STRATFORD-upon-Avon Boat Club’s masters crews impressed at the prestigious British Rowing Masters Championships.
The event took place at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham.
Stratford’s masters quad of Ellie Davies (stroke), Gina Fusco, Christine Goodwin and Ruth Poulten (bow) competed in a straight final against five other crews.
And the Stratford crew finished just three seconds behind a strong Putney crew to finish in second place.
Poulten said: “We executed our race plan and whilst we didn’t win, we are delighted with a second place and with our performance.”
Challenging conditions with high waves and gusty head winds meant race times were considerably slower than previous years.
The MxD4x of Suzie Radley, Dan Simkins, Patrick Taylor and Amanda Bowden got through their hear and finished fourth in the final to just miss out on a medal.
Radley and Bowden went on to race in the WD2x and finished third in the heat before placing fifth in the final.
Stratford’s masters vice-captain, Bowden said: “All three crews have made progress on this time last year and are enjoying their training and racing.”
Elsewhere, Stratford’s adaptive crew dominated proceedings at the Marlow Town Regatta and Festival.
Stratford’s adaptive squad only lost one race at the entire event and triumphed in three of the four doubles races.
The first pair of 13-year-old Edward Owen-Smith and his teacher Aron Altman saw the former competing for the first time ever and the latter making his Stratford debut.
However, the double cruised to victory against Marlow to win by around six lengths.
And Stratford’s Jordan Clark competed with a women’s rower from Marlow against a crew from Oxford.
Clark, also making his debut, rowed well but lost out in the final 100 metres of the race.
Mother and son duo Paola and Ian Ward won their race by four lengths against another Marlow crew in the fastest final of the event.
And Stratford pair Ricky Clutterbuck and Jake Blatcher also beat a Marlow crew in their final.
Adaptive rowers Hattie Throssell and Gillian Middleton competed in two doubles finals.
The pair won both races comfortably against less experienced crews.
And adaptive support rower Blatcher competed in the singles later in the day but suffered a semi-final exit.
