St Neots Regatta

By Sarah Watson

St Neots regatta took place over the weekend where crews competed over the 1000 metre course on the Saturday, and the shorter 500 metre sprint course on the Sunday. Peterborough city scullers dominated the event, picking up an impressive 14 wins and 6 second places.

A sculler that won on both days and took home 4 wins altogether was Jack Wakefield-Lilley, who joined Thomas Calver, Bert Papworth and Daniel Armstrong to win the J16 coxless quad on the Saturday, then they raced up an age category to win the J17 coxless quad on the Sunday. Wakefield-Lilley and Armstrong also won the J16 double on the Saturday and Calver and Papworth took second position in the same event. Wakefield-Lilley took his fourth win of the weekend in his J16 single on the Sunday where he crossed the line 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Gloucester rowing club.

Another Oarsome Foursome that took home a win both days was Gemma Singleton, Kate Read, Hayley Shipton and Keely Watson. On the Saturday they raced in the women’s coxless quad, winning their heat race by 2 lengths, their semi final easily, then they faced Leicester rowing club in the final where they were able to cross the line a boat length ahead. They then joined forces with Chris Elder, Damen Sanderson (RAF), Henri Huppert and Mike King to form a mixed eight on the Sunday, where Ericha Knowles-Pardoe coxed them to victory, 3 lengths ahead of a Leeds University crew.

The women’s J15 double of Erin Ansell-Crook and Wiktoria Szubzda won their final on the Sunday against Broxbourne Rowing club by 4 lengths, and they also joined Emma Calver, Emily Fitzjohn and cox Peggy Papworth to win the Women’s J15 coxed quad.

Bert Papworth had a similar result in his J15 single, where he won both the semi final and final by an impressive 4 lengths.

Grace Niklasson and Lydia Hilton also had a good win in their J16 double, where they crossed the line 5 lengths ahead of Gloucester Rowing Club.

On the Saturday Alasdair Ryder won in the Masters D singles, first winning the semi final 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Star Rowing Club, then he won the final easily against Doncaster Rowing club. Ian Palmer raced the same event on the Sunday, winning by 2 lengths ahead of Yare rowing club in the semi final, then by 1 3/4 lengths in his final.

The Womens Masters F double of Anita Carter an Joan Heath also took home a win after winning their final easily against London Otters Rowing Club.

Tom Sharrock comfortably took the J18 singles title on the Saturday, after winning his semi final 3 lengths ahead of Maidstone Invicta Rowing club then he won the final 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Hartpury rowing club.

The last win came from Devonne Piccaver in the Women’s J16 singles event. She crossed the line 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Lincoln rowing centre in the semi final, then by 2/3 length ahead of Bedford rowing club in the final.

Crews that just missed out on a win and came second in their event were Gina Gould, Tori Williams, Claire Widdowson and Shirlyn Gathoni in the Women’s Coxless Quads; Damen Sanderson and Chris Elder in the Open pairs; Ian Davis and Peter Dolby in the Masters F double and Alice Dovey in the Women’s J15 singles.