J16s Lucy and Lily went to the GB U19 5k time trials in Boston, Lincs last weekend. A great experience for them and they acquitted themselves well both in the Saturday 1x trial and the 2- trial on Sunday, despite being the youngest girls there. Both were National Schools Champions in the WJ16 8+ in 2023, and Lucy also won the J16 4+ event at Henley Women’s Regatta. Well done girls, we are proud of you!
A club outing to the cinema is a very rare thing, but also very enjoyable. The Corn Exchange was sold out last Tuesday for a showing of George Clooney’s “Boys in the Boat” about the University of Washington crew who defied the odds to win a gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Cue groans and laughter from a knowledgeable audience when the Henley course stood in for a US west coast lake or the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York, or when our heroes struggled to walk properly after the first heavy training session of the season. Big thanks to Karen for organising this. A grand social occasion attended by members aged 14 to 80+.
Some fifty members of Wallingford RC turned out at the club bar to celebrate Sean’s 80th birthday with tea, cake and prosecco.
Sean first raced for Wallingford in 1972 when he won the Britannia Challenge Cup in a 4+ that was unbeaten all year until by the GB Olympics crew in final trials, and then only by a tiny margin. Since the 1980s he has been a near-constant presence at the club, winning everything going at Masters level, including the Silver Skiff in Turin multiple times, World Masters Championships, Henley Masters and countless others. Always ready with a story about his rowing career, and equally impressive wildlife photography career, Sean is an inspiration to everyone at the club.
Many happy returns Sean! And thanks to Sally, Laura, Becky and cake-bakers for making the celebration so successful.
After three months of races cancelled due to floods and fog, our Juniors finally got to race, at Wycliffe on 3rd February. All crews raced hard bringing home four wins: J16 4+, WJ16 8+, J15 8+ and WJ15 4x+.
We are looking forward to a packed racing schedule over the rest of the Head season!
The club parties like it rows – with great energy and success! We held our annual club dinner in Cholsey Great Hall with over 110 members enjoying a 3 course meal, speeches, raffle and some very fine Scottish country dancing.
Award winners for 2023 were: Senior Woman – Liberty Barlow; Senior Man – Chris Boyles; Masters Woman – Laura Forrest; Masters Man – Andy Knight; Newcomer – Fi Halliday; Coach’s Award – Emma Butler; Captain’s Award – Sam Burrows.
Many thanks to Emma and team for organising such a fun event.
Chris Revell competed in this, arguably the toughest race, and certainly one of the oldest, for single sculls. Founded in 1830 it follows the championship course from Putney to Mortlake (except in exceptional years) and is raced side by side, this year by 5 scullers. Even to compete is a great achievement, and congratulations to Chris for doing so, finishing 4th. Thanks to Tim Brock for coaching and providing excellent support.
Our Masters spent the weekend in Angers, France competing at this 15km head race. Although Saturday’s racing was cancelled due to a storm, the women resorted to relay ergs to sort out the winner and Wallingford won! I’m sure they didn’t want to travel all the way to France just to erg, and luckily racing on Sunday went ahead, in mixed crews.
The organisers were incredibly helpful and arranged it so that all nine of our women and our four men got a chance to row, four of them jumping into a scratch crew with some local French oarsmen. All returning home with a trophy and memories of good Angevin hospitality.
Our single sculler Chris Revell won the prestigious Silver Sculls trophy at Weybridge this weekend, emulating the likes of Sir Steve Redgrave, Guy Pooley and Dan Topolski in previous years. Janet Mehers also won WMas 1x (combined D-G age groups.) Two entries, two wins!
The second major head race of the season on the Tideway saw no fewer than three wins for Wallingford! Emma Butler and Sam Burrows retained their WMasB 2- title by less than a second; Liberty Barlow and Lucy Walker won Club W 2-; and Chris Revell and Mariann Novak won Mixed 2x.
The Juniors had another excellent day at one of our favourite local head races. On an October day where many got a little sunburned in temperatures of around 23C we saw wins for Annie Collins in WJ17 1x, Niamh McAdden and Emma Moroney in WJ18 2-, Lewis Strange and Tom Fanstone in J15 2x and Zara Richardson and Naomi Bell in WJ17 2x.
Wallingford Rowing Club 