News 2008
Reading Amateur Regatta Sunday 15th June
Wallingford crews have been badly affected by weather related problems resulting in a number of events being blown away in strong winds or washed away by rain swollen flooded rivers. It was therefore good to see a few dry days led to moderate stream and a sunny day for Reading Amateur Regatta's event on Sunday 15th June.
The club were represented by the women's squad and those juniors not heavily involved in exams at this time of year. The women raced in eights and fours and had success in winning Senior 2 eights, the top womens event at the Regatta. The win was a timely boost for the crew prior to racing this coming weekend at Womens Henley in Senior eights.
The juniors were represented by the Junior 15 coxed quad scull and a small group of single scullers. The quad had substantial wins in heat and final to collect medals to mitigate having their events at National Schools and Walton cancelled. The J15 boys made it a clean sweep for Wallingford when Jamie Axon survived a close heat to win semi-final and final by significant margins to win the Junior 15 single sculls.
CREWS
Womens eight: Deborough Pretty, Susie Logan, Emily Townsend, Jay Philcox, Katie Currie, Anna Storrs, Rosie Rand, Angela Mills and cox Matt Smith.
J15 Quad: Tom Ajose, Jem Roberts, Richard Steele, Ed Hares and cox Luke Taylor
J15 Single scull: Jamie Axon
National Schools Regatta 24 May
Wallingford Rowing Club win the Fox Tankard for the 5th Time!
Josh Yerrell and Simon Steele battled against the Nottingham waves to win the Championship Doubles event at the National Schools Regatta. In almost unrowable conditions Josh and Simon showed skill and character to bring their boat home, over 8 seconds quicker than local rivals Marlow RC in the time trial.
During the morning it became more and more obvious that rowing at Nottingham, on that day, was not a good idea and after 4 eights sank, racing was suspended and the medals decided by the time trial events.
The boys were presented the Fox Tankard, originally used for the Coxed Pair event, becoming the 5th Wallingford crew to lift the trophy matching Eton College’s record. Looking through the previous winners of the trophy certainly show this event shouldn’t be sniffed at, other winners include Matthew Pinsent and Hugh Laurie!
Ben Townsend
National Schools Regatta and Thames Ditton
At Thames Ditton our WJ164x won, beating Molsey B in their heat, Dame Alice Harper in their semi and Molsey A in the final. (Michelle Sangen, Ellen Harris, Katherine Poulter and Lydia Yerrell)
Every other WRC crew won at least one round of their events with the J164x beating Kingston before losing to National sculling head winners Tiffin by a half length in the final (Tom Ajose, Dan Terzino. Michael Murrayand Conor Marsh).
The J154x+ had a comfey win over Kingston but caught a huge crab in the final against Henley which bent a rigger and broke a scull so unable to compete. (Ed Hares, Jem Roberts, Richard Steele, Janie Axon and cox Luke Taylor).
In double sculls the J2X won heat,quarter final and semi but just lost their final.
In singles, Lydia Parsons won her heat of WJ1X but lost the final by 2 lengths to GB trials finalist from City of Oxford.
In J161x, Conor Marsh beat Molsey but then narrowly lost to Tiffin in the semi-final.
Emily Taylor raced in WJ151x and beat Twickenham in her semi - final but lost to Walton in the final.
Emily Reay raced in WJ141x, an event which she won last year as a WJ13. After a good win in her heat, she had to pull out of the competition when leading her semi due to illness.
Overall, a good number of wins through the day but only one pot.
The following weekend at National Schools Regatta proved to be an eventful weekend for the Wallingford contingent, where a total of 13 of our youngsters wer due to race in 9 events. Friday was wet but calm and our J15 boys raced.
Tom Ajose in the J151x was eliminated in the time trials by around 8 seconds. The J152x of Ed Hares and Jamie Axon qualified well from their time trial to reach the semi-finals with 18 crews in 3 races with 2 to qualify from each race.
The Wallingford double led off the start but were slowly overhauled by Peterborough and Molsey to come in third of the six boat race. The crews they lost to got silver and bronze in the finals.
Saturday brought high winds and very rough water. fIrst to race was the WJ162x of Michelle Sangen and Lydia Yerrell who qualified for the semi's lying 11th in the field of 21. The rough water meant that the rest of the event was cancelled and the gold awarded to Sir William Borlaise, the fastest time trialist. In J Championship 1X, Chris Ellam raced in very rough water and good technique saw him coming a very creditable 13th of the 32 competing scullers.
