Young Rowers Crowned British Champions In Successful Weekend For The Isle Of Wight

Rowers from the Isle of Wight have been enjoying racing success - with young Island stars being crowned British champions.

Shanklin & Sandown Rowing club took seven crews to compete in the Junior British Rowing Championship, held at Holme Peirrepoint National Watersports Centre in Nottingham.

Louis Sheasby, 13, and Carter Horrix, 14, were first to race on Friday. Seeded 13th in the time trial, they produced the fastest time by 1.2 seconds - out of 27 competitors.

In the final, they raced over 1,000 metres against the five other fastest crews, crossing the line in 3 mins 55.44 seconds to take the gold medal and title of British Champions. They finished seconds ahead of Exeter Rowing Club who placed second, and five seconds ahead of Windsor Boys School, who took the bronze.

(Picture: Louis Sheasby and Carter Horrix)

The other crews racing on Saturday and Sunday put in a sterling performance, with many of them competing for the first time. Several of the club's crews were racing at this level acquitted themselves well against the best Juniors in the country, with all crews qualifying from the time trials into the finals. J16 double - Ben Smith & Arlo Adds. Boys J16 pair - Ollie Hatch & Fred Giemza-Pipe came second in the B final. Girls J16 double - Esme Walters & Beth Katirewa. Girls J18 single Rachael Debenham who won the D final and Boys J16 single - Ollie Hatch.

On Saturday, Kayleigh Bachelor raced in the WJ16 1x single skull time trails and came second, making it into the A final. Kayleigh then raced on Sunday morning in a fantastic race, winning the WJ16 British championships by 11 seconds in Sunday's final.

Kayleigh found herself in second place at the halfway stage, but a big push with 600m to go saw her take the lead, executing her race plan to perfection, going on to secure the club's second gold medal of the championships, with a winning margin of three lengths.

All crews have been expertly coached by Lesley and Garry Walters from SSRC. 

(Picture: Kayleigh Bachelor)

Meanwhile, Wightlink sponsored Ryde Rowing Club had their largest entry of the season to date with four fours, three coxless pairs and four single scullers entered for Woolston Regatta, held at Western Shore, Southampton, on Saturday.

The outstanding performance of the day for the Ryde Club came from their young J16 Coxed Quad crew of Edward Williams, Elliott O'Sullivan, Bradley Whiting and Yogi Ashworth and coxed by Mia Mackay who comfortably won their event.

Dale Buckett, following an impressive run at Henley Royal Regatta was competing for Ryde at a Hants & Dorset Regatta for the first time this season and did well in the Men’s Senior Sculls, finishing in third place. He then went on to compete with Joel & Austin Smith and Ben Sanderson and coxed by Bryony Reeve in the Men’s Junior Senior Fours event, where they finished in second place.

The Smith brothers then competed in the Men’s Coastal Junior Pairs event, where they clashed soon after the start with a crew from Itchen, which caused some minor damage to their boat and forced the race to be re-started. They eventually finished third, with the Club's other Coastal Junior Pair Crew of Paddy Kearney and Will Hunt finishing just behind them in fourth place.

Paddy and Will then teamed up with Bradley Whiting and Elliott O’Sullivan coxed by Mai MacKay to compete in the Men’s Coastal Junior Fours where they finished in third place.

(Picture: Photo: Ryde Rowing Club's Boys J16 Coxed Quad - Elliott O'Sullivan. Edward Williams, Mia Mackay (Cox), Bradley Whiting and Yogi Ashworth.)

The Club also had a Coastal Junior Ladies Pair of Stella Baisley and Niamh Murphy competing, who produced a good performance to finish second place in their final.

The Ryde Club’s Men’s Novice Four of Harry Jones, Lars Groothuis, Dan Sanderson and Yogi Ashworth – once again coxed by Mia MacKay finished in fourth place in the final. Ben Sanderson competed in the Men’s Novice Sculls where he qualified for the final, finishing in fourth place. The Club also had two scullers competing in the J16 Boys Sculls event, with Dan Sanderson finishing in sixth place and Bradley Whiting finishing seventh.