Rowers from across the country recently descended on the River Ouse for the St Neots Rowing Club Regatta.
In a weekend that saw crews from 31 clubs competing in almost 400 races, the fortunes of the St Neots men were mixed in the Open 8+.
Off the back of a successful week at the Cambridge Rowing Association’s Town Bumps, the second men’s boat fell victim to Broxbourne in their first-round race.
The first boat rowed through both the London Otters and Peterborough to set up a final against the same Broxbourne crew, avenging their club-mates with a one-length win.
The first pot (the prize for winning a rowing race) for half of the crew saw Matthew Wigmore, Dan Grimes, Mark Cooney and Cam Nuttall all end up in the river, as is tradition for losing their novice status.
There was similar success for St Neots in Saturday’s sculling events. The scratch Women’s double of Jaoine Evereste and Valentina Futoryanova enjoyed victory over Globe, and then two Derby crews to win their category.
The Open coxless four of Huw Jarman (club chair), Adam Williams, Adrian Vuylsteke and Dominic Chapman sailed to a victory in all three of their races, paddling over the finish line with a margin of over three boat lengths.
Sunday saw much better weather with the afternoon turning sunny and bright with some breeze.
Matthew Wigmore won his first race in the open single sculls against Sudbury but lost in the semi-final to Broxbourne who went on to win the division.
The mixed double composite Jacqui Round and Joel Grant Jones from Bedford Star; there were a total of ten boats in their category and the double beat Leeds, Bedford and then Sudbury in the final.
There was further success from the junior squad in the J14 1 x boy’s single sculls.
Ethan Sparrow had an excellent day of racing, winning his quarter-final against Bedford Star.
He went on to win his semi-final against Peterborough but lost out to Bedford by one and a half lengths in the final.
Huntingdon Boat Club also competed at the regatta and achieved two wins, with Noah Scott-Donkin and Daniel Grant winning J15 double sculls beating Sudbury in the final.
Both entered J15 single sculls with Grant making the final losing against Leicester.
Libby Jackson won her J16 single sculls event, beating Peterborough to make the final against another Peterborough crew.
Toby Ray and Joe Manchett made their double sculls open A final, losing to Trentham Boat Club by three feet.
Maksim Marjanoviv and Tom Starling also made their double sculls open B final, losing to Derby/Oxford Brookes by half a length.
Also racing on the day was Jack Bennett and Tom Hancock in J14 double sculls and J14 single sculls.
Ray and Manchett also raced in their single events.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here