Hat Trick for SBC ... 1975

Stourport Boat Club produced a hat-trick at the Evesham Sprint Regatta on Easter Monday, out of five entries, three came home rejoicing, and the other two were far from disgraced.
The club's first eight has proved more and more impressive each time it has taken to the water. A month ago the crew finished a mediocre 15th at the Worcester Head, before turning in Stourport's highest ever placing at the Reading Head of 37th, 2 weeks later. This was still nit the best that could be hoped for, but the crew then broke 100th position on the Tideway for only the second time in the last ten years, 94th out of 350 shows a rise of some 30 places from last year which is encouraging for the club. Directly after the London weekend the crew split into two fours of Senior A and Senior B status ready for the coming season. The Evesham Sprint gave a chance to show form over a very short 300 metre course, and both crews did just that. The Senior A's beat Nottingham Britannia in the semi-final before dead-heating in the final with Thames, the re-row saw Stourport gain a canvas over the first 30 seconds which Thames could not pull back.
The Senior B Four beat Worcester and Pengwern for a place in the final, in which another crew from Nottingham Britannia were forced into second place. Both crews raced in a brand new boat given to the club, most generously by Goff Crompton, a successful club oarsman himself.
The club's third win of the day came from Richard Lloyd in the Novice Sculls division. During a row-over in his first heat, Richard was upset by the rescue launch which drifted out of control into his path, however the icy waters of the Avon did not have any adverse effect, as he went on to beat Burton Leander in the semi-final and Gloucester in the final.
Also entered was a scratch Senior C Four which narrowly beat Fitzmaurice Grammar School before losing to Worcester. Tom Edwards, in Senior B Sculls who met the might of Ted Reynolds, also of Worcester, lost by a short head after a clash of blades.
Stourport's only other crews to race so far this season have been a scratch eight and a novice eight on the Tideway two weeks ago. The former rowed exceptionally well to finish 124th after starting at 191st, which will mean two Stourport crews starting under or on the 100th position in 1976. The novice eight did not do so well, finishing 344th, this is one area of the club which does need attention: for novices provide the material to carry on the achievements of the more experienced oarsmen at present.
Names of winning crews:
Senior A: bow, P.Downes; 2, P.Lloyd; 3, P.Lashford; stroke, M.Edmonds, cox, C.Reeley.
Senior B: bow, F.Caswill; 2, E.Mol; 3, K.Barwise; stroke, D.Parton; cox, M.Reeley.
Novice Sculler: R.Lloyd.
Semi-finalists:
Senior C: bow, J.Noake; 2, F.Caswill; 3, C.Barber; stroke, P.Graetz; cox, M.Reeley.
Senior B Sculler: T.Edwards.
R. Lloyd Report April 1975