Chesterton Women Spring 2014 Round-up

After Tideway we turned our concentration to strengthening and expanding our squad.  Four new rowers did our Learn to Row sessions with two following on to join our main squad outings.  In April we run our annual coxing school outings where all our squad are encouraged to give coxing a go which has expanded our pool of coxes.  And as the Spring Head races and regatta started some of our more Novice rowers had the opportunity to race with our more experienced rowers in the Radegund Mile and Champs head to give them good quality race experience.  Our first crew supported by the rest of the squad won the Women’s Novice VIII in the Spring Head to Head  and Champs Head some winning their first On-Cam pots.  It was pleasing to have two VIIIs enter the City Sprints and for many of the second crew it was their first regatta.  The first crew won their heat and semi-final but missed out on winning by a canvas to Champs Junior Girls in the final.     At the Nines Spring regatta a crew representing the whole squad won their heat and went straight through to the Final against the Cantabs IM3 Dev Squad this time missing out by half a length but a very pleasing result given the mixed experience  of the crew.

The Off-Cam crew started training for the National Masters and the Peterborough Regatta.  Unfortunately we didn’t secure a place at The National Masters as the event was over-subscribed. 

Peterborough Regatta

On the Saturday we raced on the Women’s Novice VIII.  We won our heat confidently and so secured a place in the final.  In the final we were up against Warwick Uni, 99s and City.  The times in the heat had between within a couple of seconds so we thought we were in with a chance.  However, in the final Warwick Uni got it together and won.  We came second ahead of 99s and City so a good result although mixed with disappointment of missing out on the elusive Novice pot.

On Sunday we entered a Women’s Novice IV .  There was a large field of 10 other crews from all over the country so we had no idea how we’d do.  We won our heat and were 11 seconds faster than all the other crews so we entered the final with nervous expectation.  It was good solid row and we led the field from the beginning and finished comfortable winners 8 seconds ahead of our nearest rivals 99s.  Winning our Novice pots and two points due to the size of the entry.

So as we turn our attention to Bumps Chesterton Women enter the dark and scary world of IM3…