Choppy water proves no barrier for Stourport rowers

It was a fine showing for the youngsters.

From the outset, the Wyre Forest club clinically dispatched quality opposition from Royal Shrewsbury School, Evesham, RGS Worcester and St Edwards School and others to reach seven finals during the day.

Racing over the 600 metre course, the windy weather proved to be challenging and whipped up high waves to contend with.

Even so, Stourport skilfully mastered the conditions better than the opposition, and won seven events through the day.

In his first win at J14, Ben McNally showed great progress as a single sculler overcoming Bishop Vesey School to win by a length.

The race of the day was the final of the WJ14 x2 scullers, where two Stourport crews made it through the heats and semi-finals to meet each other in the last race of the day.

Katie Sweeney and Julia Miller met Amy Furminger-Burrows and Lauren Rhodes, both equally matched squad members who knew each other’s tactics well.

Both crews went off the start quickly but the Sweeney/Miller crew set down to a strong rhythm through the half way point and kept off their opposition until the last 100 meters.

But the Furminger-Burrows/Rhodes crew hadn’t given up and proved to be the stronger crew at the end, pipping their team mates on the line by a foot length.

Stourport start the regatta season in fine form, with fitness and confidence at an all time high in the junior squad.

Parents of juniors who would like to learn to row are being encouraged to register for Stourport’s junior intake day at the end of May can visit stourportbc.co.uk/juniors Stourbridge boat club results: WJ14 4x Julia Miller, Lauren Rhodes, Any Firminger-Burrows, Katie Sweeney, cox Maddie Hill; WJ13 4x Harriett Murphy, Sophie DiMambro, Christina Butcher, Annabelle Murphy, cox Dan Rowley; WJ16 2x Lucy Hart, Megan Mellors; WJ14 2x Any-Furminger Burrows, Lauren Rhodes; WJ13 2x Christina Butcher, Sophie McNally; J14 1x Ben McNally.