Veterans prove unstoppable
Minerva Bath Rowing Club’s Arnold Cooke and Klaus Riekemann were back in action at the Henley Masters. Since 2012 the duo have raced and won, as a pair, three times at the World and European Masters, twice at Henley and four times at British Rowing National Championships. They have also raced and won in different combinations and age bands in the single, 4+, 4- and 8. This time around at Henley, they raced against an international crew from Ruderclub in Switzerland. The Swiss crew were an age category younger but Cooke and Riekemann raced without taking a handicap and still took half a length off the other crew straight off the start, taking an easy lead till mid-race, when the Ruderclub crew made a push, the Minerva pair took the rate up and powered off to the finish. Robert O’farrell, who joined Minerva under a B&NES supported weekday sculling scheme last year, returned to rowing after a 35 year gap and at age 69 took his single scull to Henley Masters. He had a great start with a clear win over his opposition in the first round, but was beaten in the second round by the ultimate winner of the H1x from Upper Thames Rowing club. The senior men’s B4+ world master’s champions from 2016 in Copenhagen were disappointed to lose to a strong London crew from Curlew. Club communications officer Laura Cowan said: “The levels of competition at British Rowing Masters events is incredibly high with the best national and international crews competing. “For a small club like ours to field three crews at such a prestigious event is significant in itself, but the impact of the consistent wins of Arnold Cooke and Klaus Riekemann go far beyond the medals and trophies, and inspire everyone at the club to train hard and aim high. “Their fortitude, good humour and focus is a pleasure to be around and a great example for us all, from the 14-year-olds upwards. We, as a club, are immensely proud of them.”