Stourport regatta 2013 saw a fantastic weekend for Loughborough boat club who had a record number of entries for the season across the entire club.

Saturday’s racing started early for Loughborough in the J14 singles races at 9:10 and 9:20, perhaps it was still too early for them as they both narrowly succumbed to their opposition. Hot on their tails was Dave in his IM3 single heat, winning quite convincingly over his Birmingham competitor, only to be beaten to the line in his semi final by a bow ball to the Trent sculler.

The women’s IM3 8+ was next down the course and triumphed again over Devil’s Elbow in their heat but unfortunately lost out to Stourport in their final. Only one race behind our WJ14 1x, who was racing up at J15 for an extra challenge after her domination of the J14 singles this season strode to victory in her heat against Bradford and followed it up by winning her final against Ross in a much closer race.

The youngest of our competitors, only 12 years old took on other scullers a year older than them in open and women’s J13 1x. Our open J13, Alex, rocketed to victory against Gloucester sculler and Izzy, in her WJ13, put in a good race but was not victorious in her single. Not to be disheartened, she stepped into her open J12 2x later on in the day, rowing their boat across the finish line comfortably in first position ahead of 2 Stourport boys ending the day by taking home their winner’s pots.

In the afternoon’s racing wins came thick and fast for Loughborough. The men’s masters D 8+ beating Stourport in their final. After winning her J15 single Emily then joined her double partner to row to victory in both their WJ14 2x semi final and final races. The WJ17 2x joined the J14 2x in winning their race.

Further wins came from the women’s IM3 4+ of Zoe, Erica, Linda and Victoria, coxed by Tim, finishing well ahead of their Ironbridge opponents in the final, and the Senior coxless quad of Scott, Rob, Tom and Jonny. Ending the day, Zoe and Erica finished strong beating the Bewdley pair in their final of the WIM2 2- greatly deserved for all their hard work they’ve put in over the season.

Sunday’s racing started equally as early with the WJ14 2x, of Emily and Matilda, kicking off the racing with a win in their heat against Birmingham, and starting the day as she meant to go on, jumping out of the double and straight into her single after competing an astounding seven times between both events, Emily secured two winners pots with Matilda taking hers from the double. Our J14 single, Cathal, rowed to a safe victory in his heat but just fell short against the same opposition as Saturday.

In her first race as a nov single, Suze took the shorter course of 650m head on, however was beaten to the line by her Warwick opposition. In a similar fashion both IM3 scullers, Adam and Dave lost out to their Birmingham counterparts.

Not quite repeating their success from Saturday, Beth and Lucy won their heat in the J17 2x but missed out on their place in the final to Trent. Alex, in his J12 single, crossed the finish line before his opposition from Stourport had even reached the bridge, some 120m up stream in his semi final, going on to win his final too. Izzy, in her J12 single reached the finish line first in both her semi final and final, winning her event, improving her achievement from her J13 single on Saturday.

Much like Izzy, Anna, in her IM3 single won her heats and final on Sunday after missing out on her pot on Saturday. Together with Suze, Anna also raced in their IM3 2x on Sunday but were unfortunately out-rowed by their Bradford opposition.

The women’s masters C 8+, after a good row unfortunately came second to the Bewdley crew who went on to win the event. Also repeating their victory from Saturday, the men’s masters D 8+ beat their Stourport/Quintin composite opposition in one of the closer races of the day. The final victory of the day came from the senior coxless quad who won easily the Quintin crew.

After the weekends racing and wins, it was announced that Loughborough Boat Club had won most races in the Senior and Masters categories and were second for the juniors and winning the Victor Ludorum for the weekend’s racing with 17 wins in total.

Stourport