The highlight of the day for WRC was the boys Championship 2x of Simon Steele and Josh Yerrell. These boys have trained hard in their quad along with Chris Ellam and Ben Fussell and Saturday brought its reward. The time trial was run in worsening conditions but our boys looked very strong, managing the conditions well. Their reward was a win in the 30 boat field over their old rivals from Marlow by 8 seconds, a very satisfactory major win.
The double were awarded the gold medal and the hansome Fox Tankard, a trophy which Wallingford have won 3 times in the past. Shortly after this race, during the time trial for first eights, conditions got even worse with 4 eights sinking --- resulting in all events being cancelled for the rest of Saturday and also Sunday, preventing our other crews from showing what they could do.
Tony Wheel
Ghent International 10/11 May
MSB4x Silver
W8+ Bronze
W2- Bronze
On the 10th and 11th of May 2008 the Wallingford Women’s Squad returned to Ghent for the city’s International Regatta. The weather had taken a turn for the better since April training camp and hail was replaced by blistering sunshine. There were a number of UK clubs at the event and competition was fierce so the squad was delighted to come away with two medals in the 8+ and 2- event. Many thanks to all those who made the trip possible, particularly Ted Bowler and Ben Townsend.
The bronze medal winning 8+ enjoying a well-earned beer. The nooses are a local tradition apparently! Left to right: Marianne Lee, Angela Mills, Rosie Rand, Anna Storrs, Katie Currie, Susie Logan, Bea Longworth, Jay Philcox, Deborah Pretty, Mick Brind
Unfortunately not everyone in the squad reacted well to the local brew…
After racing the squaddies took the opportunity to soak up the Belgian sun
The bronze medal winning 2- (Katie Currie and Angela Mills) do battle on the finish line
First Rowing World Cup in Munich, 8 to 11 May 2008
Wallingford had 4 club members selected to represent GB at the first World Cup regatta in Munich. [World Cup Web Site]
2nd Paul Mattick LM4-
2nd Andrea Dennis LW1x
5th Alice Freeman W8+
1st in B final Helen Casey
LW2x
Wallingford (super) veteran rowing squad: Age shall not weary them!
A Veteran "I" crew is a very rare beast and this one will be rowing in the Abingdon Head of the River Race on Sunday 20th April, Division 1 at 9.30: Veteran rowing is divided into categories A, B, C, D etc dependent on age. -D is average age 50-55,E is 55-60, etc. We believe that this is the first Veteran I crew entered by Wallingford Rowing Club into an event. The rarity can be judged by the fact that there was only one Veteran G entry (ave age 65-70) into the Tideway Veteran Head last year andone Veteran H entry (average age 70-75) to the Molesey Veteran Head this year. This Wallingford coxed four has an average age of 75.75 years and its existence is newsworthy!
Gus Gray (centre, 77) coxed the winning crew in the University of Reading Head Race this year, a race in which he first competed in 1954! He will (God willing!) return next year. Gus, still coaches the Wallingford Juniors for 4 hours every Saturday regardless of the weather, a pursuit for which he is very well qualified after a career in child psychology; his contribution to noise pollution is not confined to the megaphone as he is a keencampanologist whose efforts can be heard all around Goring!
Then from left to right: Mike Maggs (stroke and at 67 the youth and stripling of the crew) started rowing at Alfred Sutton School in Reading in 1956 and was a founder member and captain at Pangbourne Rowing Club. Combined a career in car maintenance and sales with competitive rowing all his life and is now the “fixer” in the veteran squad. He set a course record at Wallingford in 1961 which still stands as the course has since been lengthened! He finds it hard to believe he still has 16 years to go to catch up John Sutcliffe.
Paddy Hislop (77) has less working joints than the horn of a rhinoceros, but this does not prevent him heading the Veteran Squad "age and weight adjusted ergometer table" (unadjusted time 20 mins 55 seconds for 5000 meters -try it!). Not only is Paddy still an active sculler, sweep oarsman and jazz club aficionado, but he is still working as an architect!
Colin Baker (76) first rowed in 1947 at Vesta Rowing Club in Putney and then at University. His first “pot” was won in 1948 (Vesta Dashes). He restarted rowing in 1986 and after 45 years as an amateur silversmith, and with his knowledge as an analytical chemist applied to new boat materials, he turns his skills to boat repairs for which the club is very grateful indeed.
John Sutcliffe (83), mathematician, hydrologist, oarsman and the “senior member”, started rowing in 1947 and has rowed at Wallingford since 1972. Diabetes and other ravages of age do not prevent participation in heavy outings with the younger veterans, although he has, on two occasions, required prising from his oar and lifting from the boat after interval training!
