Dover Rowing Club held their 2025 season awards at their annual Dinner Dance. DRC had a fantastic 2025 season which saw many rowers promoted to higher categories, two Coast Amateur Rowing Association titles secured, and two crews qualify for Championship races in the South Coast Championships in Plymouth. Dover Rowing Club were pleased to welcome Adam Bates the CARA President, from Shoreham.

Speeches from Bates and Club Officials Kevin Goodwin (Chairperson), Nick Bailey (President) and Will Coleman (Captain) opened the ceremony. The awards featured both serious and some more humorous, with the main prizes reflecting the club’s youth movement and the impact of the Learn to Row courses organised by Tom Stothart.

Rhiannon Castree received three awards showing her rapid development from Learn to Row to securing progression to Junior Rower. She willingly has been involved in a positive way with club activities and helped with the Indoor Rowing Competition at Dover Grammar School for Girls. Castree received the Most Improved Woman award, The Captain’s Award for her efforts to support the club, and the club membership voted her the Rower’s Rower award demonstrating the respect the Club has for her achievements. The Rower’s Rower vote saw Club Captain Will Coleman come second and Zara White and Nikki Leggatt come joint third.

Most Improved Male was awarded to Sonny Varnes-Stone for his huge improvement in performance and focus through the season which saw him take his first win in the Men’s Novice Four.

Most Improved Junior was awarded to Holly Young, the Junior Captain, who has been a keen club member and regularly involved in the wider club activities. Young has shown great improvement in her rowing and leadership skills.

The Coxswain of the Year was awarded to club returner Vanessa Ware. Ware brought with her a wealth of experience in coxing coastal boats and was present in most of the winning fours throughout the season.

Club Person of the Year was awarded to David Newman for his work as the club’s Press Officer and photographer for over a decade.

The Club introduced a Special Award this season which will be presented as and when appropriate. The first recipient of the award was Jacky Silk who the award has been named after. Silk has been involved with the club as a rower and administrator for many decades.

Jasper Mallet and Chris Hall received club awards in acknowledgement of the two CARA titles – Junior Sculls and Junior Aggregate. Novice medals were presented to Paul Scrivener, Ella Cook, Alex Henchy, Lily Stafford-Edwards and Rhiannon Castree.

The Outstanding Performance Award was shared between the Novice Men’s Four win at Folkestone, with the crew of Varnes-Stone, Henry Cox, Oliver White, Jack Castree coxed by Ware, and the Women’s Junior Four win at Herne Bay, featuring Holly Hannington, Emily Harvey, Cook, Leggatt coxed by Ware.

Remaining Awards: ‘Up and Coming’ Hollie Castree, ‘Learn to Row Master’ Tom Stothart, ‘Game Changer’ Lee Stampton, ‘She Floats Because of You’ Steve Woods, ‘Unsinkable but often Submerged’ Chris Wong and Damion Napier, ‘Dancing Queen’ Antya Markin.