Dover Rowing Club returned to the River Itchen for the first time in over a decade to race in the Coastal Head of the River Race. Dover’s Novice 4 Crew of Kevin Ulyatt, Brendon Ulyatt, Jamie Smith, Eddie Briggs coxed by Tom Stothart took on the 4.3 km race through the heart of Southampton, supported by Club Captain Tony Burrows.

In the largest field of the first division, Dover had the position 26 slot and would be racing mostly Hants and Dorset crews familiar with the challenges of the long and snaking course. This took them under three bridges and then through marine narrows on the last third of the course. The time trial start saw Dover chasing the local Coalporters crew through the first bridge, with a faster crew closing behind them. With the river opening out after the second bridge faster crews were able to overtake as Dover pushed on. Through the Marina sections the Dover crew worked hard to maintain a good line before the sprint to the finish. Shanklin Sandown won the race in an impressive time of 19 mins 13.74 seconds, with Dover finishing just behind the Herne Bay crew in 23 mins 23.54 seconds. The crew thoroughly enjoyed the experience of competing in this longer race.
Dover Rowing Club would like to thank Herne Bay RC for providing a boat on the day.

There were a series of firsts for Dover Rowers racing in the 3.5 km Adur Head at Shoreham. The first junior level win, river race, sculls race and coxing a racing crew. The racing was divided into two divisions; against the tide and with it. The time trial format saw all crews racing under 4 bridges to the finish near Shoreham’s Rowing Club, with the Coast Amateur Rowing Association and Spitfire rowing club competing.

Tom Stothart had a storming race tracking down the second place finisher in the Junior Sculls shortly after the first bridge. Stothart pushed on to record the third fastest time across all crews at 13 mins 38 secs, taking his first win at Junior level.

Dover’s J14 Quad team raced against J16 crews in the older crews event. Josh Grassby, Ben Fagg, Bo Corby, Beau Everington-Nee coxed by Freya Emmerson fought hard to compete, racing down and passing Southsea who started 1 min 15 seconds ahead of them. The young crew would cross the line in a time of 18 mins 23 sec, finishing second to Shoreham.

The Junior Ladies 4 crew of Maria West-Burrows, Emmerson, Emma Spanton, Ella Day was coxed by 12 year old Sara Scrivens making her coxswain debut in a race. Starting third of the Junior Ladies 4 crews, Dover’s squad found the pursuit challenging and were unable to close down or catch the leading crews coming home in third place in 15 mins and 10 secs.

The Novice Men’s 4 crew of Kevin and Brendon Ulyatt, Jamie Smith, Eddie Briggs coxed by Stothart, found themselves in the sights of the other crews as they were the first to start. The role of Dover as fox, to Shoreham and Herne Bay’s hounds, saw the crew chased down in one of the closest races of the day. Pride drove the team to hold off the pursuit maintaining a 12 second gap as they would ultimately finish 3rd in a time of 18 min 55 secs.

The Ladies Novice 4 of Marie Cockerell, Canelle Ulyatt, Jodie Lott, Lorna Pile coxed by Jo Johnston, found themselves in the biggest field. With the strong Shoreham crew starting directly ahead of them, combined with the large time gap of the time trail, it was difficult for the crew to assess their relative position in the race. Lengthening the time gap to Worthing’s crew starting behind them, Dover found themselves gapped by the crews ahead. Despite finishing fourth overall their relative time to the second and third crews were not as big as their physical finish position had felt with Dover completing the course in 16 mins and 8 secs.

Krista Davis had the added challenge of sculling against the tide and experienced Dover Rower Johnston in her first Ladies Sculls race. Neither Dover racers could compete with the performance of the two Southsea scullers on the day. As the last two boats on the water in the first divison. both Johnston and Davis had to work hard finishing third and fourth in times of 21 mins 53 secs and 23 mins 55 secs respectively.

Dover Rowing Club took the win in a tight race with Folkestone in the latest stage of their virtual race around the world; the third Indian Ocean leg from Mauritius to Cape Town over a distance of 4250 km. Dover were racing fellow CARA clubs Folkestone, Worthing, Eastbourne and Bexhill adding distance by rowing, cycling or on foot.

