24/05/07

Gent Regatta - Silver Medal in Europe for UTRC Juniors

The Spring International Regatta held in Ghent every year always attracts top European crews from junior clubs in Germany, Belgium, Holland, Britain, France and other countries.

This year Upper Thames Rowing Club sent four 15-year old girls to Ghent over last weekend (14th/15th April) to contest the WJ16 category in double and single sculls. The races are held over a distance of 2000 metres on a five-lane course. Each event consists of several heats to accommodate the large number of entrants. The winner is the crew with the fastest time of all heats.

Hannah Shimmin (bow) and Katherine Poulter of UTRC won the silver medal in the WJ16 double sculls against Belgian, German and British competition in a time of 8 minutes 27 seconds, winning their heat comfortably but putting in a slightly slower time than the winners of another heat.

Zara Milne and Emma-Jane Girling also competed strongly considering it was Zara's first ever race; and they improved their time markedly on the following day.

Upper Thames Rowing Club’s silver medal winners Hannah Shimmin (left) and Katherine Poulter (right) together with Zara Milne (centre left) and Emma-Jane Girling.