Dover Rowing Club secured five wins at a fantastic performance at Folkestone Regatta. The Woman’s Junior Four of Ella Cook, Nikki Leggatt, Holly Hannington, Emily Harvey and Venessa Ware were at the core of the success. In their race they competed against Janice Bradford, Alex Henchy, Zara White, Lily Stafford-Edwards coxed by Chrissy Purvis. Ware’s crew were slow off the start but soon galvanised to push through the field in the 100m before the turns. Purvis’ crew had the better start and were secure in the middle of the field. Out of the turn Ware had Herne Bay on the outside bringing pressure as both crews pulled away from the field. Ware called for a hard thirty strokes entering the last 300m which saw Dover’s crew break free and move away from Herne Bay to take the win by two lengths. Purvis’ crew finished in the points in fifth place.
In the Woman’s Junior Pairs the four split into two crews with Leggatt and Hannington facing E Cook and Harvey. The Leggatt / Hannington combination had the stronger start establishing a solid lead over E Cook / Harvey and a Herne Bay pair. A decision to realign their route to avoid a course hazard by Leggatt / Hannington saw the race become tight across all three boats. It was the E Cook / Harvey pairing that started to open up a lead rowing long and strong. Relentlessly, the gap grew as E Cook / Harvey dominated the return leg to take the win with Herne Bay establishing control of second place and Leggatt / Hannington secure in third.

Woman’s Novice Sculls saw Leggatt, Harvey, E Cook and Z White competing. Leggatt had a steady start before settling into a flowing rhythm, whilst Harvey, Cook and Z White found the race a little more challenging. Leggatt had a good turn and dominated the return leg to secure an impressive win with Harvey finishing seventh, E Cook eighth and Z White in ninth.
E Cook would swap to the cox’s seat guiding Rhiannon Castree, Alex Tilley, Jasper Mallet, Will Coleman in the Mixed Four. They were competing with Lee Stampton, Charlotte Cox, Hayley Crocker, Nick Bailey coxed by Purvis. Cook’s crew dominated off the line pushing away from the field. Purvis’ crew were steady in their pursuit. A solid turn allowed Cook’s crew to control the race home securing a comfortable win with Purvis’ crew finishing seventh.
Dover had two crews in the Open Novice Four. Ware, coxing Sonny Varnes-Stone, Jack Castree, Ollie Scrivener and Harley Scrivener, raced against Oliver White, Paul Scholes, Raj Kumar, Jon Castree coxed by Stampton. From the start it was a two horse race between Ware’s crew and Bexhill’s four with Stampton’s crew a little off the pace. A better turn moved Ware’s crew into the lead but the battle continued with Bexhill ever present on their outside. Entering the last 200m Dover started to ease away to take the win. Stampton’s crew would finish in ninth.

Varnes-Stone and Cameron Mackintosh competed in the Open Junior Pairs. A great start saw the pair enter into a tight battle with a Herne Bay crew. Nothing could split them out of the turn so it was a hard race back which saw Herne Bay slowly gain the upper hand as they went on to take the win. Dover’s crew finished second well ahead of the remainder of the field.
Coleman was joined by Paul Scrivener in the Open Single Sculls race. Coleman scorched off the line taking the early lead with P Scrivener towards the back as he adjusted to the higher category after progressing from novice. By the turn a young Shoreham Sculler had caught Coleman and took the lead. Pushing hard Coleman was unable to hold onto Shoreham and settled for second, with P Scrivener in eleventh.
In the Woman’s Senior Four Ashleigh Stevenson, Cox, R Bailey, Ware coxed by Stampton started well but struggled to hold onto the leading Shoreham crew finding themselves in a battle with Deal for second. Through the turn Dover slipped down to third position which they held to the line.
The Open Senior crew of Stampton, Mallet, Coleman, Tom Stothart coxed by Ware performed well to finish fourth. Coleman and Stothart were fourth in the Open Senior Pairs, with Stothart also fourth in Open Senior Sculls.
J16 Girl’s Quad featured two crews Hollie Castree, R Castree, Holly Young, Poppy Worthington-Taylor coxed by Coleman, finishing fourth, and Izzy Vickers, Elizabeth Strong, Zara Meakins, Jess Clements coxed by Stampton in sixth. J14 Mixed Quad Izzy Vickers, H Castree, Riley Danko, Worthington-Taylor coxed by Stampton finished fourth.
Woman’s 40+ Bradford, Anna Gordon, Z White, Leggatt coxed by Ware were fourth. Antya Markin, Dee Murphy, Fiona O’Neill, Amy Wren coxed by Stampton finished ninth. Open 40+ Jon Cook, Scholes, Stampton, Jon Castree coxed by Purvis finished fourth.
Senior Woman’s Pair saw Cox and R Bailey finish fourth.
Open Junior Four O White, Mackintosh, Jack Castree, Varnes-Stone coxed by Ware finished fourth.
Stothart and Danko competed in the Open Double Sculls finishing fifth.
Woman’s Novice four had heats with Aine Bains, O’Neill, Crocker, Tilley coxed by Cox qualifying in fourth place for the final where they finished seventh. In the heats Young, Strong, Evie Holland, Worthington-Taylor coxed by Coleman were fifth. Evie Jones, Murphy, Tilly Bingham, Charlotte Barnes coxed by Ware were seventh. Rosie Minkler, Lucy Castree, Wren, Gordon, coxed by P Scrivener were seventh.
In the Woman’s Double Sculls heats Jones / Holland and E Cook / Young would both finish sixth.
The woman’s squad secured second in the overall women’s aggregate competition behind Shoreham.