Sunbury Regatta report 2008

Hi All

At last the weather was fine for a lovely day's racing at this year's Sunbury Regatta. The organisers had done an excellent job attracting a large number of stalls, which was very well attended & enjoyed by all.

It seems that 'SC' should now stand for Skiffing & Cuttering (if there is such a word) as club members had equal success in both forms of racing. The Ladies started the winning streak when Amanda Leach, Mary Booth, coxed Heather Bateman destroyed (yep gotta gloat when we can) the DSPC opposition to win the Ladies Junior Doubles final. In the morning Richard Johnson had dispatched the young Costello only to falter in the Gents Novice Singles final against Mitchell of TVSC, better luck next time.

A composite crew from The Skiff Club & DSPC then decided that despite loosing their first round in the Mixed Thames Cutter race that they would handicap themselves further by hauling me as cox up the course to beat the crew from NPL in the Plate final. This was followed later in the afternoon by another SC/DSPC composite crew, coxed by Mary Booth, winning the Gents Thames Cutter race, so congratulations to our oarsmen & women in both events, Tom Millest, Martin Roche, Richard Johnson, Paul Brockway, Lynette Skelton, Heather Bateman & Mary Booth (hoping I haven't missed anyone).

Valiant efforts were put in by our finalists in the Gents Senior Singles, Mixed Novice Doubles & Ladies Junior Senior Doubles, but it was Amanda Leach who secured our second & last Ormiston point win of the day in the Ladies Junior Singles event by 3/4 of a length over her WSPC opposition.

So a successful & varied day's racing for which we can again thank Bill Taylor for organising the entries as well as bringing the blades along by Skiff launch. My thanks also go to Gordon Dear & John Bateman as officials, Keith Hooker for launch driving & all our competitors, successful or otherwise. Onwards & upwards to the Skiff Championships next Sunday at Henley, which I hope will be well supported to spur our team onto gold in their respective events.

All the best,

Roger