Maidenhead Rowing Club's Junior Novice and Intermediate Girls travelled to Kingston Regatta in force on Sunday 10th July and came away with several wins. The regatta was organised so that most crews were guaranteed at least two races, either through a repechage or through a Plate competition for first round losers.

The course is a reasonably wide and straight stretch, allowing many three abreast races. The general consensus was that it looked more like 700m than 500m. There is a slight bay at the start of the course which enticed a few to make a detour. Conditions were hot and sunny with a headwind.

Maidenhead had three coxed quad entries, Women's J 14, Women's J 13 and Women's J 12. Also a WJ 14 double, two WJ 13 singles, a WJ 12 double and a WJ 12 single.

There were qualifying wins for WJ 12 Coxed Quad, WJ 12 Double scull and WJ 12 Single scull. Plate wins for WJ 13 Coxed Quad and WJ 13 Single scull.

Womens J 14 Coxed Quad
Harriet Ingall, Emma Alington, Emma Sanerkin, Aimee Broadbent, cox Rebecca Reeve

In the first heat the girls were against Teddington Schools. Maidenhead got a good start but slowed in the middle of the race. A final push 100m from the end was enough to get them through to the next round by 1/3 of a length. Next Maidenhead met Kingston - this was a close race all the way down the course and Kingston was ultimately awarded the win by three feet. However, the Maidenhead boat still went on to win the competition as it was lent to Calpe RC from Gibraltar (here for the National Championships on 16th/17th July) who had damaged the rudder on their boat. In a close final, Calpe eventually pulled away to win from from Kingston.

WJ 14 Double scull
Emma Sanerkin and Aimee Broadbent

This was a new combination and both girls are to be congratulated on their first joint outing. Their first heat was against Eton Excelsior and Kingston GS. The Maidenhead girls had a reasonable start and kept in touch with Kingston most of the way down the course. Unfortunately a crab slowed them down and Kingston seized a 2 length lead which they kept to the finish. EERC were 3rd.

In this event there was a repecharge so Maidenhead had another chance. This time they were racing against Lady Eleanor Hollis B and Calpe RC of Gibraltar. LEH had a good lead from the start and finished some 3 lengths ahead of Maidenhead, who in turn finished many lengths ahead of Calpe.

WJ 13 Coxed Quad
Katherine Hendersen, Hannah Shimmin, Rebecca Reeve (rowing up a year), Lucy Brockwell, cox Henrietta Jenkins

The first heat was against Eton Excelsior RC. Maidenhead sculled neatly but Eton were bigger and stronger, leading from the start and built on their lead to finish 3 lengths up. Again there was a second chance as first round losers were entered into the WJ 13 quad sculls plate.

Maidenhead's next race was against Twickenham. The girls had a good start, opened up a 2 length lead very quickly and then continued to draw away to win easily. As there had been a withdrawal at an earlier stage in the competition, this meant the girls only had to complete a row over in order to win the plate…which they did.

WJ 13 Single scull
Katherine Hendersen
Hannah Shimmin

Both of these girls are from last year’s beginner’s intake. Hannah raced first against Russo of Calpe RC. It was a tight race and by half way Hannah was about a length and a half down. She was then given steering instructions by the umpire so that she would avoid a capsized person on the race course. This slowed her progress and Calpe went on to win. Katherine was in the next race, drawn against Perkins of Lady Eleanor Hollis. Perkins is a tough opponent and although Katherine raced well she lost out.

The good news after this was that there was also a plate event for first round losers. The bad news was that the Maidenhead girls had to race each other. However they were very professional and just got on with the job. Hannah won through and went ahead to the plate final which she also won.

WJ 12 4x+
Felicity Young, Henrietta Jenkins, Rebecca Reeve, Rachael Aldridge, cox Emma Sanerkin

The Maidenhead Women's Junior 12 coxed quad stormed through their opening race against a very inexperienced Putney High School C crew to win by nearly half the course. In the next round, they met the Putney High School A crew and again won in convincing style. In the final against Kingston RC, they got off to a good start and, sculling neatly, steadily pulled away to win comfortably. This was a first regatta win for two of the crew. A dominant and well deserved win.

WJ 12 2x
Lexy Dobson and Fifi Bevan

Lexy and Fifi met Kingston in the first round who they beat easily. They then met Tideway Scullers who they also beat easily, mainly because Tideway had some extreme steering problems. In the final against Eton Excelsior they had a a much closer and tougher race. Maidenhead led all the way but Eton looked as if they could snatch they lead at any time. In the end Lexy and Fifi put in one last push to win by a length.

After this race Gabby Watson from EERC, who Maidenhead had just beaten in the double, sportingly came over and congratulated the Maidenhead girls on their victory.

WJ 12 1x
Fifi Bevan

Fifi beat Nicholas of Kingston RC in the first heat. The final and semi final were then compressed into one race and Fifi met Gabby Watson of EERC and Carter of Ardingley. Fifi and Watson were battling from the start – Fifi leading by a length or less at some points. Carter of Ardingley was several lengths back. At the 100m point Fifi pushed for home and won by 5 lengths.