Arran Coastal Rowing Club made the short journey down to Prestwick to join six more Clyde Coastal rowing clubs who were attending the Prestwick CRC regatta. The weather was overcast but the sea was flat calm with the promise of a good days racing ahead. The course was laid out in a 1.5 km triangle with two starboard turns and an off shore start line, for the seven scheduled races during the day.
Arran change oars between races
The first race was the Open Men. This saw Arran fighting hard against a strong Troon crew in a neck and neck race right to the finish line, Arran finished first taking the gold by only a second. Arran was then back on the start line for the Open Ladies. Arran got off to a good start leading the pack with the Firth of Clyde Rowing Club (FOCCRs), but the younger FOCCRs crew kept calm and gradually pulled away taking Gold, leaving Arran to be content with Silver.
Arran had another win in the Novice race, with Donna Fleming racing for the very first time and Sarah Wilson in only her second competitive race, both winning gold medals. Gold went to Arran again to the Men’s 220+. This was a very tight race in which Arran only just managed to stay out of trouble when Troon came into the last turn too fast clashing oars with Arran and almost hitting the Arran cox. The incident unsettled Troon, and Arran took advantage and pulled away to the finish line. The race of the day was the Women’s 220+, Arran had the disadvantage of being drawn in lane one, the furthest away from the first turn. The strategy was that Arran would go all out from the start and use all their energies normally saved for a sprint finish. It worked, as Arran cut a diagonal path ahead of the other six skiffs and got to the first turn ahead of the pack. Prestwick were a persistent threat but were no match for the ever powerful and unstoppable Arran ladies who pulled away, finishing in the gold medal position.
Scoreboard
Overall Arran achieved four first positions, one second, a third and a fourth, enough for Arran to take home the Prestwick trophy for the third time.
A big thank you to Prestwick for hosting such a well run regatta with a nice party afterwards. We all enjoyed great hospitaloty, good company, supberb food and wonderful live music besides many chats. Thank you to our guest rowers/friends to complete some of our crews and doing such an excellent job.
Please click on the photos to enlarge them
Text and photos: David Ingham
More Photos on Prestwick CRC’s Facebook page or click this link.
Arran’s novices return from their gold medal win
The winning Novice crew: Craig, Sarah, Fritzi (cox), Donna and Fergus
Arrans Chairperson Cil Paul receives the Prestwick Trophy from Derek Murchie
