First British Champions in Mixed Championship eights crowned

Day 2 at the 2024 British Rowing Junior and Senior Club Championships saw 18 more gold medals won, including the first ever Senior titles in mixed events

After yesterday’s oppressive heat, the weather reset today to a more typical version of the British summer. Generally overcast skies with only a moderate breeze (mostly) made for excellent racing conditions for the competitors in six Senior and 12 Junior events across nearly 100 races.

Senior events

The first medal final of the day saw one of the innovations of these new-format Championships – mixed racing (where at least half the rowers in the crew must be women). Invariably found to be fun for all concerned and something a little different for this latter part of the season, mixed crews are already firmly established in international Para-rowing, in both doubles and coxed fours. The crews who entered the Championship Mixed Eights, produced a cracking race. The wining crew, one of two from Thames, contained some highly decorated rowers, and dominated the final, finishing over 23 seconds clear. But the race for the minor medals was ‘bowball to bowball’ all the way, with Thames B eventually taking silver, and Hinksey Sculling School bronze. After a showcase like this, more clubs will surely be inspired to enter this event next year.

“Having come off the back of Henley, we’re just so excited to be able to race again”

Thames ‘A’ cox Matt Moran said, “The race was really good, we executed it super well. It’s amazing to be here at the British Rowing Junior and Senior Club Championships. For us, having come off the back of Henley, we’re just so excited to be able to race again. The race was super windy, but it was nice to race against the Thames B crew and see them get silver.”

In contrast, the gold medal in the Open Club Eights was hotly contested, with an intense battle at the front of the field between Star Club and Hereford RC. Star eventually took the lead, winning gold by just over a second. Dart Totnes ARC collected the bronze medal. Development crews from Cambridge University took both gold and silver in the Women’s Club Eights, comfortably clear of bronze medallists Northwich RC

With every event in the programme completing in a single day – another change for the programme this year – there’s plenty of scope for doubling up. Taking advantage of this, the gold medals in the Club Quadruple Sculls events went to the same clubs that had won the Club Coxless Fours yesterday – Derby RC in the Open Club Quadruple sculls, and Nottingham RC in the Women’s Club Quadruple sculls. In fact, there was substantial overlap in the lineups with three of the same rowers in the Derby’s crews and two in Nottingham’s. London RC took silver in the Open event, and Shoreham RC snatched bronze from the Rob Roy RC quad containing Masters E oarsman Guy Blanchard, who first raced at what was then known as the National Championships some 36 years ago in 1988! In the Women’s Club Quads Nottinghamshire County RC finished second, followed closely by Warrington RC.

Jen Titterington, Nottingham RC Captain and a member of the Women’s Quad, said, “It was a really good race – got off to a good start and powered through the middle. We’re really happy with it.”

Today’s Senior events concluded with the Mixed Club Coxed fours, in which Sudbury RC took gold, well clear of silver medallists Claires Court School  with Nottingham RC taking bronze.

Overall, it’s notable that the honours in the Senior Championship and Club events across the first two days of racing have gone to a healthy mix of clubs.

Junior events

As yesterday, the Junior events today were all at J16 and J18 level.

Chloe Sheppard (Hartpury University and College) took gold in the Women’s J18 Single sculls. Chloe was a member of the GB Quad, which won bronze at the World Rowing Under 19 Championships last year. Silver went to another 2023 junior international – Evelyn Pakule (Lea RC), who won European Gold and World bronze in Beach Sprints at Under 19 level in 2023. Teagan Smith (Northampton RC) took the bronze medal in this popular event, which started the day with 36 scullers in the time trial.

After quite a spread out final, Marlow RC won the Women’s J18 Quadruple sculls, Rob Roy BC took silver and Lea RC bronze.

The Open J18 Eights, however, was a much tighter race at the front – Reading Bluecoat School won by over a length, but it took a photo finish to separate second-placed Claires Court School from Maidenhead RC, who finished just 0.08 seconds behind in the bronze medal position. Wallingford RC claimed the gold medal in the Women’s J18 Eights, while Sir William Perkins’s School took silver and Marlow RC bronze.

