13 crews compete at British Championships

Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club fielded a record 13 crews at the 4-day British Rowing Championships held at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham between 18th-21st July, with several young rowers achieving standout results in a fiercely competitive field.

For many athletes, it was their first experience of multi-lane racing at a national level, competing against the best in the country. Early morning time trials determined who would advance to the finals, with the top 25-30 in each category progressing.

Despite the challenge, Shanklin matched last year’s record by qualifying for 3 A Finals – a remarkable feat given the youth of the team.

Mel Cockayne impressed in the Beginner 1x, finishing 6th overall after strong performances in both time trials and semi-finals. Connie Batley-Smith also reached the A Final in the JW14 1x and placed 5th following a close battle through the heats.

In the J14 2x, Josh Batchelor and Digby Ridgewell delivered one of the team’s most exciting performances. After placing 6th in the time trial, they gained pace through each round and led the chasing medal pack in the final, eventually finishing 4th overall.

First-year seniors Esme Walters and Arlo Adds recorded personal bests in their respective races, with Esme cutting over 40 seconds from her previous best to finish 4th in the E Final and Arlo placing 3rd in the F Final.

In the Girls Doubles, two new combinations reached the E Finals. Evie Selway and Lottie Pettitt finished 4th after a strong head-to-head contest, while Martha Eggleton and Olivia Mumberson showed resilience to bounce back from setbacks and secure 5th.

There was disappointment for Rose Collier, who earned a place in the F Final with a strong time trial but was unable to race due to a thunderstorm cancellation.

Although they did not progress beyond the time trials, valuable racing experience and personal bests were achieved by Theodora Travers and Evie Crew (JW18 2x), Isaac King and Fin Diffey (J16 2x), Tobin Green and Isaac King (J18 2x), Lottie Pettitt (JW16 1x), and Annabelle Steward (JW15 1x).