Ryde Rowing Club continued their preparations for the new season with a busy weekend of activity in Southampton and Christchurch.

The Wightlink-sponsored outfit raced at the Southampton Eights and Small Boats Head of the River on the River Itchen in very difficult conditions which almost led to the events cancellation.

In Division One, club sculler Nick Pike, competed in the Veteran Sculls and Ian Hayden competed in the Men’s Open Coastal Sculls. Both won their sections fairly convincingly before joining the rest of the club’s senior squad to race in an eight, kindly loaned by Southampton University, in Division Two, in preparation for the Tideway Head of the River Race.

The crew of Stu Johnson, Sam Cocker, Tom Clark, Ben Ade, Nick Pike, Ian Hayden, Russell Page and Mick Jenner with an experienced Southampton University cox, were the fastest eight over the course in the best time of the day.

The club’s young Ladies Novice Four also competed in Division Two but the crew of Holly Evans, Leona Fisk, Becca Coleman, Bryony Reeve and cox Dale Buckett found the conditions difficult to cope with. They persevered however, while others withdrew, and successfully completed the challenging four mile course.

The following day the club’s Junior Section traveled to Christchurch to compete in the Head of the Stour. Racing in the First Division, the Girls’ J16 Double Scull of Bryony Reeve and Holly Evans won their section although they did have limited opposition.

The club then had two J14 Boys Coxed Quads competing in Division Two. The “A” Crew of Harry Batchelor, Sam Corney, Dale Buckett and Christian Lacey, with Bryony Reeve coxing, racing in a borrowed Christchurch Boat had the misfortune to suffer a broken rudder line soon after the start on the River Stour.

With several major bends in the river it, was a significant handicap which greatly increased their time, although they still finished second in their section. Fortunately the club’s “B” crews of Charlie Gedling, in his first race for the club, Andras Hicks, Harvey Kirkby and Max Reeve, with Sophie Maxwell coxing had no such problems and completed the course in a good time to win the section.