2007 Reports
New 100k World Record Holders
Members of The Concept2 website headed to Brighton’s Riptide Gym on Sunday 21st January for a record rowing attempt. This was to be no ordinary event. Instead of using boats, the rowers were to use the rowing machine. Forming part of a 10 man team of lightweights (under 75kg), the rowers of Matt & Mark Mitchell, Chris Mizen, Kieran Cahill, Matt Newman, Simon Donne, Hywell Davis, Ryan Hoskins, Daren Ingram & Jim Auchinleck were in for a punishing 5 hour row. With helpers Matt Hellier, Phil McCorry, Dougie Lawson & Jemma Cropper, the team of 10 started the epic row at 11am.
Rowing just 10 strokes per person before letting the next person on, meant that, although they each had to row hard for a short period of time, they only had about 90 seconds rest before their next go. The previous record was set at 5 hours 11 minuets, the team were hoping to break the 5 hour mark. This would mean keeping an average 500m pace of 1min 30 seconds, including change-overs. Mark Mitchell had the honour of going 1st and quickly managed to pull 1:17 pace then went on to pull 1:15’s before pacing himself at 1:18 to 1:20 on every go. Matt Mitchell managed to pull 1:14 before he decided to stay in the 1:18-1:19 for the remainder of the event. Both Simon & Hywell also managed to sustain an incredible 1:19’s & 1:20’s for the majority of the row. By 5000m into the event, the team were pulling at a staggering 1:25 pace, the change-overs got smoother and the average started to go down. By half way, they had already built up a healthy advantage over the previous record and then decided to push hard to create a formidable target for anyone else mad enough to have a go. With just a few thousand meters to go, the target was to break 4 hours and 40 minuets. Everyone started to pull harder and with the finish in site, the record was going to be smashed. Matt Newman found it in himself to increase the rate to around 80spm during his last few attempts.
Finishing in an outstanding time of 4 hours 39 minuets, with an average pace of 1:23.7 per 500m, the team had broken the record. They are now awaiting confirmation from Concept (rowing machine manufactures & record keepers) of the record attempt. What is more outstanding about this new record is that it beats a previous record, held by Leander’s heavy weight team which included Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Mathew Pinsent & James Cracknell. Their previous record was set at 4 hours 44 minuets.
The team are now nursing very sore muscles, although the event was not without a cause as they have raised over £1050 for the NSPCC. You can still donate money towards this cause via www.justgiving.com/lwt100krelay4nspcc
SMALL BOATS HEAD Maidstone
On a Sunny Sunday afternoon, Bexhill Rowing Club headed to Maidstone for their small boats head. The course, being 2500m long, is slightly over the normal 2000m raced by the club, and having not raced over this distance since September, it was time to dust of the cobwebs. This event was held in the River boats, but due to logistical reasons, Bexhill were forced to take the slower Coastal boats and try to compete with these.
With approximately 165 crews, this is event is split into 3 divisions. In the 1st division, racing against a strong flow to the River Medway, Bexhill had two Senior crews racing. The B crew of Doug Holdaway, Roger Roberts, Matt Hellier, Kieran Cahill & cox Rachael Garland vs. the A crew of Ryan Hoskins, Matt Mitchell, Mark Mitchell, Darren Ingram & Cox Alex Pepper. The A crew had the B crew starting just behind them in this time trial. This was Alex’s 1st ever race and managed to steer the A crew a 1st class course. With this perfect course, they posted a time of 9:34 (14th overall) to lead the Senior 1 class with the other Bexhill crew posting a time of 10:12 (30th overall).
The second division provided the chance for some new combinations with Matt Hellier & Kieran Cahill in the pair posting a time of 10:46 to finish 58th overall. Doug Holdaway entered the double with Rachael Garland to post a time of 11:30 to finish 84th overall. The ladies Novice four of Becky Frost, Lucy Sangster, Holly Makin, Jess Cambell and cox Mark Mitchell managed a very creditable time of 11:14 to finish 75th overall. Jemma Cropper entered the ladies scull and completed the course in a time of 12:41 to finish 117th overall.
The 3rd & final division provided another chance for Bexhill’s two senior crews to challenge each other. With the flow to the Medway reduced from the earlier events, another perfect course was required from the 2 coxswains to make the most of this reduced head flow. The A crew made two changes by substituting Hoskins & Ingram for veteran rower Paul Dawes & 2006 South Coast Champion Chris Mizen, whilst the B crew remained unchanged from the 1st division. The A crew, with yet again another perfect course from cox Alex Pepper, raced to the line in a time of 9:22 and finishing just inside the top 10 with 9th place overall, with the B crew finishing in 9:33 (12th overall).
With some interesting results, the club will now look forward to the next head race, which will once again be at Maidstone on 11th March for the fours head over the longer 3200m course.
Small Scullers Head Medway
It was a busy day for the Bexhill Rowing Club’s scullers as they headed out in force to the annual 3500m Medway Scullers Head last Sunday. This year it attracted no less than 137 entries including some members of Tideway Scullers School Boat club, based in London and the home of the World Champions & also the British No1 sculler.
