A NUMBER of scullers from Evesham Rowing Club took on the prestigious Vesta International Masters Head of The River Race.
After months of training, cox Tom Hill (Evesham), Damon Richards (Cheltenham), Joe Murray (Evesham), Jamie Saunders (Evesham), Josh Hemming (Worcester), Tom Hill (Broadway), Tim Nelson (Newport), Noah Fogarty (Alcester) and Matt Meynell (Stratford-upon-Avon) touched down on the Thames to represent Evesham Rowing Club at the renowned Head of the River Race.
Some 337 crews from Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, France, Switzerland and the rest of the United Kingdom battled it out on the Thames.
The crews raced over the reverse route of the famous Oxford/Cambridge Boat Race from Mortlake to Putney.
Evesham had not entered the event for several years and were allocated the 300th starting place in the rankings.
The crew overcame an unhelpful slack tide to cross the line in a time of 20 minutes and 13 seconds to finish 165th overall.
They also finished 34th out of 79 crews competing for the Jackson Trophy – awarded to British and Scottish clubs not based on the Thames.
Evesham captain, Simon North, who coached the crew alongside Richard Shepherd and Amie Jones said: “We were delighted to have been one of the top performing small clubs on the day.
“We asked a lot of the men and they responded at every turn, from hours spent on the rowing machine, training sessions on the Severn and on the famous Henley Reach, to gruelling sessions on our own fabulous river at Evesham.”
Junior captain Tom Hill added: “This is such a brilliant result for our crew, who from our youngest to our oldest member had 50 years between them.
“Every team member fought with every stroke and the months and months of training really paid off. It just goes to show what can be achieved when you mix a bit of grit with a whole lot of heart.”
Evesham’s Women’s masters eight also raced the same gruelling route in the Vesta International Masters Head of the River.
In their first-ever Vesta Masters, cox Jess Salmon (Evesham), Carol Lovelock (Evesham), Karen Williams (Cheltenham), Sarah Coldiott (Worcester), Sia Bush (Evesham), Liz Stranks (Winchcombe), Tess Bannister (Tewkesbury), Jill Ham (Tewkesbury) and Pippa Francis (Evesham) coached by Pauline Pollard, competed against 300 crews from Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and many more.
The ladies crossed the line in 227th place and third in the women’s novice category in an adjusted time of 23 mins 28.44 secs.
Women’s captain Lovelock said: “Rowing is a sport that welcomes everyone, regardless of age, experience or ability.
“Whether you’re just starting out or have been rowing for years, the benefits are incredible – physically, mentally, and as a team.
“Encouraging younger and older people to get involved is vital, as it not only builds strength and fitness, but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and resilience.
“Seeing women of all ages come together, like we did at VESTA, shows just how empowering the sport of rowing really is.”
Evesham Rowing Club chair, Simon Edwards added: “We have experienced a lot of incredible moments in this club, but this weekend was something special having people of all ages rowing together, giving it their all – that’s the heart of Evesham Rowing Club.
“And with our own regatta just around the river bend, we’re only getting started.”
