Wallingford and Chiswick Regattas 2017

The Dorney crosswind was in full effect for Wallingford Regatta 2017, causing the organisers to cancel most of the finals and run a series of time-trials instead. For Thames that meant a number of frustrating second places but also several trophies in a positive start for the summer’s racing.

In the morning, Natalie Hardy and Sarah Fabes won their heat of the women’s challenge pair ahead of Headington School, posting the fastest time and securing the win after the final was cancelled.

Suzi Perry also won in the straight final of the women’s challenge singles with Jordan Cole-Hossain a good third.

The women’s club 8 were only half a second down on Vesta (in the sheltered lane 1) in the heat and did not get a chance to improve their position after the final was cancelled. In the men’s club 4+, one of our crews won their heat convincingly but, expecting a final, took their foot off the gas in the second half and ended up posting a slower time than Molesey in heat 2. With the final cancelled they just missed out on the win. The 2nd club 4+ qualified for the final through the repechage but of course never got to race it.

Time trials were the order of the afternoon, run from the 500m mark over 1500m into a raging cross-headwind, and Thames had a good afternoon. The men’s 1st 8, after comfortably winning their heat of challenge 8s in the morning, split into two 4-s and led the field with first and second places. The men’s club 8+ – our 3rd 8 – beat Upper Thames for the win with our 4th 8 a very creditable eighth in a field of 24 crews.

The women’s club 4+ split into two and the A crew were second to a strong Lea boat in that event’s time-trial.

Over the day there were also encouraging performances from the women’s junior 2x, 4x and J164x and the women’s novice squad, racing in club 8s and 4+s and acquitting themselves well in the conditions. Despite the cancellations it was a good first run-out for the squads this summer.

Chiswick Regatta on Saturday was also successful for Thames with wins in the J16 and WJ16 2x.