Your chance to cheer rowers at annual Boxing Day event

STRATFORD Boat Club finished the 2024 season with a certain amount of frustration with the high water levels and fast following river forcing most athletes off the river and into the club for land training, reports Chris Best.

Steve Wellstead, the club’s junior squad co-ordinator said: “December is a challenging month for training with many junior squad athletes taking important mock exams and the river this year has restricted us even more to indoor and land training with so many away heads cancelled.”

Stratford Boat Club’s Boxing Day Scratch Regatta has become a firm fixture on both the club and town calendar allowing rowers to blow away the over indulgence of Christmas, have fun and set their sights firmly on serious training for the 2025 season.

Fours compete over a short sprint course from the ferry to the club grounds on the River Avon, weather permitting.

Amanda Bowden, masters’ vice-captain and organiser of this year’s regatta, said: “We pick club crews from names entered into a draw based on gender, age and ability so that all the crews are more or less equal, ranging from juniors through to masters.”

Crowds can watch and cheer, so why not get down to the river on Boxing Day when racing begins at 10am.

Wellstead added: “The training schedule will be back on target the first weekend after the new year. 2025 is going to be another great season for Stratford in all categories and we’re heading for continued success in local and national regattas and heads.”