Title for St Ives pair and silver for Neots

IT WAS the turn of two of St Ives Rowing Club’s masters to show the youngsters how it’s done last weekend.

The club’s junior section has been enjoying a successful season, but Chris Newland and Jon Dolby topped their achievements by winning the Masters C IM3 doubles title at the the British Rowing Masters last weekend.

The feat was especially impressive given that Dolby only started rowing three years ago – and is now a masters national intermediate champion.

Despite drawing the worst lane, the conditions were favourable and the pair got away steadily from the start, rowing into an early lead at 250m.

They maintained the lead throughout the race despite pressure from the Trafford crew, who launched an attack in the final 250m to try to beat St Ives to the line.

The Ives boat countered the attack however and pushed for home, winning by two seconds.

ST NEOTS Rowing Club were also in action at the Masters Championship. The club sent 11 rowers, but against top opposition in difficult weather conditions they failed to progress in the men’s and women’s fours and men’s single sculls.

But disappointment was short-lived as the women’s four of Sarah Davies, Natasha Wilson, Sarah Porteus, Alison Brown, joined the men’s four of Graham Mailer, Clive Emmerson, Alistair Mackie, Kevin Sadler in the mixed C eights.

Coxed by Mia Hartwell, they pulled together to put in a magnificent performance and beat off strong crews from Monmouth, Stourport and Cambridge to take a deserved silver medal close behind Broxbourne.