City youngsters shine on Olympic Lake

The top success came at the Wallingford Regatta on the Olympic Lake at Dorney where the J16 quad of Tom Bodily, Tom Jackson, Ted Smith and Callum Gilbey won the Markwell Memorial Trophy.

Despite only getting the third fastest time in the heats over the two-kilometre course, the awesome foursome upped their game in the final. They achieved a speedy time of 6:38, which was six seconds faster than their qualifying time and four seconds ahead of Maidenhead in second place.

There was more success for a Peterborough junior crew at the Bedford Amateur Regatta on Saturday over a 1,200-metre course.

The J14 coxed quad of Tom Calver, Bert Papworth, Daniel Armstrong, Lucas Niklasson and cox Sophie Bicknell beat Norwich in their heat by three and a half lengths, then Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School by three lengths in the semis, and then in the final they beat Bedford Modern School easily.

The women’s J14 coxed quad of Isabel Jackson, Georgie Vassiliades, Esme Mcintrye, Lily-Mae Allan and cox Emma Calver lost narrowly to eventual winners Bedford Modern School in their heat.

Nottingham City Regatta also took place at the weekend at the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont over the two-kilometre course.

Here there was a double win for Damen Sanderson and Chris Elder, who won their Masters A doubles by nine seconds and their open doubles by two seconds.

Carole Hook and Sarah Smith were also City winners in their Masters B doubles beating Cantabrigians in the final by five seconds. Hook also came third in her singles and was just four seconds from winning.

There were also wins for two more Masters crews. The Open Masters D eight of Keith Blackman, Jack Ward, Jaish Mahan, Bruce Magretts (Lincoln), Jim Burt, Steve Tuck, Rob Dennis, Al Ryder and cox Ericha Knowles-Pardoe rowed an impressive final, crossing the line 11 seconds ahead of Star Club, while the Masters B composite crew of Chris Callow (Star), Steve Cranfield, Dave Smith (Leics) and Ian Palmer managed to just get home ahead of Doncaster by two seconds.

Camilla Plumb was the fastest qualifier in the women’s lightweight singles and in the final she finished second, six seconds behind a Nottingham University sculler.

Other second places came from Hayley Marsters, Gail Parker, Bridge Lloyd, Helen Wallace and Ericha Knowles-Pardoe (Women’s Masters E coxed four) and Hayley Marsters, Helen Bloor (Nottingham), Sarah Smith, Carole Hook, Bridge Lloyd, Gail Parker, Anita Carter, Helen Wallace and Ericha Knowles-Pardoe (Women’s Masters D eight).