Stourport Win 4 to Smash Club Record ... 1979

Two wins in fours from the youngest members in the club, and wins in a pair and a scull has given Stourport Boat Club a new record total number of wins in a season with two months still to go. The girls four, racing only for the second time, competing in ladies novice fours at Trentham Gardens, appeared to be out-matched by older opposition from Nottingham and Union and Hereford Rowing Club, these other two crews having an average age of about 17. Stourport’s crew, Lucy Ree, Amanda Underwood, Helen Cherry, Paula Caswill and cox Jane Hambridge, were undaunted in the three lane final, holding Nottingham and Union’s fast start and leaving Hereford trailing behind. At half way the crews were neck and neck but as Nottingham started to tire, so the Stourport girls took the initiative and had forged 1 1/4 lengths ahead at the finish. Jubilant supporters welcomed these new arrivals to the rowing scene by throwing them in the lake, and it is very encouraging to think they will be able to race under 15 in 1980.
The boys under 14 crew, who have already become the clubs most successful crew for many years, won their eighth pot of the season at Trentham by beating Monmouth Rowing Club in their first heat, easily, before coming up against a very large Derby crew in the finals. Their opposition were all taller than Stourport’s biggest man, but the fighting spirit that is running through the club at the moment showed itself once again. From the word go, the Stourport crew took a lead and having fought off a challenge from the Derby crew went on to win by a comfortable two lengths. Chris Payne, Colin Hastry, Ian Clarke, Tim Dorrell and cox Paula Caswill will be eligible to row in under 15’s in 1980 and are looking forward to the remainder of the regatta and head season.
The third win notched up at Trentham came from the formidable partnership of Duncan Gwilliam and Henry Evans, again coxed by Paula Caswill, in the Senior C Pairs event, due to be run in shell boats. As the club can only produce a battered old clinker pair they knew the race would be tough as the opponents would be in faster boats. Coupled to this was the fact that Stratford were also in the final having beaten Stourport at Gloucester Regatta a fortnight before. This, however was their undoingfor Stourport were doubly determined to redress the balance and attacked throughout the 1000 metre course. Their win by one length makes both oarsmen Senior B status and must make the acquisition of a new pair a major consideration for the committee.
Maurice Hayes has had his most successful season for Stourport Bot Club this year and added to his recent triumphs at Bewdley and Gloucester by winning Senior C Sculls at Leicester Regatta last Sunday. Starting slowly in each heat he came from behind to beat Leicester easily and local opposition R.Hart of Bewdley by 2 lengths to reach the semi-final. Here he gained a 3/4 length verdict over Nott’s Britannia to put him in the final against Northampton Casuals. Not being fooled by the name, Maurice had his hardest race of the day in the most exciting final as the scullers stayed stroke for stroke the entire 800metre course. The verdict of 3 feet gave Stourport its 38th win this season and put the club into the top ten pot winners in the country going on 1979 totals.
This total could well have been swelled by the three other finalists over the weekend, including a veteran C four, an under 14 sculler and a lady novice sculler. The veterans are warming up to the international in Nottingham on September 22nd and were beaten by 2 lengths by their colleagues from the veteran C eight rowing as Stratford, while Ian Clarke and Paula Caswill lost their sculling finals before each found success in their respective fours. Paula had won three pots on Saturday at Trentham, but was not so fortunate at Leicester, losing a close semi-final in the Ladies Novice Sculls event.
R. Lloyd Report September 1979