From the start of the race Folkestone and Dover jumped out from the rest of the field. This led Worthing, Eastbourne and Bexhill to merge into a ‘Super Club’ to try and chase them down. Folkestone steadily pulled out a lead over Dover despite the best efforts of Kevin and Brendon Ulyatt, Maria West-Burrows, Tony Burrows and Krista Davis, the clubs early leading performers. As the squads reached the coast of virtual Mozambique, and with Folkestone over 200 km ahead, the Ulyatt’s put in a big day with Kevin clocking up over 60km mostly on the ergo (rowing machine). West-Burrows, Burrows and Julie Hall also dropped large multi-day totals to push Dover 6km ahead of Folkestone as the clubs closed to within 500km of the finish. The race to the end saw Dover racers move up the individual leader board as the kilometres rapidly ticked by. Contributions from Emmeline McArdle, Laine and Damian Napier and Burrows left Dover close overnight. Then early bird B Ulyatt started the morning with a 10km ergo at 4 am. Further contributions from Matt Barnett, David Newman, West-Burrows and Burrows took the club to the finish at 12:08 with Folkestone finishing later the same day at 22:43.

K Ulyatt was the top overall performer in the competition with 649 km, also topping the rowing table with 381km. B Uylatt was second overall with 432km and third in the rowing chart. The Burrows household came in fourth overall with West-Burrows adding 367km and Burrows ninth with 244km. Tom Stothart was sixth in the rowing table with 167km, Krista Davis sixth in the cycling with 202km and Eddie Briggs eighth place in the running chart. There were 100km plus contributions from Beau Everington-Nee, Bo and Heather Corby, Canelle Ulyatt, Chris Price, Chrissy Purvis, D Newman, Jen Jordan, Jo Johnston, J Hall, K Davis and Marie Cockerell.

Over 40 of Dover Rowing Club’s members turned out to support the end of season awards night. It was a busy night for Kevin Ulyatt who received 3 prices on the evening; the prestigious Rowers Rower, which is voted for the club’s members, the committee presented Club Person of the Year and the Captain’s Prize. Kevin is in his first season with DRC and had been active competitor through the season whilst being willing to jump in with any crew during training. Off the water he has helped with repairs and has refreshed the clubs supply of trestles.

The Most Improved Novice or Junior Men’s Rower was shared between crewmates James Hale, Sebastian Steele and Jasper Mallet who raced and won in both the J16 and Novice Men Coast Amateur Rowing Association titles this season. The boys would go on to narrowly miss out on the Novice title at the South Coast Championship where they came home second rowing with Sam Pile. Marie Cockerell took the Most Improved Ladies Novice / Junior award for her performances in Novice and by rowing up a grade with Junior crews this year.
Tom Stothart took the Coxswain of the Year award for his work supporting new rowers and crews during training.

A group of fun awards were also issued Best Christmas Jumper – Heather Corby, The Tiny Clooney Award – Neil Scrivener, The Best Looking from Behind Award – Brendon Ulyatt and the Laurel and Hardy Award – Laine and Damion Napier.
A special thanks to Maria West-Burrows for organising the event and club member Chris Wong, Damion and Laine Napier better known as The Ratzkins for providing the live music for the evening.

Dover Rowing Club have restarted their virtual rowing race around the world, after a hiatus for the physical rowing season. Rowing, running, walking, cycling (counting as half distance) and workouts all contribute to team totals. Dover set off from virtual Christmas Island for virtual Mauritius, a distance of 5263km, racing against five other CARA rowing clubs.

