Walton & Weybridge Regatta

Henley Rowing Clubs J13, 14 and 15 squads raced at the two day Walton and Weybridge regatta held on the weekend of 6 and 7 June. For a change a nice traditional river regatta raced over a 1000m on the Walton stretch of the river.

On Saturday J15 boys crew of Noah Cottam, Jack Elliott, Will Askin, Charlie Chapman, Rohan Shanker, Henry Featherstone, Jonathon Paine, Edward Jones, cox Sinan Girgin. raced in an eight against St George’s in a straight final winning a close race by a canvas.

The J15 girls Holly Mordecai, Zeffie Whiteman, Lottie Cotton, Charlotte Mackie, Liv Baker, Darcy Kenny, Eloise Askin, Charlotte Roberts, cox Eva Worboys also won their eights event coming from behind to beat Sir William Perkins by 3/4 length.

The clubs masters crews had wins in Masters C/D/E quads and Women’s Master F/G quad.

On Sunday 7 June crews raced over a 500 metre course held in very blustery although bright conditions with the former affecting the performance of several of the races held during the day. The Henley Rowing Club J13 boys open crew unfortunately lost to a crew from Guildford rowing club in their first heat but the second open crew of Dylan Smith, Toby Jordaan, Milana Kolomatskiy made it to the final of their division by beating a crew from Walton Rowing Club only losing to Weybridge rowing club in the following final race by four lengths.

Later in the day the Henley J13 girls consisting of Ellie Robinson sculling at bow, Matilda Woolford at two, Isla Boreham at three, Poppy Simmonds at stroke and with Hadley McKean as cox raced a girls crew from the local Weybridge rowing club in a straight final of the band one level division, winning by five lengths in an impressive style.

The J15 boys raced in the morning in doubles and quads. The double of Rohan Shanker and Will Askin made the final but lost by 2 lengths to Guildford RC.

Racing in J15 single sculls Charlie Chapman beat Roe of walbrook in the first round then Bradbury of Guildford in the semi, and in the final took the win over Dunn of Guildford by 1/2 length.

The Henley J14’s had three crews racing throughout the day, with a stiff tailwind heading down the 500m course racing was going to be fast. First up the Octo of Tom Leppard, William Cowburn, Ernie Sterjo, Ace Hawkins-Bekir, Wilf Butler, Robert Finlaison, Ben Freeman, Nai Kennedy coxed by Austin Liddell took on St Georges college. Racing was close as they came down the course with Henley taking the victory by 1/2 length after pulling away in the last 100m.

In the afternoon the Band 2 Quad of Nai Kennedy, Hugo De Gouveia, Ace Hawkins-Bekir and Robert Finlaison coxed by Ben Freeman were victorious over three rounds to take the win against Walton by 1 1/2 lengths in the final.

The Band 1 Quad of Tom Leppard, William Cowburn, Ernie Sterjo and Wilf Butler coxed by Austin Liddell were knocked out by St. Georges College in a closely fought heat.