Dover Rowing Club had a phenomenal regatta at Bexhill securing the Novice and Men’s Junior Aggregate competitions. The Novice Men’s 4 saw 3 crews for Dover. Matty Tremelling, Ben Gomm, Dom Skeat, Peter Betts, a crew with university rowing experience, coxed by Chris Hall moved into the lead through the first 500 m stretching their lead through the turn taking the win ahead of Sebastion Steele, Matt McArdle, James Hale, Jasper Mallet coxed by Tony Burrows who had to fight through Hasting’s crew to take 2nd. Kevin Ulyatt, Adrian Calland, Eddie Briggs, Brendon Ulyatt coxed by Alan Warland (Eastbourne) would come home in 5th place. The Ladies Novice 4 crew of Marie Cockerell, Emily Harvey, Heather Corby, Krista Davis coxed by Burrows added points to the aggregate showing improvement form Folkestone regatta coming in 2nd. Matty Tremelling got a good start in the Novice Sculls reaching the turns in first place leading towards the finish only to be taken on the line leaving him in 2nd place.

The Men’s Junior Aggregate saw Hall take the lead in the Men’s Junior Sculls after 300 m after a tentative start. Turning first at the buoys Hall held off the chasing field on the run home to secure the win. Gomm and Skeat raced in the Men’s Junior Pairs. Making a fast start they moved well ahead of the small field comfortably taking the turn in the lead before moving clear of the 2nd place crew taking the win.

In the Ladies Junior 4’s Maria West-Burrows was joined by Novices Cannelle Ulyatt, Emily Harvey, Krista Davis coxed by Vanessa from Folkestone, the crew started well and were in the fight for a high finish on the outward leg, through the turn the more experienced crews pulled away leaving Dover to come home 5th.
The Men’s J16 saw Bo Corby, Sebastian Steele, Jasper Mallet, James Hale coxed by Burrows neck and neck with Shoreham’s crew on the 1 km straight race. It was only in the last 100 m that Shoreham took the advantage leaving Dover to take 2nd.

In the Men’s Junior Senior 4’s Hall was joined by Novices Gomm, Skeat, Betts coxed by Vanessa from Folkestone. They got away well moving to the head of the race tracking Herne Bay’s crew and dropping a length behind coming to the turn. The run for home saw Dover’s crew unable to match Herne Bay taking 2nd at the line.
Hall and Tremelling competed in the Senior Pairs after a steady start the crew dropped towards the back of the field finishing in 11th place.

Dover Rowing Club’s Maria West-Burrows and Jo Johnston were in action in the double sculls at the British Rowing Offshore Championship held at Exmouth over a 6km course containing six turns. West-Burrows and Johnston are veterans of 3 previous world championships and were aiming to improve on their previous 4th place at the last two British Championships.

Conditions were a little too calm for the coastal crew, their preference being for rougher sea conditions. A poor start saw the experienced crew trapped behind a queue at the first buoy turn. Chasing the crews ahead through turns two and three, Dover’s crew moved past Birmingham and Thames RC crews moving up to 5th. It was clear from turn four that the leading crews had too much advantage so Dover set about securing their 5th place through to the finish.

5th place was sufficient to qualify West-Burrows and Johnston for the World Championship in Portugal in October 2021.

Dual Dover and Eastbourne RC member Tony Burrows secured a surprise 3rd place in an Eastbourne men’s double scull with Jon Osborn.

It was a winning return to competition for Dover Rowing Club as they took two wins in the first CARA regatta of the season, held at Folkestone. The Men’s Novice Four of Sebastian Steele, Sam Pile, James Hale, Jasper Mallet coxed by Emma Oliver got a great start and established a good early lead. After the buoy turn, the lead had grown to over 100m and the crew would continue to pull away as the charged to the line for a comfortable win. The second Novice crew of Kevin and Brendon Ulyatt, Eddie Briggs and Adrian Calland coxed by Cameron Mackintosh were swamped at the turn and were unable to finish.

Steele, Hale and Mallet were joined by Bo Corby in the J16 Men’s Quad with Oliver at Cox. In the shorter 1km race the young crew ground out a lead over the first half of the race to see them go over the line in first place. In the J14 Men’s Quad B Corby was joined by Josh Everington-Nee, Beau Grassby and Alex McArdle coxed by Oliver. They worked hard to chase down their rival crew in the straight 1km race and came home in second.

The Men’s Junior Fours saw Cameron Mackintosh, Matt Barnett, Eddie Briggs, Jon Cook coxed by Tony Burrows, recovering from a bad start to move into a clear second at the turn. On the run home they were unable to close down the leading crew coming in second. The Ladies Junior Fours of Maria West-Burrows, Canelle Ulyatt, Heather Corby, Krista Davis coxed by Oliver would be up against it as the crew three of the crew were novices in their first race. The crew got off to a good start and were moving well. By the turns the stronger opponents had moved clear leaving Dover’s crew still in the points coming home in sixth.
In the Ladies Novice Fours race new rowers H. Corby, C. Ulyatt, Emeline McArdle and K. Davis coxed by Chris Price worked hard as they gained vital experience. The crew pushed hard and were able to secure a point coming home sixth.

In the Veteran races K. Ulyatt, M. Barnett, E. Briggs, J. Cook coxed by Oliver raced in the Vet 40 plus. A bad start left them in a hole chasing the field working hard to close the gap. The veterans turned in 5th and were unable to improve their place when they crossed the line. Nick Bailey came home 4th in the Veteran 50 plus whilst racing in a scratch crew made up of 4 different clubs.

In the Novice Sculls C. Mackintosh toiled in vain trying to take points for the club coming home in 8th place.