Henley Rowing Club’s J15 to J18 year olds competed at the British Rowing Junior Championships (BRJC) at the National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham from 16th-18th July.
At BRJC over 1,500 competitors from 115 clubs took part in the three-day competition, with rowers coming from as far afield as Aberdeen ARC and Calpe RC in Gibraltar. J15s raced Friday, J16s Saturday and J18s Sunday. The format for each day was the same, a 1500m time trial followed by 2000m 6 abreast side by side racing. Top 12 from time trials going to semi finals, minor finals for crews 13 onwards (13 – 18 Final C, 19 – 24 Final D etc). Top three from each semi progressing to Final A and rest to Final B
On Friday the only events available for the J15s were 1x, 2x and 4x+. Henley had three WJ4x+ entered, a J4x+ and two WJ2x. After the time trials all the crews had progressed to semi finals bar the third WJ4x+ of Allysha Stokes, Emily Simmonds, Sophia Spanswick, Pia Butcher and cox Sophia Jobbins who missed the cut for the semi finals by ½ second, this put them in the C final which they went on to win.
The other WJ4x+ finished 1st and 2nd in the semis to make the A final, as did the WJ2x of Tabbie Hall and Freya Weiser. The J4x+ T. Szweda, P. Giret, R. Meredith, H. Pusey-Arsyad, L. Bolton and WJ2x of twins Sophie and Emma Eltze went to the B finals of their respective events where the girls finished third and the boys 5th.
The Tabbie and Freya double has been impressive all season and in the semi final set a new course record and in the final they had clear water by 250m and almost cruised from there to a comfortable 20 sec victory over Globe Rowing Club.
The two WJ4x+ of Tilly Macartney, Gwennie Hunter, Ella Dickson, Florence Lenthall cox Matilda Ley and Evie Bell, Daisy Janes, Ruby Roger, Anna Merritt cox Mimi Dal Lago finished 1st and 3rd respectively in the A final. Sir William Perkins splitting the two Henley crews. The Florence Lenthall crew having taken a 7sec lead by 500m cruised to a 24sec lead over Perkins by the finish who were being pushed by the other Henley boat who finished less than length down on Perkins.
Sunday the J16s had two WJ4x, a WJ4+ and a J1x. The single sculler Sam Pratt progressed from the time trial to the D final where he finished 1st. The girls coxed four Amelia Sterjo, Karima Erbolat, Eyla Wild, Abbie Artherton cox Caitlin Emery won the time trial and because of the number of entries in this event progressed straight to the A final. Here they had a tight race with Great Marlow School to the 1000m mark where they were neck and neck but by 1500 the girls had pulled out a lengths lead and finished two lengths up to take gold.
The WJ16 4x, Sophie Graham, Hannah Boddy, Ailish Harkin and Lucy Jones and Ava Timms, Grace Pavey, Lauren Stokes and Yasmin Lakatos finished 2nd and 3rd behind Kingston Grammar School in the time trail which put them both in the same semi final where they finished 1st and 2nd. In the final, Kingston took an early lead which it built on throughout the race to win ahead of the Sophie Graham boat who won silver, the bronze going to the Ava Timms boat though not until they had fought back from 5th place, passing Northwich and then Nottingham & Union to get through the field.
On Sunday, two WJ8+, a J4x and J1x competed. Cameron Seagar in the single went to the C Final, after the time trial, which he won. The WJ8+ Sophie Underwood, Holly Cookson, Jasmin Stockdale, Laoise O’Donohue, Ellie Harkin, Ailish Harkin, Natalie Schoenmakers, Lucy Jones and Cox C. Emery, and second 8+ Eyla Wild, Tess Lewis, Ella McKay, Evie Tinegate, Blair Fitzgerald, Freya Engel, Hanna Boddy, Sophie Graham and cox Rose McEwen were 2nd and 6th in the time trial, 1st and 3rd in their semi finals and in the final 2nd and 5th with Headington School taking 1st place just a few seconds ahead of the Henley boat and a Scottish Composite taking third.
The J4x F. Ribbons, D. Wallace, G. Lauchlan, G. Hutchins were third behind Windsor Boys and Leander Club in the time trial and second behind Leander in the semi final. The final saw some close racing for the 3rd place medal and the boys where in with a chance until the last few hundred metres when they found them selves back in 5th place.
These results also secured the Victor Ludorum for Henley with 47 points Marlow 2nd with 33 points and Shiplake college 3rd with 31 points.
WJ16 4+ Gold
WJ15 4x+ Gold
WJ15 2x Gold
WJ18 8o Silver
WJ16 4x Silver
WJ16 4x Bronze
WJ15 4x+ Bronze
WJ18 8o A Final 5th
J18 4x A Final 5th
WJ15 2x B Final. 3rd
J15 4x+ B Final 5th
WJ15 4x+ C Final 1st
J18 1x C Final 1st
J16 1x D Final 1st
