Strong winds and rough seas bring curtain down on Coastal Rowing League

The final regatta of the nine regatta Coastal Rowing League was due to be hosted by the Torquay Rowing Club attracting an entry of 62 for ten events.

Crews arrived for the Pier to Pier Regatta with the club having set two courses for different categories over either 4 or 6 kilometres.

However, the weather intervened with the strong winds causing rough seas and after deliberations between the Club, safety officials and club captains the event was unfortunately cancelled.

This was the third regatta, along with Exmouth’s Exe Raid and Dartmouth’s Mewstone Challenge to be cancelled, leaving just six regattas to count towards the results of the Coastal Rowing League.

Following the cancellation of the Pier to Pier, clubs retired to the Royal Dart Yacht Club for the presentation of the annual Coastal Rowing League Awards. Among the award winners again was Torquay’s Barbara Mears, who was overall champion in the Women’s single sculls 60+ category.

The Awards:

Winners of the Gill Mannings Cox for the overall champions trophy were Exmouth Rowing Club.

The Hilary Douglas Bastone shield for the best Women’s and Open single scullers was presented to Teign’s Rachel Palmer and Mayflower’s Robin Steward.

The following nominations were forwarded for the Jeff Hammond Trophy as contributions to Coastal Rowing:

Sally Ann Miller - Has worked tirelessly to consolidate Carrick Rowing Club, Cornwall. Two successful home regattas, a new clubhouse, a new ten-year lease, helped nurse Penny Chuter and helped grow the Coastal Rowing League with the inclusion of Carrick RC.

Tim Fenemore - Works constantly promoting coastal rowing locally, nationally and internationally. The go-to person for anything related to coastal rowing.

Annie Guest - a firm favourite on the CRL circuit, always keen to promote coastal rowing, attends all coastal events and rows with a smile.

Suzanne Issacs and Jonathan Houghton - They have both dedicated themselves to improving Exmouth Rowing Club having taken on most roles within the club, helped organise the British Coastal Championships at Exmouth twice and constantly champion coastal rowing.

The winners were Suzanne Issacs and Jon Houghton.

Twelve other pennants were awarded in the league categories.

Coastal Rowing League final positions:

Open coxed quadruple sculls 1 Exmouth A 35 points 2 Teign A 20 pts 3 Barbarians A 16 pts

Open coxed quadruple sculls 50+ 1 Barbarians A 23pts 2 Mayflower A 14 pts 3 Exmouth A 10pts

Women’s coxed quadruple sculls 1 Exmouth A 31 pts 2= Barbarians A 19pts 2= Coastal Rowing Academy Club 19pts

Women’s coxed quadruple sculls 50+ 1 Barbarians A 12pts 2= Exmouth A 6pts 2= Mayflower A 6pts 4 Torquay A 5pts

Mixed coxed quadruple sculls 1 Barbarians A 32pts 2 Exmouth A 28pts 3 Mayflower A 21pts

Mixed coxed quadruple sculls 50+ 1 Barbarians A 35pts 2 Exmouth A 25pts 3 Coastal Rowing Academy Club 20 pts

Open double sculls 1 Exmouth A 28pts 2 Mayflower A 26pts 3 Exmouth B 21pts

Open double sculls 50+ 1 Barbarians A 6pts 2 Barbarians B 5pts 3 Exmouth A 4pts

Women’s double sculls 1 Exmouth A 18pts 2 Teign A 14pts 3= Coastal Rowing academy Club 6pts 3= Teign B 6pts

Women’s double sculls 50+ 1 Exmouth A 11pts 2= Coastal Rowing Academy Club 6pts 2= Mayflower A 6pts

Mixed double sculls 1= Exmouth A 11pts 1= Mayflower A 11pts

Mixed double sculls 50+ 1 Exmouth B 30pts 2 Exmouth A 23pts 3 Dolphin A 11pts 8 Torquay 2pts

Open single sculls 1 Robin S – Mayflower 26pts 2 Piers W – Exmouth 20pts 3 Lee C – Falmouth 11 pts

Open single sculls 50+ 1 Lee C Falmouth 12pts 2 Tony C – Exmouth 7pts 3 Rachel P – Teign 6pts

Open single sculls 60+ 1 Rich R – Exmouth 27pts 2 Mark C – Mayflower 23pts 3 Bob C – Barbarians 12pts

Women’s single sculls 1 Rachel P – Teign 11pts 2 Sophie B – Coastal Rowing Academy 6pts 3 Flo L – Exmouth 5pts

Women’s single sculls 50+ 1 Andi D – Dolphin 22pts 2 Annie G – Dolphin 19pts 3= Kirsty J – Barbarians 10 pts 3= Rachel P – Teign 10pts

Women’s single sculls 60+ 1 Barbara Mears – Torquay 26pts 2 Anne J – Exmouth 24pts 3 Christine B – Dolphin 5pts.