ROWING RYDE Rowing Club, enjoying a week off from Hants and Dorset championship action, took the opportunity to stage its annual sculling races, sponsored by club member Jack Pike, and his family.
A strong field of nine scullers contested the main event, a handicapped single sculling race, over the 1,920m Ryde Regatta course with a buoy turn.
In the first heat, veteran Russell Page won to qualify for the final, beating senior Mike Jenner and junior Ben Ade.
The second heat saw a win for last year’s winner, junior Tom Clark, over veteran Alan Evans and senior Ian Hayden.
In the final heat, novice Stu Johnson won against fellow novice Florin Behrle and senior Nick Pike.
In the final, veteran Page, taking the advantage of his 30-second handicap, triumphed over Clark, with Johnson finishing third.
Two sculling races were also staged for the club juniors, one for those with some experience in coastal sculls and another for beginners in training sculls, both over a short 350m straight course. The race for the experienced juniors, also handicapped and known as the Junior Jacks, involved two heats with the first two going through to the four boats final.
In the first heat, Max Reeve and Dale Buckett qualified, just beating Emiley Rose. In the second heat, Sam Cornwey and Leona Fisk qualified for the final with Bryony Reeve and Harry Batchelor just missing out.
In the final, a very close race developed between Reeve and Fisk, with Max triumphing and Buckett finishing third.
In the beginners’ race, a three-boat final saw Christian Lacey finish just ahead of Harvey Kirkby to win with Harrision Medway in third.
Tomorrow (Saturday), the Wightlink-sponsored club returns to Hants and Dorset action competing at Bournemouth Regatta, where they are chasing two more championships to add to the two — the men’s senior pairs and the men’s senior sculls — the club has already won.