After an initial surge from all clubs, Dover moved to third behind Folkestone and Shoreham in a close fought start. Dover’s push was driven by great performances from newer members Kevin Ulyatt (221.5km), Eddie Briggs (83.km) and Krista Davis (240km) who would finish the race in the individual performance top ten for Rowing, Running and Cycling respectively. K Ulyatt (517km) finished the race second overall, whilst Briggs also had big scores for rowing and cycling including a marathon length row. Club stalwarts Maria West-Burrows (502km) and Tony Burrows (403km) appeared in the overall top ten, whilst Chris Hall (302km) led Dover in cycling.
As the three lead crews neared the 2000km mark, Eastbourne, Bexhill and Worthing decided to merge resources to form a ‘Super Club’ effectively closing the gap on the other teams. Continued high individual efforts from Dover eventually closed down Shoreham and moved them up to challenge Folkestone as the race moved into the last 1000km.
Folkestone held Dover at the line, despite Dover briefly leading, finishing less than two days ahead, with Shoreham a few days behind and the ‘Super Club’ left in fourth.

Thirty-two Dover members took part in the race with the following individuals also posting totals of over 200 km: Canelle Ulyatt, Chrissy Purvis, David Newman, Julie Hall, Marie Cockrell and Matt Barnett. There were great contributions from the club’s younger members Bo Corby, Beau Grassby and Ella Day, and the remaining kilometres covered by Brendon Ulyatt, Chris Price, Damion and Laine Napier, Emmaline and Matt McArdle, Heather Corby, Jamie Smith, Jen Jordan, Jo Johnston, Jon Cook, Josh Everington-Nee, Kate Day, Lorna and Sam Pile, Nick Bailey and Tom Stothart.
The next leg is Mauritius to Cape Town; over 4250km.

Dover’s Matilda ‘Jo’ Johnston and Maria West-Burrows were competing in club colours for Great Britain at the World Rowing Coastal Championships held in Praia da Torre, Oeiras, Portugal. Racing in wider FISA boats Dover’s crew designated GBR3 faced heats to qualify for the finals.

The heat started on the water in a mass start which saw the Dover crew a little swamped by the field making it difficult to progress through the field. Turning at the back of the field Dover’s ladies were under pressure as they sat outside the A Final qualifying. The temperature on the course, tidal flows and difficulty sighting the buoy turns added to the difficulty on the day. At the third turn Dover were two places off the A Final qualifying but had little opportunity to pass on the latter stages of the race. Easing off, accepting their fate, they rowed home in 12th, progressing to the B final.

The B final saw the competitor’s start from the beach with Dover’s crew getting a fantastic start and pulling out to a couple of length lead as they headed to the first turn of the 4km course. They would be passed by the Caminhense (Portugal) crew prior to the turn after a tight 1km leg. On the 1.1km second leg Dover were unable hold on to the younger Portuguese crew as the westerly wind made this leg more challenging. The Amstel (Holland) crew were slowly gaining and, after the second turn, would close to be directly behind before colliding with the Dover double. This was the second collision for the Dutch and both resulted in them gaining a place on their opponents. Dover were now chasing hard but had lost several lengths after the collision and had to work hard to close down their opponents. After the last turn it was a race to the beach with Dover just behind. It came down to the run up the beach to the finish line with Maria-West-Borrows coming in just behind her Dutch opponent. Johnston and West-Burrows came home in 25 mins 20 seconds and are now ranked 23rd in the world.

Dover Rowing Club had three crews competing in the 64th South Coast and Junior Championships held on Southampton Water. Sebastian Steele, Sam Pile, James Hale, Jasper Mallet coxed by Freya Emmerson were racing in the Novice Championship. In the straight 2 km race of the Championship format Dover’s crew took an early lead in their heat and moved clear of the field focusing on length and power in a choppy mid-course. The crew comfortably qualified for the final maintaining their lead to the line. The Novice final saw stronger competition put pressure on the young crew. Dover moved to third at the half way point and, driven on by Emmerson, made their move with 500m to go closing and passing the 2nd place crew. Despite continued pressure Christchurch’s leading crew managed to hold them off by a length at the line.

The Ladies Junior squad of Marie Cockerell, Heather Corby, Maria West-Burrows, Krista Davis coxed by Nick Bailey had hoped to progress to the final. The heats didn’t go their way as an errant line by the Southsea crew led to contact with BTC’s boat pushing both crews into Dover’s racing line, pushing them to the side of the lane. With Southsea disqualified, Dover Ladies came home 5th.

