St Neots Regatta 2023

Rowers from across the country descended on the River Ouse on the 22nd and 23rd July for the St Neots Rowing Club Regatta.  A weekend that saw crews from 31 clubs competing in almost 400 races.

St Neots racing started with a successful composite crew with Derby Rowing Club (below, left), the crew victorious in the Women’s 8+ category against Broxbourne Rowing Club.  The fortunes of the St Neots men (below, right, and featured) were mixed in the Open 8+: off the back of a successful week at the Cambridge Rowing Association’s Town Bumps, the second men’s boat fell victim to Broxbourne in their first round race; the first boat rowed through both the London Otters and Peterborough to set up a final against the same Broxbourne crew, avenging their club-mates with a one-length win.  The first pot (the prize for winning a rowing race) for half of the crew saw Matthew Wigmore (s), Dan Grimes, Mark Cooney and Cam Nuttall (b) all end up in the river, as is tradition for their first victory.

There was similar success for St Neots in Saturday’s sculling events.  The scratch Women’s double of Jaoine Evereste and Valentina Futoryanova enjoyed victory over Globe, and then two Derby crews to win their category.  The Open coxless four of Huw Jarman (club Chair), Adam Williams, Adrian Vuylsteke and Dominic Chapman sailed to a victory in all three of their races, paddling over the finish line with a margin of over three boat lengths.

Sunday saw much better weather with the afternoon turning sunny and bright with some breeze. Matthew Wigmore won his first race in the open single sculls against Sudbury but lost in the semi-final to Broxbourne who went on to win the division. The mixed double composite Jacqui Round and Joel Grant Jones from Bedford Star (pictured below); there were a total of ten boats in their category and the double beat Leeds, Bedford and then Sudbury in the final. There was further success from the junior squad in the J14 1 x boy’s single sculls: Ethan Sparrow had an excellent day of racing winning his quarter-final against Bedford Star and went on to win his semi-final against Peterborough but lost out to Bedford by one and a half lengths in the final.

Thanks to all those that went towards making the weekend a great success: organisers, sponsors, competitors, volunteers, and spectators.

Races sponsored by Zwetsloot Florticulture, Crockford Sports Injury Clinic, St Neots Picture Framing company, Lake and Rose Chartered accountants, Bill Bath, City of Cambridge Brewery (Boathouse Ale), York City Rowing Club, The Numbers quarter limited, SMT GB, PC boat repairs, Urban and Civic, St Neots Natural Soap.