By Sarah Watson
Peterborough scullers Ellie Cooke and Harriet Drake-Lee qualified to race at the World famous Henley Royal Regatta. Their qualifying race took place on Friday on the 2,112 metre course at Henley-on-Thames. There were 10 other crews in their category competing for the Stoner Challenge Trophy, with only 3 qualifying spaces available.
Cooke and Drake-Lee will have their first heat race on Wednesday 29th June against a crew from the U.S.A.
Lucy Ralfs, Alice Dovey, Devonne Piccaver, and Ella Darrington did well to place 9th out of 31 crews in The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup qualifying round, beating a crew from the U.S.A, but unfortunately not making it through since there were only 5 spaces available.
Other qualifying races entered by Peterborough include The Thames Challenge Cup, The Fawley Cup, and The Wyfold Challenge Cup. In all three events the Peterborough crews rowed good times, but weren’t quick enough to make the small number of qualifying spaces.
Peterborough hosted their junior regatta at the weekend where juniors of J15 and below competed for gold, silver and bronze medals. Peterborough’s own juniors did very well, taking 4 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze medal.
Emma Calver and Emily Fitzjohn won the Women’s J15 Double with a time of exactly 4:00.0, 4 seconds ahead of St Georges College. Calver did exceptionally well to also win the Women’s J15 Single Championships, 7 seconds ahead of Lincoln Rowing Centre.
Winning the Open J14 Single Plate final was Will Tee, 7 seconds ahead of Windsor boys school.
Oliver Barber and Sergo Read Moreira Lima won the Open J15 Double, 1 second ahead of Lea Rowing Club.
Silver medallists were Emma Dennis (Women’s J14 Single), Oliver Barber (Open J15 Single Green Championship), and Jasmine Chesher (Women’s J13 Single) who was only 1 second behind Hinksey Sculling School.
The Bronze medallist was Olivia Agyapong in the Women’s J15 Single Plate event.