Gold at British Masters!

Competing for the first time at the British Masters Championships, Shanklin Sandown Rowing club’s Simon Nevitt and Gary Burch faced the most experienced, top rowers in the country at the at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham last weekend.

Saturday’s racing presented some tricky, coastal -style conditions with racing suspended at one point. The boys built up confidence however as each race progressed, finishing in fifth in both their singles and double scull events.

Sunday presented much more favourable conditions, to which the boys took full advantage. With a much-improved start in the 1x, Simon found himself out in the lead early on and managed to build on this as the race progressed, to earn a well -deserved Gold medal. This represents an amazing achievement in only his second season of sculling.

Similarly, team-mate Gary, racing in the Over 50 category, led for the first 250m and pushed hard into the halfway point. Unfortunately, he was unable to sustain the pace to hold off the nearest rival, who went on to claim Gold, but was delighted with a very competitive second place.

Club Captain Garry Walters said how pleased he was to see Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club at their first British Masters Championships, and congratulated both Simon and Gary on their fine performances and inspiring the next generation.

Simon takes gold at British Masters Championships.