2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Will Clark)
INVERNESS Rowing Club athletes experienced medal success at the Scottish Rowing Spring Regatta at Strathclyde Park. Initial success on the first day for IRC arrived in the form of Wilbur Grant in the O J14 1x, winning his semi-final and securing a silver medal position in the final. He was denied a first place due only to a crab caught in the closing moments as the water became rough in the more exposed final part of the course, where a fierce cross-wind was whipping up choppier waters.
Another medal was to follow with bronze for , who formed the IRC contingent of a composite crew with Stirling RC in the O J18 2x. Theirs was a 2K race against not only that cross-wind, but very tough competition. The afternoon session started with four IRC singles rowing up to the start of the OJ15 1x semi-finals.
Having made it through to the final took silver, with the other IRC finalist Robin Roxburgh narrowly missing out on bronze. IRC were also represented in the W J15 4x+, W J15 2x and the W J14 4x+ with rowers in each boat competing for the first time in a multilane regatta, and each one coming off the water invigorated and motivated by a very enthusiastic and encouraging performance. Sunday seemed to herald in a change of season as the wind dropped substantially and the sun making itself known for most of the day.
Early racing for IRC in two masters finals started the day off well with a medal in each. Gold was taken in the O Mas 2- (A-C) race by Tim Latham and Adrian Hopkins after facing off against a particularly stiff challenge from Castle Semple RC. secured another gold against Tyne United RC Roxburgh won a bronze medal racing his single in the O J18 1x category as he managed to keep a Clydesdale ARC sculler at bay to secure his third place.
The IRC masters pairs combined forces to race a Castle Semple crew in the O Mas 4+ B- D Final next but narrowly lost out in a close race. Hannah McManus was next to race her single scull in the W J15 1x category and secured a place in the final. She was denied a medal position despite racing incredibly strongly and fending off two scullers from George Watsons College.
The final medals of the weekend for IRC came in the O J15 2x category, with Shay Hammock and Robin Roxburgh taking away silver for their incredibly fast double in a tough final..
