rowing Captain – Paddy Kearney – welcomed all the past round the Island Rowers and their partners who were able to attend, to the Club – and the Club President – Steve Cook- then introduced those in attendance who shared their experiences of their rows. This included Jim Webber from the 1964 crew and Roy Terry who joined Jim for the 1965 row which broke the record for rowing round the Island. Also present were Bob Haward, Paul Young, Steve Bull and Graham Reeve from the 1979 crew – the first crew to complete the row in a sliding seat coastal a four. The 1995 crew was represented by Steve Dear, Steve Cook and Helen Dear, the cox, which broke – and still holds – the record for a coxed four.

In 1999 an all-Ladies crew from the Club of Jo Hanks, Tanzie Hersey-Page, Cathy West, Nikki Orchard and Sarah Elson with Steph Hickman coxing completed the row – believed to be the only all Ladies crew who have completed the row - and the whole crew was in attendance at the reunion together with Ina Lennie who provided their Safety cover in his boat. In 2003 the youngest Ryde crew – all under twenty – completed the row – and Ollie Bottrell and Stu Johnson representing the crew at the reunion. In 2005 a Ryde Member – also in attendance at the reunion – Nick Pike - achieved a remarkable feat in completing the row in a single scull – and he joined Ian Hayden, Mick Jenner and Russell Page – all also in attendance – who completed the row in a coxless quad in 2008 to claim the record.

Also present at the reunion was Dave and Nigel Fountaine, the sons of Roy Fountaine who had completed the row in 1949 and Richard Broadhead and Ian Thomas from Shanklin Rowing Club who had also completed the row as members of the two crews from their Club who completed the row in 1974.

Ryde Rowing Club has not completed around the Island Row since 2008 – so it must be time for another attempt!