Loughborough Boat Club
Ollie Kortlang got a dunking in the River Trent for his efforts at Burton Regatta. The Loughborough Boat Club sculler put in a strong performance in the Men’s Novice Single Sculls and was rewarded in the traditional way for his first race win. Following his disappointment in losing to Fisher from local club Burton Leander in the Saturday racing he found himself up against the same sculler in Sunday’s shorter 450 metre sprint, having beaten scullers from Birkdale School and Burton Leander comfortably in earlier rounds. This time he got off to good start and slowly eased in front down the whole course, coming over the line two lengths ahead.
Marcus Joy picked up two wins over the 1100 metre Saturday course. Coming up against Macleod from Ancholme in the final of the Men’s Senior 4 Single Sculls, he looked in control for the whole race and won by two and a half lengths. He then teamed up with Club Captain Keith Hudson in the Men’s Senior 2 Double Sculls and gained an easy three length victory in the final over Burton Leander.
The Women’s Senior 1 Coxed Four of Caroline Lomax at stroke, Marie Guingouain, Jo Coulson and Mary Carswell, coxed by Kevin Carswell, added another win to their recent successes. In the final they found themselves up against the Bewdley crew they had beaten two weeks earlier at Ironbridge. The Loughborough four quickly took command of the race with an excellent start giving them the crucial early advantage. They then kept the pressure on and the rating high as they eased away to gain a three quarter length lead by the finish line.
Eleven of the Loughborough rowers then had to adapt their paddling technique as they formed the major part of a dragonboat crew racing for club member Neil Martin’s appropriately named Syston-based company Dragon Tools. Despite their lack of experience in a very different type of boat, their ability to keep in time paid off as they came through the early rounds with ease to meet Burton Rugby Club in the final. The Dragon Tools crew of twelve men and four women nosed out in front early on and then battled it out all the way down the course, always managing to stay just in front and winning by a ‘neck’.