The Di Ellis Trophy comes to Star

The Junior girl’s squad have been preparing hard in anticipation of Women’s Henley, which was held on June 20^th to 22^nd. The junior quad of Helena Rozman, Kit Mulvanney, Ruby Ellam and Pam Ewang at stroke was unlucky enough to be drawn against a GB trialist composite boat. However, they relished the challenge of top class opposition and were determined to give them a good race. On Saturday there was an unusually strong head wind for this time of year and this proved challenging for all the crews. The Star girls got a good start and put the composite boat under pressure. Even when their opposition started to pull away the Star girls carried on pushing hard still within a length at the enclosure. The winds gusted forcing both crews off their racing line making it testing to row a straight course within the booms. Indeed the Star girls were blown into the booms but recovered well. However the huge effort to keep in touch took its toll and the GB scullers were able to increase their lead and win by 4 lengths. The Star crew although disappointed to lose were consoled by the fact that their race was the fastest in their event. The experience was invaluable as Pam and Ruby who are both 16 and Helena who is 17 will all be eligible to compete again next year. 

The unwelcome wind from Saturday had intensified on Sunday. Lottie Burgess, Star’s single sculler, showed tremendous courage and determination in her semi-final to brave the unyielding wind and an Australian sculler who has won in a single, double and quad at the Australian National Championships. The competition was intense as each girl was determined to do her best and pull away. During the race both girls pushed hard neither willing to surrender. At one point the wind whipped Lottie’s blade and she needed great skill to keep in her boat. However it was Lottie’s strength that saw her pull away and finally win by 2 1/2 lengths.  

Lottie set herself up to face Ally Brooks from Maidenhead in the final. Lottie had to kept calm as instead of the wind easing it became stronger through the course of the afternoon. On the start both girls had to fight to keep their sculls on the racing line before the Umpire could call them to attention. The atmosphere was tense as they started but Lottie was ready and took half a length out of her opposition really quickly. She never looked back from there. The strength of the wind could be measured by the fact that at the end of the island the launch following the race had to engage into a neutral gear and was still in danger of catching up the crews. Lottie worked really hard the determination etched in her face as she took each stroke. Both girls were buffeted and Lottie ended up on her opposition’s station . However, she had gain such a lead by this point she was not impeding her opposition. The final verdict was 4 lengths. A first class row and a superb win; Lottie has given Star Club its first win at Women’s Henley.

Also competing at the regatta in the Senior events were -

Rachel Armstrong who raced in the Elite Open Sculls event. Rachel made it through her 1st round beating an opponent from Germany, but then losed in the 2nd round. 

It was the same storey for Nina Jenkin who raced in the Intermediate Open Sculls event. Nina missed out on a quarter final place by losing in the 2nd round.  

Well done to all.  

Tatjana Rozman

Star enjoy Success at the National Veterans Regatta

The 2008 National Veteran Championships was held on Sunday 15th June at the National Watersports Centre, Nottingham. Raced over 1000m, STAR had representation in 4 different events.

Miriam Taylor, Ewa Whiteman and Mick Parker all representated STAR CLUB in their respective age categories.

Miriam in the UK Gold 8 raced in Vet B and C categories winning Silver in both. Although both races were very close and exciting, Miriam was disappointed and is now looking forward to a re-match at Henley Veterans in July.

Mick Parker competed in the Vet D singles, but unfortunately was knocked out in the fastest heat. He then joined Ewa Whiteman in the Mixed Vet D doubles to win a comfortable gold and they both now are also looking forward to Henley Veterans.

Well done to Miriam, Mick and Ewa and we wish them the best at Henley Veterans.

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''Home Runs'' at Star Regatta

Star Rowing Club’s Women’s Squad fielded 2 crews at last Saturday’s Star Regatta, competing over the 1000m course. A WS3 4+ crew of Sophie Barnwell, Ellie Rowles, Debra Scott, Helen Thompson and cox Martine Kushner had a very competitive race against a Milton Keynes crew and in the last 300m managed to power away to win comfortably by 14 seconds.                         

Sophie, Ellie and Helen then combined with Michelle Seddon, Kirsten Proctor, Georgina Davies, Isobel Garrard and last minute substitute Jo Heywood with cox Clarissa Coveny to race a scratch combination against Bedford High School. In what was a very closely fought race Star held the advantage until the last 300m when the High School made a big push to take the lead. Star responded, but despite a spirited effort from the untried crew, the High managed to hold on to win by 1.3 seconds. 

Star Club Juniors also celebrated successes in the J16 1X, which was won by Tom Beechinor, the J16 2X of Tom Beechinor and Andrew Walker, the J4X with a crew of Chris Durrant, Jason Burns, Loz James and Sam Butler, the WJ4X consisting of Helena Rozman, Kit Mulvaney, Ruby Ellam and Eleanor Grimley, the WJ15 4X+ of Victoria Huckle, Emma North, Eleanor Grimley, Charlotte Cook, coxed by Aiden Grimley and the WH15 2X of Charlotte Cook and Victoria Huckle.

A mixed 2X of Graeme Gould and Nina Jenkin won their event, while other senior squads came close to victory, by a matter of seconds, in a number of closely competed races.

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Star coxless four win on 2nd attempt

STAR CLUB's men's coxless four's preparations for the upcoming Henley Royal Regatta were given a boost as they claimed victory at the Metropolitan Regatta in Windsor.

On the Dorney Lake 2000m World Championship course, the quartet of Mark Bavington, Will Eason, Joel Grant-Jones and Chris Callow finished as runners-up in the S2 coxless four event on Saturday as they were narrowly beaten by Gloucester.

The following day, in the same event, Star reached the final after a second place finish in their heat and, after a change in tactics, led right from the start to clinch a half length victory over the University of Northumbria.

The next action for the crew will be the Marlow Regatta in three weeks.

Chris Callow