The first division sore Matt Mitchell up in the Open event where he won in a time of 14:19 (28th overall) with Doug Holdaway 2nd in 14:26, Phil McCorry 3rd in 14:55, Matt Hellier 16:10 & Bob Balchin 17:15. Dave Jones just missed out on 2nd place in the Veteran C class by just 1 second in a time of 15:14.
Matt then won the Senior event in the second division with a time of 14:30. Also in the second division, Nick McCorry won the Novice event in a time of 15:33 with Will Miller 2nd 16:42 & Jasper 3rd 18:03. The fastest time posted by the Bexhill squad was the double of Ashley Cahill & Doug Holdaway who were also in the second division. Posting a time of 14:11 & wining the Coastal Junior double event. They were also placed 24th overall. Ray Philips was placed 2nd in the Veteran D class with a time of 15:25.
The third division sore Hellier, Cahill, Phil McCorry & Holdaway in a 3 way battle for the Junior title. This time, Cahill won the event in a time of 14:27 (33rd overall), Hellier 2nd 14:39, McCorry 14:51. Holdaway ended up retiring after tangling with another sculler part way down the course when overtaking. Bexhill also had a mixed double of Miller & Becky Frost. This was an adventurous trip down the course as they nearly had to be rescued at one point when they went under an overhanging tree and ended up in the bank. With this minor steering correction sorted out, the completed the course in a time of 18:42.
Thames Time trail Head
On a Sunny but cold Sunday, Bexhill Rowing Club headed to the site of the 2012 Olympic Rowing Venue for the Thames Time trail Head. This event attracted a staggering 383 crews from all over the UK, all racing over the 1900m course. This is the 1st time that Bexhill Rowing Club has had to race on what is going to be the venue for this years South Coast Championships in September.
Heading the field in the 1st division were Matt Hellier, Kieran Cahill & Roger Roberts, making up an Eight with The University of Surrey. They managed to post a time of 6:26 to finish 2nd in their class & 2nd overall. They were then joined by Doug Holdaway to race twice in the Coastal four event where they posted times of 7:41 & 7:49 to finish 4th & 8th respectively. Matt & Mark Mitchell, unable to race with their full crew due to commitments, so they put a scratch crew together from Herne Bay and won the event in a time of 7:21 and finished 43rd overall.
Doug Holdaway, Phil McCorry, Nick McCorry, Steve Doswell & Chris Doswell raced in the mens coastal scull section. It was Doug that took the honours with a win in a time of 8:14 (157th) with Phil 8:30 (204th) & 8:56 (267th), Nick 9:12 (299th), Chris 9:17 (310th) & 9:43 (345th), Steve 10:32 (370th) & 11:35 (379th).
A well earned scull was had by Jemma Cropper when she won the Ladies Coastal event in a time of 9:36 (387th). This time was also faster than some of the mens times.
Ben Muggeridge & Ashley Cahill won the mens coastal double in a time of 8:37 (219th). They managed to win their event by a staggering 90 seconds.
The Ladies quad of Jemma Cropper, Hannah Ruddock, Rachael Garland, and Sophie White posted a time of 9:59 (354th). The boat was then used by the ladies Coastal four of Lucy Sangster, Hannah Ruddock, Jess Campbell & Becky Frost to finish 2nd in a time of 10:19 (367th).
Using this venue for the South Coast Championships in September will allow for fair racing with no advantage in lane draw being offered to any of the crews. However, as Bexhill have found out, the straight / flat course does not suit the coastal boats due to their size, and does not allow the boats to run through the water as well as a river boat.
This is something that they are going to have to get used to if they are to maintain the high standard set at last years Championships.
The Bideford Bowl 2002
The Bideford Bowl is the representation of 1 years hard training for Coastal rowing. Presented to the Mens Senior South Coast Championship winning crew. It stands approx 700mm high and has the capacity to hold 34 pints. The cup was completed in 1932 and handed to Bideford Rowing club as a replacement for the original Bideford Bowl which was won out right by Bideford ARC in the 1930’s. This cup, although it is the same size as the original, remarkably has a different engraving to the top. Carved and moulded, the new Bowl has the Battle of Hastings engraved around the top, which make this cup is so unique.
With only two crews picked from each of the 3 South Coast Associations, Bexhill Amateur Rowing Club were privileged enough to have a Senior Mens crew representing the Coastal Amateur Rowing Association at this years South Coast Championships at Torquay. Due to bad weather, the racing was cancelled from the Saturday and held at Dartmouth on the Sunday. The Crew of Mark Mitchell, Gus Gumbrell, Paul Mercer, Matt Mitchell (Stroke) and Rebecca Dawes (Cox) had the agonising wait until the afternoon for the Blue Ribbon event, the Bowl race. With the tide at its maximum, the starters lined up the 6 crews and they were off. Bexhill went of second behind Torquay for the 1st 400m where they then moved into the lead which they never lost. Coming home 1st by ¾ of a length over Lymington, Bexhill were crowned Mens Senior Four Coastal Champions for 2002. A feat which has never been accomplished by an East Sussex crew, let alone a Bexhill crew. With just a few hours between racing and prize giving, emotions were running high from all of the Bexhill supporters. One supporter noted that there wasn’t a dry eye on the shore.
