Gold for Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club at Burton Regatta

J14 quad Amy Aspinall, Molly Archbold, Hannah Lowe, Darcie Willis and Sally Tisdall

Over a weekend of glorious sunshine there were many hard fought races at one of the oldest regattas in the country at Burton on Trent, the first event being 149 years ago. Saturday on an 1100m course and Sunday being 700m sprints.

Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club senior team of George Kershaw, Reece Handley, Leanna Daniels and Katie Hargreaves had a very successful weekend at the Burton Regatta winning gold medals on both days in doubles, quads and a four - sculling and rowing, putting in excellent performances and did themselves and their club proud.

Racing in an IM3 category on the Saturday, and the J16 category on the Sunday, Matthew Harris was beaten despite supreme efforts in the blazing sun. The womens J16 double of Laura Aspinall and Amy Bullock also lost out in a close race.

The juniors were represented in many categories with varying success on the Saturday. The girls J14 quad comprising Jess Pilkington, Harriet Jackson, Sophie Webb, Amy Aspinall and Gabriella Fennell coxing, put up a hard fight but were just beaten.

Jess and Harriet raced in a J14 double but were unsuccessful in their second round race, despite an excellent win in their first heat.

Amy and Gabriella, competing for the first time in a J14 double were also beaten in a close race.

The J14 boys had some hard races with mixed results on the Saturday.

The doubles, Tom Swithenbank and Tom Bullock, got through to the final which took place just before 7.00pm. Although they put on an excellent display of rowing they were just beaten to the line.

Tom Swithenbank also got to the final of the J14 singles, racing against his club mate Alastair Holbrough. Alastair won a close race to take gold.

On the Sunday Alastair competed in the J14 single sprints and won a second Gold of the weekend.

On the Saturday, racing the 1100m course, Tom Swithenbank was the exhausted star of the day, taking part in 6 races altogether, reaching two finals, and still smiling at the end of it.

The J13 girls quad – Sally Tisdall, Darcie Willis, Molly Archbold and Hannah Lowe, coxed by Amy Aspinall, won their semi-final and final to take gold. Sally and Darcie then ended up racing Hannah and Molly in the J13 double scull semi-final, a close race won by Hannah and Molly who then went on to take the gold in an easily won final. This extended the unbeaten runs of the J13 quad, and Hannah and Molly’s double in their age categories.

In a beautiful setting, Burton Regatta was one of the best organised events HLRC have attended. Although the team was hot and tired after long days of racing the Club was well represented and Rachel Harris, the Junior Co-ordinator, expressed her pride in everyone who rowed hard and did themselves proud.