ATHLETES from the Isle of Wight travelled to Deal in Kent, with many of them enjoying 'oarsome' successes in the South Coast Rowing Championships.

At last Saturday’s event, the final coastal rowing action Isle of Wight clubs will see this season, Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club teams were the ones with the bragging rights.

The club’s novice ladies’ crew of Yasmin Wright, Lottie Tapsell, Mia Phelan, Sophie Atkin and coxswain, Emily Faithfull, had a storming row in their race.

Having led from the start and completely demolishing all before them, they won by a convincing ten lengths — the biggest winning margin of the day.

In the main event, the crew of Andrew Tapsell, Sam Evans-Murray, Riley Horrix, Ethan Walters and coxswain, Daisy Faithfull, Emily’s sister, sprung a surprise by winning the men’s novice fours event.

The crew found themselves in contention with host club Deal.

As they reached the final 250m, they saw their lead being ebbed away, but problems in the Deal crew turned the tide in Shanklin’s favour as they went on to victory.

The club had three crews in the junior event, with the J14 boys’ crew finishing second, while the girls’ J16 A and B crews finished second and third respectively.

Due to school and other commitments, a small team from Ryde Rowing Club competed, which allowed them to assist Shanklin Sandown and Newport rowing clubs with the transportation of their boats and equipment.

Ex-Ryde member Bryony Reeve, who now lives in Portsmouth and competes for Southsea Rowing Club, was coxswain for their men’s coastal junior four, who won.

Also, Tim Ash, another former Ryde rower, competed for Hastings in the open master fours event and was pipped on the finish line in the closest race of the day to finish second.

Ryde’s boys’ J16 crew of Tye Cameron, Tom Starkey, Ben Sanderson and Austin Smith, with Dan Sanderson coxing, first competed in the boys’ J16 coxed quads, and were disappointed with their seventh place finish in the final, up against strong opposition.

But they raced much better — competing above their level — as they came fourth in the men’s senior invitation event.