Crews ready for national championships
Stirling Rowing Club go into this weekend’s National Indoor Rowing Championships in Motherwell in buoyant mood after a successful trip to the Caledonian Canal for the Fours/Quads and Small Boats Head Race.
More than 570 boats competed with Stirling sending 38 athletes and 19 boats to Inverness - the club’s largest ever entry in the two-day regatta.
Racing was spread across four divisions and Stirling entered multiple crews in each division. On day one, the club had 14 crews in a variety of categories and highlights included a win for the women’s restricted two coxed quad of Christine Graveling, Eilidh Cuthbertson, Lindsey Arnott, Natalie Firth and cox Ollie Plank.
Rebekah Kittridge and Ellie Butler were second in the women’s novice double sculls category while the junior 16 boys quad of Robbie Waddell, Ruairidh Reid, Joshie Matthews and Quinn O’Donnell were runners-up to George Watson’s College in a tough race. The women’s equivalent junior 16 quad of Rebecca Plank, Melissa McGarva, Rachael Graveling and Isla MacCallum were third.
The junior boys crew of Rory Duncan, Ardal MacKenzie, Ruairidh Reid, Robbie Waddell and cox Eleanor Culley combined to compete in a novice coxed four coming an excellent second place in this event.
On day two, the club had 24 different crews on the water. A win came in the women’s junior 15 double for Rachael Graveling and Rebecca Plank while Ruairidh Reid was runner-up behind the current Scottish champion in his junior 15 single scull.
The club’s most experienced crew with an average age of more than 65 were on impressive form winning gold in the Masters coxed four with a crew of David Plank, Ian Robb, Andrew Hilley, Dave Sannachan and cox Ollie Plank.
And the mixed Masters quad of Sam Sellars, Dave Sannachan, Graeme Duff and Sandra Engstrom were also successful.
Second places went to the open quad of Ross Marchbank, Gregor Hall, John Dunse and Graeme
Duff; Sandra Engstrom and Sam Sellars in the women’s Masters double and Christine Graveling and Natalie Firth in the women’s restricted two event.
In the single sculls, the experienced Billy Brown continued to dominate his category with a great win in the Masters event. Gordon Henderson also did well in the Masters single scull finishing second in the younger age category.
Thanks to Stirling Trailer Centre for the towing vehicle which enabled them to transport all 19 boats