Sunday saw the final of British Rowing’s West Midland Explore Rowing series of regattas with crews from Ross and Stourport winning mixed categories and Pengwern winning the women’s category
Seven visiting clubs from throughout the West Midlands took part in the final afternoon regatta together with five Stratford crews: the regatta series has been running from May through October and draws rowers from the Learn to Row Explore Rowing programme which
introduces adults to recreational rowing and is the culmination of the organisation’s programme to bring adults into rowing, sport and exercise: Stratford Boat Club ran ‘Learn to Row’ Explore Rowing courses throughout 2017 and will be running more courses in spring 2018
Said Nils Purser, Stratford Boat Club’s Explore Rowing squad organiser, “Stratford was honoured to be chosen to run the final Explore Rowing regatta of the season once again: it was a pity that we didn’t replicate the winning streak from last year’s final and this season so far! However, as a recreational event, it was great fun! Credit
goes not only to Stratford’s Explore Rowing crews but especially to the coaches who taught us to row and have helped us with the improvement we have made since our initial Learn to Row courses. We’re sad to be losing our main lead Explore coach Glyn Hawkins who is returning to full time studies and we cannot thank him enough for all the hard work he has put into coaching our Explore crews and weekday rowers: we will miss him!”
Stratford’s Explore Rowing crews were not the only crews to be on the water over the weekend: the Club’s Senior Squad represented Stratford at Worcester Small Boats’ Head of the River Race and Junior Squads were hard training for Evesham Junior Head on Saturday