Eric Verdonk and Bennett Shield: Captain's Report

It was a really enjoyable weekend of racing, with the nice weather finally showing up. It was great to see crews from all age groups perform so well, a real testament to all the work the club has put in over the winter. Our crews came together to tackle some tricky races and conditions, setting a strong starting point for the season ahead. There was a positive atmosphere across the club, and it was fantastic to see so many supporters on the sidelines cheering for every race.

Ollie: I was personally really happy with my crew’s performances; we had to manage some tight turnarounds but still managed to learn and improve each race. I’m really proud of how the senior boys went this weekend and know we will do everything we can to carry this momentum into the season. The support from parents and teammates was awesome to see, and all the effort behind the scenes really helped make it a fantastic event to be a part of.

Milla: The senior girls faced a few races very close together and challenges when rowing up in much older age groups, yet we still managed to perform to our best ability and achieved great results. The performances over the weekend set us up in a really promising position and I am so excited to see what we can do next!

From the both of us, it was also great to hear positive feedback from people outside the club, particularly about how well our crews got into the start blocks, and how impressed they were with the junior girls’ technique, which was described as being far beyond what you’d expect for their age. Several parents also commented on how the club as a whole is building a strong and competitive group of crews, a great sign of what’s to come.

Another great contribution to the club’s success this weekend was the novices - despite the weather meaning the crews couldn’t get as much time on water as possible prior to the regatta, the boys and girls boated with confidence and brought home great results. It was the novices’ first ever races, and the standard they set is a great example for everyone. In the coxed quads we saw multiple wins and some close races, but most importantly all crews represented the club with pride and seemed to have a great time.

We hope everyone enjoyed the weekend and keep this momentum going into the rest of the season.