Rowing extravaganza on Sandbanks Beach, Poole this weekend

The first ever Commonwealth Beach Rowing Sprint Championships and the returning British Rowing Offshore Championships will be taking place from 17 to 19 August in Poole

This Friday and Saturday, the first ever Commonwealth Beach Rowing Sprint Championships will be heading to Sandbanks Beach, Poole, as eight countries go head-to-head in this one of a kind rowing event.

Barbados, Canada, England, Namibia, Scotland, Uganda, Vanuatu and Wales are all represented at the inaugural event which will see crews take part in a beach rowing sprint.

While rowing is not a core Commonwealth Games sport, it is a Recognised Pathway sport and it is British Rowing’s ambition to see it back in the Games regularly. The Commonwealth Beach Rowing Sprint Championships is a key step on this journey.

After the racing has finished on Saturday at the Commonwealth Beach Rowing Sprint Championships, the British Rowing Offshore Championships will get under way.

Fifty-eight crews will race in the Offshore Championships in the men’s and women’s coastal singles (C1x), doubles (C2x) and quads (C4x). Alongside representation from coastal and inland clubs such as Mayflower RC, Jersey RC, Tideway Scullers and Birmingham RC, there is also international representation from clubs including Helisingborgs Roddblub (Sweden), Le Mans Sarthe Aviron (France) and VK Slavia Praha (Czech Republic).

It’s free to watch this rowing extravaganza, so head down to Sandbanks Beach, Poole, to catch all the action live this weekend.

How does the Commonwealth Beach Rowing Sprint Championships work?

Crews will start on the beach and sprint to their boats, which will be held in the water by boat holders. They will then slalom out to sea for 250m before turning around the final marker buoy for a straight sprint back to shore. When they reach land, one member of the crew jumps out and will sprint up the beach to cross the finish line.

Two crews will race head-to-head, in a knock-out competition until a Championships winner is crowned for each boat class.

Crews will race in coastal single, women’s and men’s (CW1x/CM1x), coastal doubles, women’s and men’s (CW2x/CM2x) and coastal mixed quads (CMix4x). There is also a team relay where four athletes per nation will race in the men’s and women’s single, and a mixed double. All athletes have to row once in this fast and furious team event.

How is racing at the British Rowing Offshore Championships different?

Racing starts with competitors jumping into their boats before rowing off the shore to the first turning buoy, before heading out along the 4km course in the heats. Crews then row back to shore, with one nominated member of the crew jumping out of the boat with a sprint to the finish line on the beach. For the finals, crews take on a longer 6km course, with the same exciting beach finish.

Heats will take place on the Saturday afternoon from 1pm to 6pm, with all finals held on Sunday morning from 10am to 1pm.

Follow #CommonwealthBeachSprints and #BROC18 on social media for more information.

 

Commonwealth Beach Rowing Sprint Championships team sheet

Barbados

Christian Howard

Kyle Spenard

Cherisse Holder

Paige Proverbs

Tonya Rock

Anthony Yarde (Coach)

Ian Proverbs (Team Manager)

 

Canada

Sylvain Boyer

Kieran Tierney

Meghann Jackson

Emily Cameron

Matthew Christie

 

England

Gian-Luc Angiolini

James Lovering

Gillian Mara

Kate Parkinson

Sharon Ayles

Bob Cottell (Coach)

Brett Bader (Team Manager)

Sarah Gregory (Spare)

 

Namibia

Hans Christian Diekmann

 

Scotland

Gregor  Maxwell

Kieran Brown

Robyn Hart-Winks

Alex Rankin

Adam Hardy (Team Manager)

 

Uganda

Alfred Okello

Fharuk   Baluku (Coach)

 

Vanuatu

Riilio Rii

Andrew MacKenzie (Coach)

 

Wales

Jerry Owen

Ewan Mortlock

Ben Curtis

Charlotte Heath

Manon Dixon

Bryony Jones

Chris Harding

Nicola Thomas

Alun Stedman (Coach)