Inverness RC members perform well at the World Rowing Masters Regatta 2011 - Poznan
posted by Roy Sinclair - 14 Sep 2011, 12:48 p.m.
Last weekend in variable and sometimes difficult tailwind conditions, Masters
oarsmen and oarswomen from many clubs throughout the length and breadth of
Scotland took part in a wide variety of rowing and sculling events at this
year's annual FISA World Rowing Masters Regatta held on the 2009 world
championship rowing course on the Malta Lake in Poznan, Poland.
A total of nine masters athletes from the Inverness Rowing Club took part in
the variety of events offered with many challenging well for the top places in
their chosen events, some narrowly missing out on gold medals.
Hazel Smith, Hazel Geddes, Susanne Standish-Hunter and Claire McDougall Smith
raced well in category C and D women's events for quadruple sculls, coxed
and coxless fours, achieving some fine results in those events. In the
men's events for similar boat categories, Gary Hunt (also RAF RC), Ken
Sinclair, Dave Rothwell and John Sharkey also produced determined performances
but were just off the pace to achieve gold medal positions as did Sharkey and
Rothwell in their coxless pairs event and Hunt and Graham Hinshelwood of
Strathclyde Park RC in their double sculls event. In his category D single
sculls event, Sharkey got off to a determined quick start and led the field by
over one length at the 400 metre mark but was overtaken by several of his
opponents as he raced for the finishing line. Roy Sinclair raced in category G
quadruple sculls and coxed fours events with athletes from other Scottish
clubs, just missing out on top three places in both events.
In the mixed events on a sunny Sunday morning, Inverness members combined well
in various events to bring a most enjoyable regatta to a successful conclusion
although just missing out on gold medals. B)