Stourport Regatta Success ... 1969

On a perfect, sunny day and with almost a record entry Stourport Regatta on Saturday was one of the biggest successes of recent years. Crowds lined both banks of the Severn to watch 123 crews from over 40 differnt clubs. There was plenty of excitement in the first heat of the Junior Fours when the Stourport crew dead-heated with Liverpool Victoria.
A re-row also ended in a draw, but the host club had to retire when Stourport oarsman Robert Matthews collapsed in the intense heat and had to receive treatment in the First Aid tent. Winner of the Veteran Sculls was George Justicz of Belbroughton, a Gold Medal winner at Perth in the 1958 Commonwealth Games, who was rowing in his first competitive event for five years. The new event this year, the ladies' sculls, was won for Stourport by C. Maiden. Nottingham Britannia had a very profitable journey taking the honours in the senior eights, senior fours and senior/junior eights. They were narrowly defeated in the final of the junior fours by the Derby crew. The other local club Bewdley won the final of the senior/junior fours by half a length and W. Igo took the novice sculls from a high-quality field. Other Stourport successes were in the novice fours by a quarter of a length from Ironbridge and in the ladies' fours.
Mr John Peer, captain of the Stourport Club said, "Entries included the largest ever number of clubs and almost a record number of crews." Around half a dozen clubs were competing in the regatta for the first time. His general impression was that it was a 'very high-class regatta' and he and other committee members were exceptionally pleased with the standard of rowing and interest the event had attracted.