Dover Rowing Club had a successful weekend at Eastbourne and Bexhill with wins in the Open Senior Fours and the Open Junior Sculls. The crew of Jasper Mallet, Will Coleman, Chris Hall, Tom Stothart coxed by Vanessa Ware had a powerful start at Eastbourne and were able to ease away from the rest of the field. An excellent turn saw the gap widen over their opposition and Ware drove her crew on as they opened up a large lead securing an impressive win. Bexhill regatta proved more challenging for Dover’s crew as a tight race developed with Deal. Rounding the buoy turns the crews remained close with no clear leader. On the race to the line, Dover just missed out by a narrow margin. The results mean that Dover can level the number of wins with Deal next week but would lose the CARA title on count back, they have however qualified for the Championship race in the South Coast Championship in Plymouth.
The friendly rivalry between Mallet and Hall which has secured the Junior Sculls CARA title for Dover made for a exciting race, with the fast starting Mallet taking the lead off the line at Eastbourne. Working hard he maintained his lead through the turn but was gradually hunted down by Hall who would row through him taking the lead with around 500m to go. At the line it was Hall followed by Mallet in Dover’s one / two punch. It was a similar start at Bexhill with Mallet ahead of Hall but Hall had the better of things through the turn and moved a way from his teammate who was now battling for second with Shoreham. Hall took the win with Mallet coming home third.
Woman’s Junior Four crew of Ella Cook, Rosie Crosbie, Holly Hannington, Emily Harvey coxed Ware started well at Eastbourne and were locked in a battle with Shoreham for the lead. Through the turn Shoreham maintained a lead over Dover’s crew who pushed hard but had to settle for second at the line. Dover’s B crew were novices Alex Henchy, Antya Markin, Lucy Castree, Lily Stafford-Edwards coxed by Mallet came home in twelfth. At Bexhill Crosbie, Leggatt, Hannington, Harvey coxed by Ware had a good battle with Bexhill for second with the local crew taking the honours at the line.
The J16 Girls Quad of Holly Young, Hollie Castree, Rhiannon Castree, Cook coxed by Ware performed well in the straight 1000m race at Eastbourne. In a good field Dover’s young crew came home in fourth. At Bexhill a better start had the youngsters fighting for first place as they battled the other leading crews. A strong push moved Dover’s crew into second place, a position they held to the finish. Erin Sanders in a Shoreham crew finished in seventh.
Open J16 at Bexhill had Ella Cook, Henry Cox, Sonny Varnes-Stone , Jack Castree coxed by Ware. The crew had a solid start and built momentum which saw them move into second, pushing hard they were unable to catch the leading boat at the line.
Woman’s Novice Sculls saw Harvey and Leggatt competing. Leggatt got the better start and was hunting for the lead following recent second place finishes. Leggatt was second through the turn with Harvey in eleventh. At Bexhill, on the run home Leggatt couldn’t catch the lead boat securing her third second place with Harvey finishing twelfth.
Hall and Stothart entered the Open Senior Pairs for the first time this year. Starting well they fell behind the lead crews on the outward leg turning in third. On the run to the line they were unable to pass the second place Shoreham crew.
Hannington and Harvey raced in the Woman’s Junior Pairs at Eastbourne. The pairing had a steady start and where initially in the mix for second but lost ground at the turn. On the push home they fell back to fourth at the line.
Open Double Sculls had two Dover crews Hall and Varnes-Stone completing against Stothart and Cook. Hall’s boat got the better start and were in the mix on the outward leg with Stothart a little further back. Hall and Varnes-Stone were unable to pick off the leading crews finishing in fourth and Stothart and Cook finishing in seventh.
In the Open Junior Fours Varnes-Stone, Cox, J Castree, Crosbie coxed by Mallet raced. They were amongst the leaders off the line and were battling for second place at the turn, on the run to the line they would finish fourth.
Open Novice Fours at Bexhill had Varnes-Stone, Cox, J Castree, Paul Scholes coxed by Ware racing. A slower start saw the crew chasing the field working hard moving to fifth at the turn and maintaining this place at the finish.
Stothart competed in the Senior Sculls event at Eastbourne and had a tough run where he was unable to hold onto the leading boats in the conditions, finishing in fifth. At Bexhill Stothart would finish sixth.
Woman’s Novice Four of Henchy, Markin, Castree, Stafford-Edwards coxed by Ware had a good start in the heats and were just behind the leading crews fighting for third. Through the turn they moved into a clear third place and held that position to the finish. The final would see them in a more difficult field coming in sixth. In a straight final at Bexhill the Novices crew, with R Castree replacing Markin finished eighth.
In the Woman’s Double Sculls Harvey and H Castree would finish seventh.