Hampton Head

Last Saturday, the local head race hosted by Hampton School took place on the Molesey stretch in tough fast blustery tail wind conditions. Here, better late than never is a report of the MBC crews racing.  

Division 1 featured 7 JW18 scullers, a 2x and a 2-, of the 7 scullers 4 were WJ16 competing well above their age category. Frankie, Helen and Becky T performed superbly getting in amongst some girls who gained top 30 positions at the last GB trial. The 2- of Aaron and Paddy did not have one of their better rows, Hampton's top pair seized their opportunity and overtook them at the top of Thorneycroft Island. With several months of training still left in the season this should provide fuel for further hard work on that boat speed for the Summer.

Molesey had 5 boats representing in Division 2, first off was the WJ16 8 of Suze, Alice H, Maddie, Alice M, Seren, Helen, Lilly, Sophie and coxed by Chizzle. A row that the girls said dropped a touch in the middle provided them with a solid win in their age category and a second place in the 8's to LEH's WJ18 crew, this result should serve as ample indication of the good work done so far and the fantastic opportunities that lie ahead if this group continues to put in the miles and hours. Next up was the WJ18 4x of Courtenay, Grace, Frankie and Becky T, with tough opposition including Headington and last season's NSR winners Latymer this was always going to be an excellent challenge and so it proved with Headington winning with Latymer 2nd and 3rd just ahead of MBC. This is a high class event and as with the boys 2- this result should provide the girls with plenty of motivation to keep working on that boat speed over the months to come. The only boys crew of the afternoon was the 4+ of Aaron, Tom, Alex, Paddy and cox Katie. Having won this event last year, and in the process a rather shiny cup the boys lead the field off and never looked back, as with all the crews racing this was a scratch boat yet it showed good pace to pull away to a 20 second win margin and retain the shiny cup. The last Molesey boats down were the two WJ15 quads of Yasmin, Naiomi, Lissy, Kit and cox Imi, and Daisy M, Eleanor, Catherine, Beth and cox Georgie. WJ15 quads is an extremely competitive category with a depth of standard often not seen in some of the older age crew categories. The Molesey crews demonstrated how much they have taken on so far this season and also showed a consistent determination to work hard down the course, two vital qualities for success in the future. Cox Georgie also coped admirably with a coxbox failure, projecting her voice to not only her crew but most of north Surrey.. There is much to come from this group and it is exciting to think where all the squads will end up this Summer and beyond, but first, back to training..