North of England Sprint Rowing Championships 2012, Hollingworth Lake RC

Northwich RC traveled north in the region to compete in the multilane 500 m North of England Sprint Rowing Championships hosted by Hollingworth Lake RC on Sat 1 September 2012. A small group of members entered, returning with five worthy wins. It proved to be a good day on and off the water. The weather can play a major part with the location situated on the edge of the Pennies, however this year we were blessed with sunshine and little wind to speak of. The event was cancelled last year due to lack of reservoir water, not so this year!

Two young up and coming juniors who started the sport last year demonstrated their determination to win and that their training & dedication to the sport does pay off.

Finn Lawton 17 yrs and Harry Blake 15 yrs entered their own age category and senior races with success for both young athletes.

Finn entered Intermediate 3 single scull winning his three boat semi final to then race in the final against an older sculler from Bradford RC winning by a length. He then raced J17 single scull, he controlled his three boat semi final. His final was a thrilling race when he came from behind with 150 meters to go, powering his way to the finish line crossing it two seconds ahead of Doncaster RC.

Harry in the morning, raced J16 single scull first winning his heat and semi final reaching the final against Doncaster RC. It was a very close race from the start with both scullers neck and neck; Harry tried to push for the finish but was beaten by one second.

He also entered Novice Men single scull, in the afternoon, winning his three boat semi by four lengths going on to win the three boat final by an impressive two lengths against men twenty years and more older than him. He won his medal and was awarded a beautiful two pint “pot” for winning his novice! And he is only 15 years old!

Poppy Burgess joined Hollingworth Lake RC to win Women’s Junior 17 double scull composite winning comfortably in the final.
Final win was Women’s Masters C/D double scull with Clare Briegal and Melanie Benson (C) having a comfortable win against Hollingworth Lake (D) considering they had a 4 second handicap to make up crossing the finish line 4 lengths up.

Crew Wins

IM3 single scull:                Finn Lawton

Mens Novice single scull:  Harry Blake

J17 single scull:                 Finn Lawton

WMC/D double scull:      Clare Briegal, Melanie Benson

WJ 17 double scull:          Poppy Burgess, composite HL RC.

Three times Olympian, Matt Langridge is welcomed back home at NRC!

Club members, parents and friends gathered for an impromptu visit on Thursday 30 August to welcome and congratulate Matt Langridge, GB Men’s Eight Bronze winner!

We were delighted to shake his hand or give him a big hug, anxious to see “The Medal” which didn’t disappoint. He generously allowed all of us to handle it and it really is heavy! It may not be the colour of medal Matt and his fellow crew members worked so hard to win but WOW it is very special indeed – a London 2012 Olympic medal!

We were very proud to photograph him outside the boat house with his Beijing 2008 Silver medal and London 2012 Bronze medal one for each hand!

Matt proudly shows off  London 2012 Bronze and  Beijing 2008
Silver medals with Paul Rafferty, close friend and former coach 

Novel way to carry them!

 The question on everyone’s lips was “What next, Matt, will it be Rio in 2016” which would be his fourth Olympic Games? We will wait with bated breath. But let us continue to savor his achievements and the wonder of the London 2012 Olympic Games!

NRC Ladies attend Whitby Regatta 22 August 2012

It is always good to try something new! 

Four of us from NRC Women’s Squad had a “Grand Day Out” at Whitby Regatta on Sunday 22 August. A former work colleague of Claire Miller (NRC Women’s Novice Squad) asked her if any fellow rowers would like to come up and have a go at their regatta racing in a skiff rowing boat. We jumped at the chance.

Claire Holt, Emma Windsor, Claire Miller and me, Carolyn MacRitchie were given a very warm welcome by the members of Whitby Fisherman’s Amateur Rowing Club who celebrate their 75^th anniversary in 2012. When introduced to the members they explained we, in rowing boats are “slidey seaters” while they, in skiffs, are “fixed seaters”.

We were entertained and enthralled by the Regatta racing which looked even more exhausting than our own. Imagine two and a half miles “body lean”!!

All of us were very keen to take up the invitation of a trip out to sea once the races had finished. So, on a beautiful summer evening, with little wind and flat water NRC ladies

ventured forth. We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience and came off the water buzzing. We would like to think we didn’t disgrace ourselves and we may be invited back next year!

2012 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. Plovdiv, Bulgaria 15-19 August

The Northwest was well represented at the Junior World Championship this August in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, with 4 out of the 6 girl scullers from the region, 3 of the 4 having Northwich connections. Lucy Burgess, Northwich Rowing Club was in the Quad Sculls along with Jess Leyden, Hollingworth Lake RC, Katie Bartlett and Jo Unsworth from Nottingham RC and Henley RC  respectively. Emily Ford from the Grange School in Northwich and Annie Rogers, Runcorn RC who attends St. Nicholas High School in Northwich were in the Double Sculls. The Quad was first up on Wednesday, the first day of the Championships, needing to come in the top two to automatically qualify for the Semi-final; they were beaten into third place by the Australians by less than a second. On Thursday again needing to come in the top two, the Double were beaten into third place by France and the USA. In Friday’s repercharges both crews needed to come in the top three to progress to the Semis. This they duly did, the Quad winning their race and the Double coming second to the reigning World Champions Lithuania. Needing to come in the top three to progress to the A final neither crew could quite pull it off, the Quad finishing 4th and the Double 5th sending both to the B final. The Quad crew was particularly disappointed, with three girls retuning from last year’s Quad which finished 7th , they were tipped as potential medallists but once again had to be content with winning the B final again finishing 7th. The Double finished third in the B final which was a great achievement for two girls who had no prior experience at this level. They however being the competitive athletes they are were disappointed not to have come higher than 9th in the world! Plovdiv is Bulgaria’s second city after the capital, Sofia and although it may not be as well known as Lucerne or Munich the rowing facilities are excellent with a purpose built lake in the middle of an extensive sports park. The weather was fantastic giving the British supporters some well earned sunshine after our dreadful summer at home and the Plovdivians friendly and hospitable making it an altogether enjoyable trip. Paul Rafferty, Coach