All crew members are very grateful to their wives or partners for their forbearance in allowing them to still pursue their pastime!
... This piece also appeared in the local Herald paper and coverage of the old chaps brought many smiles to many faces. [also in the Oxford Mail]
They turned up yesterday, Sunday 20th April, in great style and recorded a time of 11 minutes 1 second (winning time 7:19 by a Radley College VIII, slowest time 15:21) which was faster than about 40 other crews out of a total of about 250.
Four members of the boat (Mike, Colin, Paddy & Gus) then went on to row again in a Veteran G eight (average age 65.5) and record a time of 8.03 (handicap adjusted) being the 11th fastest time overall on the day, being narrowly beaten to the “Pot” by 4 seconds by the Wallingford Veteran E VIII (average age 55.5) and convincingly beating the Worcester Veteran E VIII (8:36).
In training for the event, the crew consumed beer, meat pies, red wine and blue cheese as part of their elite athletic performance programme and are grateful to their wives or partners for their forbearance in allowing them to still pursue their pastime and for providing clean, well-pressed kit and joint supports on the day.
Andy Millar
Abingdon Head of the River Race on Sunday 20th April
Results for Wallingford Rowers - sorted by time. [Full results]
| number | club | boatname | event | time | handicap applied |
| 230 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-MARSH | J16 4x- | 07:54:00 | |
| 227 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-GARLICK | Vet E/G 8+ | 07:59:00 | |
| 73 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-WILLIAMS | NV 8+ | 08:01:00 | |
| 158 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-MAGGS | Vet E/G 8+ | 08:03:00 | Yes |
| 225 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-BRIGHT | S4 8+ | 08:05:00 | |
| 6 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-KERRIGAN | VetD/F 4+ | 08:23:00 | |
| 237 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-ROBERTS | J15 4x+ | 08:29:00 | |
| 17 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-AXON | J15 2x | 08:33:00 | |
| 245 | WALLINGFORD RC/MCSBC | WRC-DISERENS | S3 2X | 08:33:00 | |
| 112 | WALLINGFORD RC/TTRC | WRC-CUSACK | VetE 2- | 08:45:00 | |
| 159 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-GARLICK | VetF 4x- | 08:49:00 | |
| 111 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-BRIGHT | S2 2- | 08:51:00 | |
| 231 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-Yerrell | W J16 4x- | 08:53:00 | |
| 43 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-MARSH | J16 1x | 09:13:00 | |
| 201 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-HARES | S3 1x | 09:25:00 | |
| 120 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-AJOSE | J15 1x | 09:29:00 | |
| 129 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-CLARKE | NV 1x | 09:44:00 | |
| 180 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-Sangan | W J16 2x | 09:44:00 | |
| 13 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-MAGGS | VetI 4+ | 11:01:00 | |
| 54 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-LONGWORTH | VetF 1x | 11:04:00 | |
| 145 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-TAYLOR | W J15 1x | 11:26:00 | |
| 68 | WALLINGFORD RC | WRC-Reay | W J14 1x | 11:28:00 |
| J15 1x | 1st | Tom Ajose |
| J15 2x | 1st | Jamie Axon, Ed Hares |
| J15 4x+ | 1st | Luke Taylor, Tom Ajose, Jamie Axon, Jem Roberts, Emily Taylor (c) |
| J16 1x | 1st | Conor Marsh |
| J16 4x | 1st | Ed Hares, Dan Terzino, Michael Murray, Conor Marsh |
| NV1x | 8th | Lester Clarke |
| NV8+ | 2nd | Paul Prince, Nigel Hughes, Brian Apps, Thomas Kjeldsen, Rod Ellis, Lawrence Wilson, Louis Backer, Al Williams, Mark Wood (c) |
| S2 2- | 5th | Nick Bright, Rob Hares |
| S3 1x | 1st | Rob Hares |
| S3 2x | 1st | Sam Diserens, MCSBC |
| S4 8+ | 4th | Nigel Hughes, Rod Ellis, Brian Apps, Paul Prince, Al Williams, Andy Batt, Thomas Kjeldsen, Nick Bright, Mark Wood (c) |
| VE/G 8+ | 1st | Peter Finnegan, Ted Garlick, Pieter Van Vrede, Ken Houston, Andy Millar, Vince Kerrigan, Michael Drury, Jeremy Warrell, Gus Gray (c) |
| VE/G 8+ | 2nd | Paddy Hislop, Art Rapp, John Longworth, Colin Baker, Ken Houston, Vince Kerrigan, Chris Gamester, Mick Maggs, Gus Gray (c) |
| VD/F 4+ | 1st | Pieter Van Vrede, Michael Drury, Andy Millar, Vince Kerrigan, Hatty Drury(c) |
| VE 2- | 1st | Colin Cusack, TTRC |
| VF 1x | 3rd | John Longworth |
| VF 4x | 1st | Peter Finnegan, Jeremy Warrell, Mike Simmons, Ted Garlick |
| VI 4+ | 1st | John Sutcliffe, Paddy Hislop, Mike Maggs, Colin Baker, Gus Gray (c) |
| WJ14 1x | 3rd | Emily Reay |
| WJ15 1x | 4th | Emily Taylor |
| WJ16 2x | 2nd | Michelle Sangan, Lydia Yerrell |
| WJ16 4x | 1st | Michelle Sangan, Ellen Harris, Katherine Poulter, Lydia Yerrell |
| WS3 1x | 1st | Lydia Parson |
Wallingford Juniors at Abingdon HoR
Wallingford Rowing Club sent a strong contingent of junior members to Abingdon HoR on Sunday 20th April 2008 and were rewarded with a clutch of wins and sound performances showing strength in depth. With members of the club's flagship Junior 18's away at Great Britain trials, it was left to the younger members to represent tne club at this local event.
