British Rowing Masters Championships (2016)

Three crews competed on day one of the 2016 British Rowing Masters Championships held at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham.

The six lane Olympic size rowing course was set up for competitors to race over 1000 metres.

The first to compete was the Mixed Masters E Double Scull of Jeremy Milbank and Tracy Muir. In one of the first races of the day, the mist was still hanging across the lake. The SUDBURY crew finished in fourth place in a time of 4 minutes 12 seconds behind Bewl Bridge, Weybridge RC and Champion of the Thames.

Later on in the afternoon when conditions had changed slightly, the crews now had to contend with a brisk headwind. In the first heat of the Men’s Masters G Double Sculls event, Mike Arnott and Keith Paxman finished third in their heat in a time of 4 minutes 40 seconds, narrowly missing out on a place in the final. In the second heat of the same event, David Wasse and Jeremy Milbank finished in second place in a time of 4 minutes 38 seconds, but again, just missed out a place in the final.

On Sunday, two more crews competed in perfect conditions. The first to race was the Women’s E/F IM3 Double Scull of Rosemary Hogsbjerg and Sarah Watts. In a full six lane line up the final proved to be tricky from the start, with three attempts to start the race fairly! Eventually Putney RC was disqualified leaving five crews to battle it out over the 1000 metre course. Sudbury raced well to earn a silver medal in a time of 4 minutes 49 seconds, behind Mortlake RC who won gold in a time of 4.40. In third place, Tyne RC won the bronze medal in 4.49. Fourth place was Upton RC (4.55), fifth place Ross RC (5.04).

In the afternoon Watts and Hogsbjerg teamed up with Teresa Moriarty and Sarah Jane Gibbons to race in the Womens Masters C IM3 Quad Scull event. This was a two boat straight final against Broxbourne RC. A very close and exciting race, but Broxbourne managed to pull away to take the gold medal in a time of 4.04 with Sudbury finishing close behind in 4.09.

Sudbury will be competing again this weekend at St. Ives Regatta.

Susie Moule