York Sprint Regatta 2009 - 19 September 2009
Trent Juniors Break Club Record!
York Sprint Regatta was held on the river Ouse in the historic city on Saturday 19th September and was visited by the Club’s junior squad. Four singles and two doubles were entered at the Club’s traditional last regatta of the season.
Trent’s first event of the day saw Eloise McMahon compete in her first ever singles race against Howe from York City RC in women’s J13 single sculls. Eloise was clearly the stronger sculler and led comfortably from the start of the events straight final. Maintaining her lead throughout the 500m course Eloise secured her debut singles win in great style, and saw the Club’s regatta win record matched.
J16 single sculls saw two trent scullers in a three crew event. Jake Wheeler met the third sculler, Scholefield of Loughborough in the semi final, and Simon Clarke benefitted from a bye into the final. Unfortunately both Trent scullers suffered from steering difficulties off the start. Jake lost out in the semi after finding himself sculling in Scholfield’s wash. A similar story in the final saw Simon down off the start and failing to come back against the stronger Loughborough sculler.
The J17 single sculls event found Ben Eames in a straight final against Clarke of York City RC. Racing in an event a year above his age group, Ben controlled his race from the off, steadily extending his lead throughout the course to cross the line and take an easily verdict. Ben’s victory officially broke the Club’s record number of wins in a season, taking the 2009 wins total to 32.
In their doubles debut, Amy Steer and Antonia Matthews raced in Women’s J14 double sculls, meeting the Punshon crew of York City RC. The York crew took an early lead on their home turf and, despite both crews sculling strongly throughout the course, the home side maintained their lead over the Trent duo down to the line.
The last race of the day saw the combination of Jake Wheeler and Ben Eames racing in J18 double sculls. The event, which should have been J17, was moved up due to illness in the York junior squad, meaning that the Trent double was racing up 2 age categories. The focused Trent juniors put in their all and fought hard from the word go. But the age gap was too great, resulting in a 1½ length deficit at the finish line.
The Trent Juniors who raced at York Sprint 2009