Pride of place went to the J16 quad sculls who were the fastest male and female junior crews. The boy's Junior 16 quad of Ed Hares, Dan Terzino, Michael Murray, and Conor Marsh set a blistering pace to be the fastest junior crew of the day, winning the Sechi cup. Not to be outdone, the girls Junior 16 quad of Michelle Sangen, Ellen Harris, Katherine Poulter and Lydia Yerrell set the fastest junior girl time to win the Milton Cup
(see photo).
Wallingford's other crews performed well with the Junior 15 coxed quad of Tom Ajose,Luke Taylor,Jamie Axon and Jem Roberts coxed by Emily Taylor being the fastest in its class and the second fastest junior crew overall. Tom Ajose won the J15 class in single sculls and Ed Hares and Jamie Axon teamed up to win the Junior 15 double sculls to give the club a clean sweep in Junior 15 age group. Also in double sculls,Wallingford's Sam Diserens teamed up with his Magdalen Coll School team-mate to win Senior 3 doubes.
One of the most encouraging performances was that of 16 year old Lydia Parsons, returning to rowing after a year long gap to win womens Senior 3 sculls in style being 30 seconds in front of the second placed sculler and beating all of the junior 18 girls times.
Tony Wheel
Wallingford Women’s Squad training camp – Belgium, April 2008
This spring 13 members of the Wallingford women braved high seas, European driving regulations, 250 kinds of beer and some highly dubious Belgian dancing for a week’s training camp in Ghent. Despite the photographic evidence there was quite a lot of rowing too – honest!
A demanding regime meant sleeping and eating were top priority in the brief breaks between outings, but somehow we still found time for a spot of sightseeing and chocolate-buying in the scenic city of Ghent. It was possible to trace the squad’s progress across town by the trail of traumatised restaurateurs unable to believe quite how many plates of frites one group of women could get through!
Although several squaddies had to bravely row through illness (variously diagnosed as TB, whooping cough and bubonic plague) all in all it was a very worthwhile week which provided statistic-loving coach Mick Brind with enough numbers to keep him happily occupied until at least next weekend. Many thanks to Mick, cox Ruth Barber, organisational dynamo Bert Grimes (AKA Angela Mills) and our Belgian hosts Sport Gent.
Ghent Spring International Regatta, 12-13 April 2008:
Saturday Medal
4- Silver medal - Rosie Rand, Jay Philcox, Katie Currie, Angela Mills
Sunday Medals (Flemish Championships)
4- Silver medal - Rosie Rand, Jay Philcox, Katie Currie, Angela Mills
8+ Silver Medal – Deborah Pretty, Anna Storrs, Caroline Benham, Emily Townsend, Katie Currie, Susie Logan, Angela Mills
4x Bronze Medal – Sarah Burgess, Bea Longworth, Jen Lambert, Jay Philcox
Bea Longworth
Wallingford Rowing Club women's co-captain
Coxed snowman four and launch mascot, 6 April 2008
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Photos by Katie Currie
Reading University Head, 23 Feb 2008
The Wallingford Vet F eight beat UTRC Vet C with handicap time of 16m 13.0s and also beat two Reading Veteran 8s (the first time we have done this recently - we were 3 and 16 seconds ahead.
Andy Millar
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