Sudbury Triumphant in Distant Leicester

This was a relatively small expedition to this new destination for the Club. It is certainly a long way to go to race but the event is very well run, friendly. The regatta is held on the historic 'Mile Straight' of the Grand Union Canal in the centre of the town and the Club facilities are palatial (in a modern style)
SRC entered a Novice 4 and a Senior 4 8 hoping to meet (and beat) appropriate opposition. Following a few late withdrawals and call ups the four consisted of John Myers, Keith Paxman, Rob Snelling and David Bull coxed, bravely, by Oli Mitchell. Their first round opponents proved the most dangerous – Merchant Taylors School fielding a crew of small but technically very competent boys. Eventually Sudbury’s power told and they pulled away to win by 2 lengths.

Some ‘exciting’ steering was a feature of the semi-final against de Montfort University A crew with the Race Committee turning down the students’ protests on the grounds that they had been beaten too early on in the race for it to have made any difference. The final was against a crew of very substantial gentlemen from Peterborough City RC. A great deal of power was evident in the first half of the race before the superior technique and fitness of the Sudbury crew broke their opponents to achieve a notable regatta win.

The 8 consisted of Myers, Paxman, Snelling and Bull joined by Andrew Blit, John Brooks, Tony Hogsbjerg and Charles Howard. For this event the Club ‘borrowed’ a cox from Merchant Taylors School, Taff Lewis, a welshman. The opposition came from the home club and included former Sudbury rower Andy Watson so competition was bound to be intense. Both crews had strong starts with Sudbury taking a small advantage. At about half way Lewis called for a push and a powerful burst by the Sudbury crew took them away from Leicester to win by over a length.

These wins entitles the Club to the Kirby & West Victor Ludorum for Senior events, an award based on the number of wins and the size of boat over the day.