Sudbury Triumphs in Early Regatta Season

Sudbury crews left last weekend’s Peterborough Regatta with an extremely impressive total of seven category wins. Raced on a 1000 metre multi-lane course over two days, Peterborough is one of the region’s most competitive regattas.

Sudbury’s mens’ Masters C eight faced some of the toughest of that competition from St Ives but pushed away under the stewardship of cox, Ellie Adams, to achieve a secure victory.

New pairing, Pippa Kerry and Bryony Dixon raced in the IM3 doubles and won their heat easily before achieving a convincing first win in the final.

In the IM2 pairs, Lee Adams and Rob Frost, fresh from their performance in the eight, managed a narrow but skillful win over a Peterborough crew.

Also from the eight, brothers Paul and Lee Adams raced with John Bowles and Paul Sant in the Masters C fours, coxed by Ella Hysom. Despite an unfortunate start, the crew met coach Tony Hogsbjerg’s predictions and rowed past multiple crews to success and another win.

Junior crews too staged encouraging performances: Ellie Adams managed a tight first place in her J15 singles race while Molly Shaw comfortably continued a winning streak in her composite J16 double with City of Cambridge sculler, Amy Bland. New to pair racing, Alex Blackman and Tom Bowles raced well and powered to victory.

Several other Sudbury entrants achieved podium placements and heat victories.

This pattern of success follows exceptional performances from Sudbury crews at the national regattas. The Men’s Masters B pair of David Bull and Sam Hogsbjerg and mixed masters double of Pippa Kerry and Jeremy Milbank both won silver in their respective categories at the National Masters Regatta in Nottingham.

In the National Schools regatta, Katherine Insull, doubling with Maddie Badcott from Lea Rowing club won the Championship Girls double, beating 30 other competitors.