Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Dawkins steps up in class
Rowing
Herne Bay novice sculler James Dawkins achieved his second win of the year, at Folkestone Regatta on Sunday, promoting him to junior status.
Dawkins took command of the race with only 20 metres to go. He was nearly swamped by a big wave but managed to keep control to cross in first place just ahead of a young sculler from Bexhill.
He had earlier progressed from the heats along with clubmates Manuel Marques and Tom Walton. Marques and Walton, however, struggled to finish in the choppy seas of the final.
The senior four race saw Herne Bay’s crew of Ryan Hosking, Tom Walton, Dan Ritchie and Will Campbell, coxed by Natalie Ingram, power through the field from the start to achieve their fourth successive win this season.
The young novice ladies crew of Beth Ling, Georgia Shelton, Heidi White and Jasmine Amos started the day with a well rowed second-place finish.
George Holness qualified in first place in the junior sculls event but againstruggled on the choppier seas of his final to finish unplaced.
The Vets 50+ crew – John Cox, Roy Iddenden, Stuart Webb and Liz Taylor, with cox Jacob Webb – coped well with the ever increasing choppy sea to finish in second place.
A taster session is being held from the clubhouse on Wednesday from 4.30-7.30pm for anyone wishing to have a go at coastal rowing.