For many, Reading Small Boats Head marks the start of the winter season. The club picked up numerous wins across the junior, senior, masters crews, showing the strength and depth of athletes within the club this year.
Having had a strong season last year picking up over 70 wins, the juniors looked set to continue where they left off as they picked up 4 wins. Maddy Pollard continued her success from last year by picking up the W. J17 1x. title against tough opposition, whilst younger sister Georgie made it double success for the Pollard sisters as she won the W. J15 1x. To make it a clean sweep in the singles, Holly Cookson put on a dominating performance to take the W. J16 1x. title by over 35 seconds over her nearest rival. In the boy’s division, Nathan May continued the string of strong performances of Reading RC juniors in the single scull as he looked comfortable in winning the J14 1x. One of the stand out performances of the day comes from Will Pratt who placed 6th in the J17 1x. in a field of 42 scullers.
The men’s squad kicked off their 2017/18 season with a win in the T1. Int. 4- over the crew from Auriol Kensington. Further success came for James Batchelor (Batch) who took the T2. Int 1x., getting that elusive win in the single. Another stand out performance was for the double of Brown and Musson who missed out on the title of fastest double of the day to a crew from RUBC.
Not to be out done the Women also put in several good performances, with multiple wins for some. The double of Tash Stagg and Kate Trend built on their summer season by picking up the W. T1. Beg 2x. title, whilst Kirsty Reeman looked confident in the single following her de-novice at City of Oxford Regatta as she cruised to the W. T1. Beg 1x. Title. Stagg, Trend and Reeman saw further success and a 100% record as they teamed up along with Becca O'Connor to win W. Beg 4x-. There was additional success in the women’s single with a 1 & 2 in the T2. W. Beg 1x. for Emily Hodges and Anna Rose respectively.
Having had a strong end to last season at the World Rowing Master’s championships in Bled, our Master’s started their 2017/18 season with multiple wins. With wins across Mas F and G 2- as well as in the Mas H. 4+ and Mas E.4- showing our Master’s squad is in a strong place going onto the tideway over the coming weeks for Pair’s and Fours Head.