Read ruled the waves at Henley Masters Regatta as Peterborough City deliver impressive results
Kate Read of Peterborough City Rowing Club won a prestigious title at the Henley Masters Regatta
From start to finish Read delivered a dominant masterclass in the Women’s B Singles Sculls event.
She first left international competition trailing in her wake in a semi-final, defeating Long Beach Rowing Association (USA) ‘easily’ with a time of 4:42 to book her place in the final.
And, returning for the final afternoon, Read showed no signs of slowing down. Facing Blyth of Poplar Blackwall & District Rowing Club, she produced an authoritative performance on the Berkshire station, powering across the line four lengths clear in 4:19 to seal a memorable victory for her and the club.
Read’s win comes hot on the heels of her National success at the British Rowing Masters Championships in Nottingham just weeks earlier where she secured gold in the Mixed Masters D Quadruple Sculls and a silver in the Women’s Masters C Double Sculls.
Her Henley triumph provides the perfect momentum as she continues her stellar season, with her sights now firmly set on the World Rowing Masters Regatta in Bled, Slovenia in September.
There was a thrilling all City semi-final in the Open E Single Sculls between Ian Palmer and Alasdair Ryder. They both put on superb displays to win their quarter-finals against Tideway Scullers School and Madrid Velocidad respectively before Palmer edged their private battle and the club bragging rights after a friendly, but fiercely contested semi-final.
Palmer had to settle for second place overall though as he was beaten by three lengths in the final by Sidaway of Warwick Boat Club.
City's Open Masters C Coxless Pair of Will Kerry and Ro Knighton also enjoyed a great run to the final before finishing runners-up to a formidably fast Bradford on Avon Rowing Club crew. They had performed well to beat Fulham Reach Boat Club in their semi-final.
There was also plenty of pride for the club’s semi-finalists in such an elite competition. In the Mixed Masters G Double Sculls, Helen Wallace and Jack Ward pushed Upper Thames Rowing Club to the absolute limit, losing by just one length to a powerful crew that contained two former international medallist rowers.
And, in the Women’s Masters D Double Sculls Emma Coxall and Susan Genever-Jones bowed out after a tough semi-final encounter against a strong Thames Rowing Club boat.