The J16 Quad Boy’s championship saw a tired Steele, Hale, Mallet joined by Bo Corby with cox Emmerson. The impact of the previous heat and final was clear from the start as the crew were unable to challenge as the 1km race progressed, leaving them to come home 4th at the line.

With the end of the Coast Amateur Rowing Association regular season, Dover Rowing Club secured the Novice Men’s 4’s CARA title with two wins from Jasper Mallet, Sam Pile, James Hale, Sebastian Steele who were coxed by Emma Oliver and Tony Burrows during the season, there was one win for Matty Tremelling, Ben Gomm, Dom Skeat, Peter Betts coxed by Chris Hall.

The Men’s Junior Pairs was won jointly by Dover’s Gomm and Skeat who share the title with Shoreham’s Pair. Given the late finish to the season, and no row off dates set, both Captains agreed to share the title.
In the J16 Men’s Quad 4’s Mallet, Steele, Hale, Bo Corby and alternate Finn Cockerell coxed by Oliver and Burrows also ended the season tied at the top of the J16 event. The J16’s combined with the J14 squad results secured by Corby, Josh Grassby, Ben Fagg, Alex McCardle, George Martin, Beau Everington-Nee coxed by Oliver and Burrows left Dover in second place overall in the Junior age group overall championship.

Jacky Silk is believed to have become the longest serving CARA President as she is completing her third season in charge. It has been a challenging period for CARA and the club and Jacky’s hard work has been greatly appreciated.
Away from the coast, Dover’s Southampton University contingent of Hall, Tremelling, Gomm, Skeat and Betts had focused on a successful Henley Qualification in the 8’s Temple Challenge Cup. Southampton, minus an injured Halll, easily beat University College and Wolfson on the Wednesday, before being eliminated by the eventual winners ASR Nereus of Amsterdam, despite one of the fastest times of the day.
Dover RC are recruiting for next season. Anyone interested please contact the club via the Facebook page or Website.

Dover Rowing Club recorded early wins at Herne Bay regatta as the J16 Quad Sculls of Bo Corby, Sebastian Steele, Finn Cockerell, James Hale coxed by Emma Oliver recorded a comfortable win in their straight 1km race after pulling away from the field in the first quarter of the race. Dover’s J14 would race in a combined J14 mixed Quad Sculls and J16 Girls Quad Sculls race. It was clear from early in the race J16 Girls crew from Worthing, which contained National Schools finalists were stronger than the young Dover crew of B Corby, Josh Grassby, Ben Fagg, Alex McArdle coxed by Oliver but the young crew pursued the J16 finish less than 10 strokes behind winning the J14 race.

Hale and Steele were joined by Brendon and Kevin Ulyatt coxed by Oliver for the Men’s Novice 4 where they raced Dover’s second crew of Matt Neil, Matt McArdle, Jamie Smith, Matt Austin coxed by Cameron Mackintosh. Oliver’s crew were neck and neck with Deal at the turn until a seat issue would cost them the chance to compete for the win and they came home 2nd. Mackintosh’s novices containing two first time racers did well coming home in 3rd place. Hale, Steele and the Ulyatt’s would also race in the Men’s Junior 4’s again coxed by Oliver where racing Mackintosh, Matt Barnett, Eddie Briggs, Jon Cook who were coxed by Tony Burrows. The two crews battled each other over the first half of the race. The Oliver coxed crew pulled ahead into 4th place by the turn staying ahead of the 5th placed Burrows crew on the run to the finishing line.

Ladies Junior 4 of Emmeline McArdle, Canelle Ulyatt, Maria West-Burrows, Lorna Pile coxed by Oliver got a good start and moved into a tight race for second with Herne Bay. Moving towards the turn the Dover crew dropped to 3rd and were unable to close down the Herne Bay crew at the finish. In the Ladies Novice 4, E McArdle, C. Ulyatt, Marie Cockerell, L Pile coxed by Price had a bad start before picking up their rhythm and pushing Hastings for second. After the turn Hastings had a length on Dover’s crew which they held to the line.

