Author: wallingfordrowingwebsite

The club has taken delivery of a very special new boat named “Tony & Anna”. Tony Wheel was our Junior coach for many years, winning several Nat Schools gold medals and Henley Women’s Regatta trophies, as well as sending a crew to the GB-France match. He was also a dedicated committee member and bedrock of the club. When he died two years ago he left money in his will to buy a new pair/double, an incredibly generous gesture that will see the next generation of Juniors using at the February GB U19 trials. Anna was his daughter who sadly predeceased him in 2019. We will think of them both whenever we see this boat charging through the water!

Friday saw the Annual Dinner, held at the Wallingford Sports Park, and ably organised by Liberty. There was much eating, drinking and dancing, plus a few fundraising games. Guests of honour were our wonderful boatman Rob and his wife Julie. Awards were given to: Nick (Senior Men), Steph (Senior Women), Sally (Masters Women), David M (Masters Men), Thomas (Best Improved) and Anne (Captain’s Award.) 

Our Women’s Masters F crew had a storming row at yesterday’s Quintin Head in London, winning their E/F category by 27 seconds, and the overall Women’s Masters category by 5 seconds once handicaps had been applied. They were exceptionally pleased to be racing again, and in the sunshine to boot. We also boated three WJ18 crews, one of whom came 3^rd showing just how much our Junior programme has developed over the past three years.

Our WJ18 8+ went to Ely to train and race against a Cambridge University Women’s crew. Very exciting for our Juniors to be side by side with the prestigious light blues, and on a totally different stretch of water than our usual Upper Thames! Thank you CUWBC for hosting us.

The second club quiz of the year, in Crowmarsh Village Hall, with wacky rounds and entertaining questions, superbly organised by Jules Woodall and team. Many thanks to Waitrose, Lidl and Tesco for providing the food, and to all donors of raffle and auction prizes – very much appreciated.

As befits the family focus the team “Pain in the Oars” won, including four Juniors and four assorted parents. Oh, and we raised over £1000 for our Project 8+2 boat fund. 

We took a small group of Seniors and Masters to this Head, mercifully taking place thanks to the lack of recent rain. We had very encouraging early season wins from our men’s O 4- of Nick, Lucas, Damen and Alex, with Nick and Alex then combining to win O 2- in the afternoon division.

There were also wins for Laura and Janet in WMasF 2x and the incomparable Anne in WMasG 1x who beat several men and women 50 years junior to her.

On Sunday 27^th October the club decamped to Gloucester where we raced in their Autumn Head for the first time, on a gloriously sunny, warm and mercifully flood-free canal.

We enjoyed 12 wins, ranging from our super-quick WMasF 4x of Jenny, Rachel, Julia and Alice to our youngest J15 2x of Atti and Jasper. Many thanks to Gloucester for laying on such a great race.

The club ended its most successful year ever with 8 wins at Oxford Royal. It’s the only regatta we go to upstream of us on the Thames, and pretty much the closest too – though Henley and Reading might hold this claim. The racing was ferocious on a notoriously difficult course to steer, with our Masters men coming out top in F 4x and our Masters women in F 2x.

It was the last ever Junior race for our WJ18s before they head off for the grown-up world of university rowing, Emma showing the way by winning in her 1x. Any potential sadness about leaving was obliterated by the incredible summer weather, overnight camping, the famous City of Oxford disco, and the fact that all six who’ve come up through the club from J14 managed at least race each and a whole weekend together, firm Wallingford friends.

This regatta, another of our summer favourites, saw a number of firsts. Our Learn to Row graduates won the Explorer Mixed 4x+ category, winning three races en route, their first ever competition, and with just one man on board to boot (instead of the usual two.) These 50 year olds were bouncing with excitement after winning as if they were J14s!

Speaking of which, there were first ever wins for Raffy in J14 2x, Harrison in J15 1x and Sophie in WJ15 4x+. Plus Janet winning her WMasG 1x alongside two other medals, and Emma winning no fewer than four medals/tankards. Ten wins in total and a great day out.

The club paid its annual visit to one of our favourite regattas and came away with 6 wins. The best story of the day was our winning J14 2x featuring Atticus who had only rowed for 4 weeks – a great achievement – and they were using a boat called Roger Brown. Guess who was commentating during for the regatta during their race? The lovely Roger Brown himself!

Other wins included our Women Masters in F 4x, and first ever wins in singles for Aurelia and Freddie. A great opportunity for Seniors, Masters and Juniors to race together and cheer each other on.