At prize giving, the crew stepped up in front of all the rowers, and was handed the Bideford Bowl, which they held aloft his head, much to the cheers of the crowd. The club will now hold this magnificent trophy until September 2003 where it will be raced for again. With any luck, Bexhill will be able to find a crew to retain the trophy and title.
Senior 4’s take honours at Rowing Championships 2001
The 45th South Coast Rowing Championships at Folkestone on Saturday provided Bexhill Rowers with a fitting end to their best year in the clubs history. The culmination of all three rowing associations, Coastal, Hants & Dorset & West of England racing for honours provided some excellent results for the Bexhill club.
The South Coast junior 4 champions, Callum Dean, Kieran Cahill, Nick Woolgar, Nick Long & cox Caroline Jackson produced a well deserved 3rd place in there championship final.
The Novice four of D. Holdaway, D. Reener, J Roberts, L. Midgley rowed excellently to qualify for the final where they managed to finish 5th.
The junior crew of Philip McCorry, Andy Welling, Chris Heart, Nick McCorry & cox Steve McCorry rowed well to make the final of the open race where they finished 9th.
The veteran four of Bob Balchin, Graham Dawes, Ray Philips & Steve McCorry finished 6th in there heat, but failed to qualify for the final.
The mens senior fours of C Doswell, P. Dawes, S. Bickers & D Jones, D. Mitchell, S. Doswell, C. Bingham & A. Bickers just missed out on qualifying for the final when they can 5th & 4th respectively.
The ladies Senior four of Janina Stevens, Rachael & Jo Cripps, Jennifer Dawes & Coxed by Derrick Deeprose produced an excellent result by finishing second in the ladies open final.
The highlight of the day was in when the mens senior A crew of Mark Mitchell, Gus Gumbrell, Paul Mercer, Matt Mitchell & coxed by Darren Burt qualified for the final of the mens open senior. They had to wait until the last race of the day when they produced one of the best races of the whole day. They lead from start to finish to become only the second Bexhill crew to win the mens open senior race in the history of the Championships.
200?
With two regattas in 1 weekend, the rowing club were hoping to build on their success 2 weeks ago where they won 3 races. Saturday saw them racing at Hastings. In the 1st race of the day, the junior four of the McCorry brothers, Holdaway, Welling & Cox Payne were hoping to set the club up on a high. Forcing themselves into the lead at half way, they pulled away to win their 1st race of the year. The McCorry’s then managed 2nd with Holdaway & Welling 3rd in the junior Pairs. Next up was the ladies junior four of Hounsome, Rayner, Cropper & Dawes. They managed a very good 4th place. Cropper & Dawes then raced the ladies senior pairs to finish a well-earned 2nd place.
The Mens senior four were next up on the cards. With close racing at the last regatta, the senior crews were hoping for good points again. With the A crew of D Mitchell, A Bickers, the Mitchell brothers and Cox Payne, produced a well-earned 3rd place.
The veteran four of Jones, Bickers, Hopkins, Payne & Cox Payne, rowed a faultless row to win their first race of the year & lead the championship. The B crew of the Dawes brothers, Balchin, Philips and Cox Cropper had a fine row to finish 5th.
The club had 3 junior scullers in the final for the 1st time this year. Chris Doswell headed the field home with Cahill and S Doswell 3rd and 6th respectively.
The Mens Senior pair of the Matt & Mark Mitchell again, lead from start to finish to win their event. Mark then went of to win the senior sculls with C Doswell 2nd.
The club headed to Shoreham on Sunday where they were hoping for much of the same. It was again, Mark Mitchell who dominated the senior sculls with Doswell 3rd. The junior four again, proved themselves championship contenders with a winning margin of 1-½ lengths. They then raced in the junior seniors to finish 2nd.
In the veteran fours race, the A crew had a shaky start, but pulled through the field to finish second with the B crew 5th. The Junior pairs sore, for the 1st time, Welling & Holdaway beat the McCorry’s. Both pairs scored well with a 3rd & 6th. The senior pairs was again, dominated from start to finish by the 2 Mitchells to take their 3rd straight win of the season.
It was mixed fortunes for the junior scullers with Chris Doswell finishing 2nd to Deal and K Cahill 4th.
The club proved they are the sporting excellence of Bexhill so far this year by wining 8 races, 6 2nd places and 6 3rd places, also picking up the junior, senior and grand aggregate cups. The club are hoping to build on their lead of 5 championships, CARA League and CARA Grand, as they head for Herne Bay in two weeks time.
