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Star Regatta
Bedford, 13th June 2009

The club's final race of year ended up a successful one with four crews all competing in the finals of their respective catagories, with the Men's 1st Four winning their Novice Coxed Four category, and earning their first ARA points. The club had six crews in total racing spread over four categories.

The development Women's crew of Sarah Harvey, Alice Mason, Katie Aldis and Briony Rose , coxed by Carmelia Paramasivan reached the final of their Novice Coxed Four category, successfully negotiating the 1k course in their semi-final, beating their Star Club opposition by a comfortable four lengths. However they were unable to beat their X Press BC counterparts in the final, who had received a bye straight to the final.

The Womens 1st Four of Maddy O'Shaughnessy Hunter, Judith Phieler, Sarah Fish and Amy Hills, coxed by Carmelia 'I cox everyone' Paramasivan, recieved a bye straight to the final of their Intermediate 3 Coxed Four category after their opposition in the semi pulled out, no doubt terrified by the prospect of being beaten easily by Kent's finest. Despite the bye, the crew were unable to overcome their Star Club opposition in the final, agonisingly losing by a canvas.

The Men's Pair of Steve Cooper and Miles Halahan also recieved a bye straight to the final of their Intermediate 3 Coxless Pair category, and like the senior girls, narrowly lost to a Star Club pair, losing by a single length. The winning pair also went on to win the Intermediate 2 category. Miles will be taking a year out from the club to continue his studies at Université de Lyon in France. We look forward to his return.

The club had three crews competing in the Novice Coxed Four Men category. The development crew of Stephen Prosser, James Stokes, Dave Weildon and Josh Blackledge, coxed by Cat Pateman rowed well, but were unable to make up for a crash into the bank on the first bend in their quarter final against a crew from St.Pauls School, and lost by five lengths. The second development crew of Rich Hamlyn, Ash Roberts, Mark Humpreys and Tom Davies, coxed by Luke Hawker, fared better against the same St.Pauls crew having received a bye to the semi final. They competed well, but in the end the training and experience of the St.Pauls crew pulled them through, beating our Kent men by a length and a half.

The Men's 1st Four of Sam Cackett, Nick Paterson, Sam Cumming and Christian Wren, coxed by Jen Fisher were the success story of the day. Despite a scrappy row in their quater final against Queen Mary University of London, they still won by a comfortable four lengths. The semi final against Northampton BC was a much better row from the crew, with the men winning by an 'easily' verdict. The final would pit the four against St.Pauls School, the crew who had defeated the two other Kent crews on their way to the final. The race was tight, with little more than a length in it throughout, but the clean start from the Kent guys which gave them the advantage was the key, as they held on thoughout the thousand metres, defeating their opposition by a length and a quater to win their first ARA points.

The day of racing also marked the final strokes of several members of the club, including club Chairman Amy Hills, who raced her final race for the club after four years with the University. Also competing in their final races were Mens Captain Sam Cackett, and Captain of Teachings of the Devonshire Dialect, Steve Cooper. Also graduating is former Chairman, Mens Captain, Treasurer and all round Kent Rowing Hero, Jamie Edwards who leaves after several years with the club. The club would like to thank all four for their massive contributions to the club.

For full results of the days racing, click here.

Christian Wren