Warwick Boat Club crews use home advantage to their benefit

Novices, juniors, seniors and veterans raced along the 500m sprint course through St Nicholas Park and Myton Fields and this year saw a record number of entries with 139 crews racing in 39 events from a total of 18 different clubs including Stratford Boat Club, Evesham Rowing Club, Hollowell Scullers and Shiplake Vikings.

Boat Club had a successful day on the water with four winning crews from the host club.

Jon Martin, Marleen Weed, Harriet Homer and Matt Reeder, coxed by Tanya Podinovskaia, won in the mixed IM2 coxed four event while there were first-ever wins for a number of crews.

Olly Richardson beat a strong field to claim victory in the novice single sculls while Ian Hodge and Rod Jones won an-all Warwick final to lift the novice double sculls.

The women’s four of Gill Benson, Cath Keeling, Hannah Thomas and Rachel Howarth, coxed by Joy Green, also claimed their first success in the women’s novice coxed four event.

The final race of the day, for the Patrick McClosker Challenge Cup, saw a team of complete novices from Boat Club’s squash section overcome a four from their tennis members.

Rowing captain Tanya Podinovskaia said: “It was a long day but what a fantastic event for the Warwick crews racing on our home water and for our visiting clubs.

“We had some fierce competition amongst the most experienced and most novice crews, fantastic support from the bank and lots of well-deserved wins.

“Thanks must go to our sponsors and organisers, as well as all of the crews who took part.”

 Warwick Boat Club offer an eight-week introduction to rowing’ course.

To find out more, contact the course coordinator on learn-to-row@warwickboat club.co.uk