Stratford Boat Club juniors represent West Midlands at British Rowing's Junior Inter-Regional Regatta

CHALLENGING conditions did not stop Stratford Boat Club’s juniors from putting in some creditable performances when they represented the West Midlands at British Rowing’s Junior Inter-Regional Regatta.

Charles Happel was the first J16 to take on the choppy waters at the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham, sculling with control to finish fourth in his heat and 19th overall.

The WJ16 coxless quad of Amalia Richardson, Harriet Noyes, Maddie Hall and Kate Richardson finished fourth and seventh overall.

Will Dalrymple-Baker represented the West Midlands in the J15 1x and he sculled really well despite the rather choppy conditions, crossing the 1,000m line in 4:03. Scarlett Richardson and Molly Vondrak sculled equally well in the WJ15 2x race, setting a time of 4:05.90. Meanwhile, the WJ15 4x+ composite squad featuring Stratford’s Lucy Sartain and Aimee Appleton (cox) did not start as the squad suffered steering issues prior to setting off.

The J14s were next on the water and due to Storm Franklin bringing 33mph winds, the course was reduced to a 1,000m timed event instead of a qualifying event and then subsequent finals.

Alexandra Francis, Poppy Baines, Sophie Evans, Alice Jones and cox Meg Nuttall were first to take to the water, finishing second in their coxed quad heat and sixth overall. In normal conditions, this would have placed them in the A final.

Next up was the boys’ crew of Seth Vondrak, Xavier Sissins-Rofey, Theo Ritcher, Oliver Rowlands and cox Lucy Yang. They finished fifth in their heat and 19th place overall.