Winners crowned for spring Four Nations Beach Sprint series

This year for the first time, Jersey, England, Wales and Scotland ran a Championship across their regattas, crowning the highest performing athletes across the four competition

Everything was to play for on the beach this Spring with rowers from all over the UK competing for new titles at the Four Nations beach sprint regattas – sponsored by Swift Racing.

Competitions were held in Jersey, England, Wales and Scotland, playing host to established coastal names and newcomers to the format alike.

Overall championship trophies were awarded for the top open and women’s solos at Senior and Junior across the four events.

Championship Winners

Event	Overall Winner
Open Solos	Gregor Hall (Stirling RC)
Women’s Solos	Natacha Searson (Jersey RC / Tynemouth RC)
U19 Women’s Solos	Natasha Phillips (Wycliffe College BC)
U19 Open Solos	Sol Chamberlain-Hyde (Lymington ARC) and Xavier Jebb (Christchuch RC)

Open Solos

Gregor Hall took the Open Solo win in the first event of the season (Jersey Beach Sprint Regatta) for Stirling RC, followed by Hal Flowerdew of Tynemouth. Josh Watkins competing on home ground for Jersey RC took bronze.

Undefeated at the British Beach Sprint Championships since he started competing, Welsh national Jerry Owen made his first appearance in the competition at the English Beach Sprint Regatta, rowing for Fishguard and Goodwick Jemima RC. Jerry took gold, with fellow GB Beach Sprint teammates Flowerdew and Charles Cousins (Mumbles RC) placing second and third respectively.

It was Cousins’ turn for gold at the Welsh Senior Beach Sprint Championships, with Owen taking silver and Hall, who finished in sixth place at the English Regatta, finishing in Bronze.

The home beach advantage played into Hall’s hands at the Scottish Beach Sprint Championships as he finished first, winning the overall Open Solo title. I Suchak of the Austrian Rowing Federation placed second, with International rower and YouTuber Cam Buchan claiming bronze for Edinburgh University Boat Club.

 

Women’s Solos

Natacha Searson of Jersey RC and Tynemouth RC stormed the women’s solos this spring, starting strong with a first place win in Jersey. Laima Pacekajute of Jersey RC finished second in her sole appearance across the four competitions, with Ellie Bryne of Kingston RC (racing in the senior category for the first time this year) winning bronze in her first competition of four.

The competition picked up in Wales with 16 competitors racing for the title. It was Christchurch RC’s Clare Jamison, 2022 World Beach Sprint Championships silver medallist, who took the win at the English Beach Sprint Regatta, followed by Searson and Heather Gordon of Inverness RC. Mainstay in the GB Beach Sprint Team Laura McKenzie (Glasgow University BC / Leander Club) finished in fourth place.

Another win came for Searson in Wales, with 2023 World silver medallist Melissa Shaw of Shoreham RC placing second and Issy Lancaster, making her senior debut, placing third.

The final results were set in Scotland-  McKenzie took gold, followed by Searson and Jamison in bronze position. Searson’s performance across the events saw her take the overall title.

U19 Women’s Solos

Uncontested in Jersey, this event saw its hottest competition at the England Beach Sprint Regatta, with 16 competitors going for gold. Natasha Phillips of Wycliffe College BC took the win, followed by Leah Saunders (Evesham RC) and Olivia Hodgson (RGS Worcester BC), both of Evesham RC. Grace Rhead of Liverpool Victoria RC placed fourth in her first regatta of the season.

It was a two horse race at the Welsh beach sprints, with Phillips finishing in first place, followed by Lily Church (Wycliffe College BC) in second.

Seven competitors raced in Scotland, with Rhead placing second behind I Soyinka of Clydesdale ARC, who was in turn followed by S Ormston in third place.

Phillips was awarded the overall win for the series.

U19 Open Solos

Xavier Jebb of Christchurch RC set the run to beat as the only competitor at the Jersey Beach Sprint Championships – he tied as ultimate winner with Sol Chamerlain-Hyde.

17 rowers competed at the English Beach Sprint Regatta, with Chamberlain-Hyde of Lymington ARC finishing in first place, followed by Madoc Gundry of Lea RC and Fergus McKeown of Kings Chester RC. Jebb placed fourth at his second competition.

Jebb and Chamberlain-Hyde went head to head again at the Welsh Beach Sprints, finishing second and third respectively, with the win going to Edward Van Lopik in his only competition appearance across the four events.

Scotland saw the competition open up with 11 competitors, where Zack Hills of Chester-Le-Street ARC placed sixth – equalling his ranking in the English competition. J Stewart took the Scottish crown, with S MacCallum finishing in second place and F Morton in third.

Find the full scoring system on our website article announcing the series

With thanks to Scottish Rowing, Welsh Rowing, Jersey Rowing Club and the England Rowing Team – as well as Swift Racing for their support.