Also making the most of the option to double up across different days of these Championships were the gold and silver medallists in Open J18 Double sculls. Lea RC, who had already won the title of British Champions in the Open J18 Quadruple sculls yesterday, while Hartpury University and College secured their second silver, this time ahead of bronze medallists Bewl Bridge RC.

Gracie James (A B Severn BC) upgraded her bronze medal from the Women’s J16 Single sculls yesterday to gold in the Women’s J16 Double sculls today, in which Tideway Scullers School finished second and Calpe RC (Gibraltar) third.

The Open J16 Single sculls were dominated by Louis Sheasby (Shanklin Sandown RC), fresh from winning gold yesterday in the Open J16 Double sculls as well winning the double sculls at the GB v France Match last weekend. He who crossed the line over 10 seconds clear of Ezra Ferguson (George Watson’s), who had been the single sculler at GB v France, and had claimed a remarkable silver in the Open J18 Single Sculls yesterday. Jonatham Miles (St Paul’s School) took the bronze medal in this huge event in which 54 scullers started in the time trial.

“Their dedication and commitment to the sport and passion and enthusiasm has paid dividends today”

Shanklin Sandown RC coach Lesley Walters said, “I’m proud of what Louis and Carter did yesterday and what Louis did today and what they have achieved. Coming from the Isle of White has lots of barriers, and it’s remarkable that their dedication and commitment to the sport and passion and enthusiasm has paid dividends today. I’m proud of all the Shanklin Sandown athletes – we have a small contingent of nine here – all of them have had great success.”

The Windsor Boys’ School showed why they had earned selection for GB v France, which they won, as they produced an exquisite display of crews sculling to take the Open J16 Quadruple sculls by over 10 seconds from Kingston RC. Kingston in turn just pipped Hinksey Sculling School who had rowed up through the field.

Hinksey Sculling School earned the title of British Champions in the Open J18 Coxless pairs, ahead of The Windsor Boys’ School and Aberdeen Schools RA. The Scottish club then secured another bronze medal in the next race, Women’s J18 Coxless fours, behind gold medallists Tyne RC and silver medallists Wallingford RC.

Glasgow Academy won the Women’s 16 Coxed fours, in which Wallingford RC picked up silver and Great Marlow School bronze.

And in the final race of the day, a sensational tussle between the two leading crews in the Open J16 Coxless pairs saw Harry Barber and Harry Barraclough of Claires Court School time their final charge to perfection to finish just 0.3 seconds ahead of Wallingford RC with Aberdeen Schools RA third.

Victor Ludorum standings after Day 2

Today’s results have seen Wallingford RC retain their lead in the Junior Victor Ludorum and move ahead of Lea RC overall, while Thames RC has now overtaken of Derby RC in the Senior standings.

Award	1st	2nd	3rd
Junior	Wallingford RC	Lea RC	Reading Blue Coat School
Senior	Thames RC	Derby RC	Nottingham RC
Overall	Wallingford RC	Hinksey Sculling School	Lea RC

The medals were presented today by the Deputy Chair of British Rowing Kate O’Sullivan, who commented, “Clubs have come from every corner of the country. We’ve had over 160 clubs coming together, which often wouldn’t be the case. The Mixed Eight crews thoroughly enjoyed themselves – I asked them if it was better than Henley, and they said, ‘Yes it is!’ I just think it has been a lot of fun, and you get to see how much it means to people. People are coming together in their clubs. The way that the event space has been set up with the big screens has been incredible.

What I’ve really noticed today is how fantastic it has been to see female coaches of all ages. The Olympic Games has 50/50 parity for athletes but we’re still catching up on the coaches. Some of these people have been juniors and now are coaching, and it’s great to see.”

Visit the BRJSCC hub page for full results plus details of the programme for the rest of the Championships and much more:

BRJSCC hub

Racing starts at 8am, tomorrow with racing for four Senior Championship and four Senior Club events over 2,000m, followed by 1000m racing for J14s and J15s as well as Adaptive single scullers.

Watch back the Day 2 coverage from Champs Live