Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club North of England Sprint Rowing Championships

Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club Junior Team

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Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club (HLRC) hosted one of the largest sprint regattas in the country – the North of England Sprint Championships – on Saturday 6 September.

With over 350 crews taking part in 189 races there was a continual stream of boats heading down the 500m course, starting at just after 8:00am and finishing just after 6:00pm.

Hundreds of spectators enjoyed the racing, taking in the beautiful views of the Pennines embracing the lake.

As this is one of the first regattas of the new rowing year, the juniors had all moved up into their new age categories.

Mark Phillips, and his brother Paul, were amongst the many first time competitors for the club along with Poppy, Paige, Rosie and Maurice. Mark was the youngest singles winner of the day, just 11 years old, rowing up and winning the J13 single sculls early in the day – it was his first race, about six weeks after his first outing in a single.

All the juniors fought hard, many through heats, semi-finals and finals, showing great determination and spirit to win the coveted medals.

The largest number of competitors in a race was the J15 single sculls with 19 competitors starting in seven heats.

Tom Bullock came up against strong opposition, losing his heat but his club mate, Tom Swithenbank, fought through his heat, semi-final and final to win his first Gold Medal. After racing for over 18 months, Tom’s first victory was the well deserved result of many hours training and great determination. He received a huge cheer from all the club members when he rowed back to the club house. Tom and Tom later entered the J15 doubles but were beaten by a small margin in the final.

Other junior victories were the WJ14 double sculls, Hannah Lowe and Molly Archbold, winning their 10th doubles gold, undefeated in all races in their age category. Hannah and Molly also joined Sally Tisdall and Darcie Willis, coxed by Tom Bullock in the WJ14 quad to win their fourth gold, again undefeated.

Sophie Webb raced in her first single sculls race in the WJ15 category and put in an excellent performance.

Jess Pilkington and Harriet Jackson were just beaten by Trafford in the WJ15 doubles.

Emily Carter won her semi-final in style in the WJ16 single sculls to come a close second in the final.

The WJ17 doubles saw Laura Aspinall and Amy Bullock just beaten by Warrington in a hard fought semi-final. Sally Tisdall, in the WJ14 singles had an impressive win in here first heat to come a close second in an exciting semi-final.

Senior rowers fought equally hard from singles to eights, with the Victor Ludorum prize and £500 cheque awarded to Manchester University Rowing Club. They commented on “a great day” and “some fantastic results, although the competition was really tough”.

The HLRC seniors had some impressive wins in the 15 events they took part it in, including a mixed eights, masters coxless four, mixed coxless four, and IM3 single sculls, which was a first time home win for Adam Clegg in a close fought final against his fellow club member Matthew Harris.

Two club members who earned their first rowing points for winning their novice double sculls race were Andy Archbold and Martin Bullock, receiving a huge cheer from their colleague spectators.

After months of preparation the event was a huge success.

Although the North West Region was very well represented, athletes travelled from far and wide representing clubs from Tees, Newark, Ancholme, and Trinity/Wadham College Oxford, who won the mixed IM3 doubles against Runcorn.

The HLRC club captain, Ian John, expressed his gratitude to all the club members and officials who worked hard throughout a long day, but said the event belonged to the athletes who put on a “fantastic display of rowing for everyone and deserved every success they achieved”.