The Ladies Double Sculls saw West-Burrows and Oliver get a great start moving into the early lead. Moving out to get a better run in the calm conditions, the decision was working well until a ‘crab’ slowed the boat, dropping the pair to 4th place with too little distance left to the finish to improve their position. Macintosh was Dover’s sole entry in the Men’s Novice Sculls. He was unable to stay with the leading scullers dropping to 5th by the turn. He chased the Eastbourne Sculler to the line but was unable to overhaul his opponent.

The Open Master’s 40+ saw Dover enter two crews K Uyatt, Cook, Neil, Nick Bailey coxed by Price and M Cockerell, M McArdle, West-Burrows, Briggs coxed by Oliver. The inside crews pulled away from Dover crews who were lined up further out. The Oliver coxed crew found themselves closing rapidly on the 5th place crew but lost out at the line with Price’s crew not far behind in 7th. Bailey had finished 5th in the Masters 50+ racing in a composite crew where their chance was lost at the turn.

Herne Bay is the last of the regattas in this year’s shortened CARA season. Anyone interested in competing for Dover next year should contact Dover Rowing Club via the website or Facebook page.

Dover Rowing Club had a winning start to the Regatta held at Deal this weekend, when the J16 quad sculls crew of Bo Corby, Sebastian Steele, James Hale, Jasper Mallet, coxed by Tony Burrows got a great start in this 800m straight sprint race. The young crew pulled clear of the field steadily increasing their lead through to the finish line. Steele, Hale and Mallet would be joined by Sam Pile in the Men’s Novice Fours, again coxed by Burrows, where they would compete against Dover’s second crew Kevin Ulyatt, Matthew Neil, Eddie Briggs, Adrian Calland, coxed by Marianne from Folkestone RC. The younger crew charged off the line establishing an immediate lead and taking the first turn with a substantial lead. As they rowed to the second turn, Dover’s second crew battled up to fourth. The crews would pass each other after the second turn as the Steele, Hale, Mallet and Pile headed home to take their second win of the day. K Ulyatt, Neil, Briggs, Calland held onto their fourth place to the line.

Steele, Hale, Mallet and Pile coxed by Burrows then moved up a division to compete in Men’s Junior 4’s competing against Dover’s A crew of K Ulyatt, Matt Barnett, Calland and Jon Cook coxed by Chris Price. The young crew had another good start and were first to turn with Folkestone close behind. It looked like a third win was on the cards as the Dover’s crew came past the clubhouse, before disaster struck with a blade (oar) catching in the waves and getting dragged under the boat. As the crew regained control of the blade, they restarted now pursuing the Folkestone crew who had passed them. They were unable to catch them finishing second. The result clearly showing the strength of this crew. Dover’s A crew came home in third place.

J14 crew of George Martin, Alex McArdle, Josh Grassby, Beau Everington-Nee coxed by Burrows had a good race showing improvement from their first race as they chased Bexhill’s crew down the 800m course coming home in second.

Ladies Junior 4’s of Emmeline McArdle, Canelle Ulyatt, Maria West-Burrows, Krista Davis coxed by Burrows were Dover’s highest placed woman’s crew after fighting hard to move into third approaching second turn. They had to battle Bexhill all the way to secure third place at the line. In the Ladies Senior 4 Ruby Cockerell, Lorna Pile, West-Burrows, Davis coxed by Tyler Amos from Deal RC performed well as the crew was made up of Junior and Novice rowers. A good turn saw the crew move to fourth which they managed to hold through to the line. West-Burrows would join Barnett, Briggs, Cook coxed by Burrows in the Masters 40+. They were in the middle of the field from the start pulling clear after the turn and moving up to fourth on the run to the second buoy turn. They moved into a neck and neck race with Deal taking third place on the line.

The Novice ladies four of Marie Cockerell, Davis, Heather Corby, L Pile coxed by Burrows were in a tight race at the first turn before gaining clear water. The inexperienced crew pushed hard on the long run from the pier confirming a fifth place points finish.