Crews from Upton Rowing Club have started the winter training season strongly with impressive performances in international and regional competitions.

Two crews represented Upton RC at the Pairs Head in London in mid October with top club scullers Julian and Tabitha Scrivener winning the mixed Masters D doubles event and the ladies pair of Liz Elston and Maggie  Jameson coming second in their Masters E/F category. The following week the Scriveners travelled to Boston, MA to compete in the Head of the Charles, (the world’s largest rowing event with around 11,00 elite athletes taking part annually), where they finished 15th out of a field of 37 crews in their event. Scarcely over his jet lag, Julian then competed in the Masters E single sculls at Gloucester at the end of October, securing a winning margin of almost four minutes.

This weekend the club had five crews racing at Stourport Small Boats Head, although due to the relatively small number of clubs competing, only three Upton crews actually had opposition with the others racing as ‘time only’. The newly formed mixed doubles combination of Stuart Edney and Debbie Thompson won the IM2 event with a good winning margin over their opposition from Birmingham RC whilst the established women’s double of Jo Hammett and Linda Scott lost their Masters E event by one second to a crew from Loughborough RC and the Men’s Masters D 2x of Maurice Stanley and Keith Spencer lost to a very strong combination from host club Stourport.

The club will be represented at the Veteran Fours Head in London on Sunday 13th November and crews will be out in force on the Severn for the monthly internal Club Head on Sunday November 27th.

Following on from the successful Upton rowing regatta held on Sunday 7 September, one of our Upton ‘Learn to Row’ crews attended the Birmingham regatta for a return match and succeeded in settling the score by coming first.

The Upton crew comprising, Janine Longbotham (stroke), Steve Blakeway (3), Chris Williams (2) and Mandy Smith (Bow) beat, Bewdley, Birmingham, Stratford and finally another Bewdley team to take the winning position. In fact, the first team to be overtaken by the Upton crew were the winners from the Upton regatta. The race was run on the Edgebaston reservoir in the heart of Birmingham and hosted by the Birmingham rowing club who were very hospitable and laid on refreshments for the day.

Eight crews entered the Explorer Series competition organised by British Rowing.

All eight crews were novice rowers having only been rowing for up to a year.  In the case of the the Upton crew, they started rowing with Upton rowing club’s ‘Lean to Row’ program, which runs every year from April to September.

Rowing is a very enjoyable way of keeping fit and having fun whilst enjoying the company of others.  It is suitable for all ages and because of its often technical nature exercises both the mind and body whilst providing some spectacular views of our waterways only able to be appreciated when water borne.

The final round of the Explorer Series of regattas for 2016 will be hosted by the Stratford club on Sunday 30^thOctober.