Stourport Reach 4 Finals in 2 Days ... 1974

Stourport Boat Club had very bad luck to lose all four finals achieved at Worcester and Hereford Regattas. With all competitors showing promise at some stage over this rowing weekend, it was a shame no tin could be produced.
The most consistent crew were the Senor C oarsmen who reached the finals of their event at both Worcester and Hereford. At Worcester, rowing the full 1250 metre course in a restricted boat, they beat Penarth then City of Oxford in two comfortable rows, though Oxford kept up with Stourport throughout the race. In the semi final Stourport met a strong Weybridge crew who they had beaten at Barnes and Mortlake Regatta by a small distance, and who were now gunning for revenge. A very close race resulted in a dead-heat, with the decision that both crews should re-row over 800 metres. By applying sound psyhcology, Stourport returned to the start first and looked the fresher crew, resulting in a narrow win by 3 feet. These four races had undoubtedly taken their toll, and meeting a good Birmingham crew who had only raced twice, in the final proved too much.
Hereford Regatta saw them change to a shell boat, not an easy change for a crew to accomplish, and 'row over' in their first heat. They despatched Hereford Rowing Club in their second race by a comfortable distance, but were then stretched to their limit by a strong Greenbank Falmouth crew who attacked continuously for the 1500 metre course, Stourport finally holding out to 3 feet in front. Their time of 5.14 was fast for that time of the afternoon, but the opponents in the final, Avon County Rowing Club, had returned a time of 5.10. With this hanging over them, Stourport knew they must attack from the first stroke to the last, but despite carrying this plan out to the end they lost the most exciting final of the weekend by a small distance.
The second crew to reach the final was the Stourport Novice Four rowing at Hereford for the very first time. Right from the first race when they returned a time one second faster than all their opponents they looked like having a chance, and they rowed exceptionally well to beat Monmouth School, Monkton Combe School and Herford 'A' to reach the final, only to lose an exciting race to Reading Bluecoat School after a scrappy start.
Eddie Mol, in his first Senior C Sculling race at Worcester had a row-over to the final of Senior C Sculls. At the halfway point in the final against Evesham, Eddie looked in with a chance, but some steering problems resulted in the Evesham sculler pulling out to win by two lengths.
The Senior A Four failed to produce winning form, when at Worcester they lost to a powerful Henley Town, and at Hereford failed to hold Hereford's second crew after beating a four from Vesta, returning the fastest time of the day in their event.
R. Lloyd Report May 1974