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Maidenhead RC entered five crews at Henley Women's Regatta on the weekend of 19-21 June and reached two finals. HWR has grown in importance and prestige in recent years and now attracts many rowers from overseas as well as domestic crews. It is raced over a shortened version of the Henley Royal Regatta course.
WJ16 Quads
The WJ16 Quads event was run as a trial event for the fist time this year and attracted a strong field. Both Maidenhead RC WJ16 Quads progressed through the time trials early Saturday morning to qualify for the main event. The 'B' Quad of Emily Birch, Henrietta Jenkins, Megan Haines and Zoe Broadbent lost in the first round proper to a Nottingham RC/Rob Roy composite crew by 3 1/2 lengths. The 'A' crew of Gabby Watson, Kate Ryde, Fifi Bevan and Lexy Dobson then comfortably beat Newark RC in their first race.
On Sunday, in the quarter-final, the 'A' Quad eliminated Kings School Worcester by two lengths and then faced a Star Club/Dame Alice Harpur composite - which had set a very fast time in their quarter-final - in the semi-final. Maidenhead's fast start got them away in front and from early in the race they were in control, finishing winners by two lengths.
In the final, they faced the Nottingham RC crew, which had set fastest times in every round and had eliminated the National Schools Champions, Runcorn RC, in their semi-final. Once again, Maidenhead led from the start taking an early lead of a length. However, in the middle of the race, the power of the Nottingham crew started to count and they edged ahead of Maidenhead who fought all the way to the finish where they were just 3/4 length behind Nottingham.
Elite Double Sculls
In the Elite Double Sculls event, Ally Brooks (Maidenhead RC) and Sarah Perkins (Corio Bay RC, Australia) - both of who attend Boston University, USA - defeated a Canford/Molesey composite in the first round and then had a row over in the semi-final on Sunday morning. In the final, they faced the Leander double including Olympic Silver medallist Debbie Flood, and although they fought bravely, were defeated by three lengths by an extremely good crew.
Senior Coxed Fours
On Friday, in the Senior Coxed Fours event, the Maidenhead crew of Helen Stewart, Sarah Archibald, Claire Wallace and Katie-George Dunlevy, coxed by Maddy Reynolds, won their first round against Peterborough RC easily. On Saturday, the raced a very good Furnivall/Mortlake composite and, despite being in close contention for most of the race, they lost by 2 lengths.
Senior Double Sculls
The Senior Double Scull of Claire Cann and Faye Littlewood raced Bristol University in the first round but lost by one length in a tight race. |
