Similar to the previous week’s regatta at Sunbury, Walton Reach Regatta turned out to be another quiet event with 36 Skiff races, even including TVSC wheeling out their ‘old hands’ in the Senior races & only 9 races in the Punting.
The day started out sunnyish but soon clouded over with a fair tailwind by the afternoon. Just before tea time it tried to rain, which drove everyone inside during the short, sharp shower that had stopped by the time tea finished.
Skiffing
Kim Burridge and Markus Widmer coxed by Heather Bateman got through their first heat, won a second against Russell Guy & Jane Porter coxed by Erin Guy in the Mixed Novice Doubles, but were up against some stiff competition in their Final against a SSPC crew who got the better of them in the end.
Bill Taylor battled in vain against his TVSC opponent in the Gents Junior singles, who ultimately went on to win against Markus Widmer after he had progressed through his first heat.
Russell Guy & Markus Widmer lost in their first heat to SSPC, who again went on to win the Gents Novice doubles.
All was not lost & it was our ‘old hands’ this time that spurred on the team as Fran Kenden and Keith Shore coxed by Heather Bateman won in their Mixed Vets Doubles, the margin ‘Easily’ against their Valley opposition in a time of 2 mins 49 secs.
Not to be outdone, Russell Guy won his first singles race in the Gents Novice restricted category by 1 1/4 lengths in a time of 3 mins 10 secs.
Kim Burridge & Jane Porter coxed by Erin Guy lost their straight final to Valley, with the TVSC crew coming through at the end to win by ½ length.
Finally Keith Shore and Roger Hughes lost their straight final to Valley by 3/4 of a length, although by all accounts this race could have gone the other way.
Punting
Martin (Cap’n) Black and Crispin Allen entered the Gents Handicap 2ft singles (sponsored by ‘ punting for the aged’ would you believe) but didn’t make it through to the final.
Martin (Cap’n) Black and Dave Wright entered the Gents Double Handicap and Fran Kenden and Dave Wright entered the Mixed Doubles Handicap but pairings proved unsuccessful.
However singles racing proved more productive with Dave Wright and Russell Guy racing each other in the Gents Novice category, with Dave even having time to pop in for a dip before winning this event ;-).
So overall tally for the day 1 Vets point, 1 Ormiston point & 1 punting point.
Let’s hope that the turnout from all the Clubs for our regatta proves a little more buoyant and that our successes steadily increase.
