British Rowing Championships & Home International Rowing Regatta 2010

Junior rowers have taken their club’s success to the next level by gaining second place at national and international level in consecutive weekends.

Talkin Tarn Amateur Rowing Club had five athletes competing at this year’s British Rowing Championships held at Strathclyde Park, Glasgow, held on the weekend of 16, 17 and 18 July. The club has had several successes at this level – one silver and three bronze medals within six years.

The British Rowing Championships – formally known as National Championships of Great Britain – attracts clubs, schools and universities from England, Scotland, Wales and even Gibraltar.

Jack Glenholmes, Alex Rose and Martin Wilson joined up with Shaune Jamieson from Cambois Rowing Club to compete in Men’s Junior 16 Coxless Fours.

With a straight final ahead of them, the boys only had one chance to make an impact. Passing the 500m mark in fourth position, a bronze medal looked on the cards for the 16-year-olds. A further 500m later, they had rowed themselves into third and were destined to be on the medal podium.

No one could have anticipated what happened next. With every crew fighting for a medal, the boys managed to find their inner strength and rowed across the line in silver medal position.

This silver medal carries on from last year’s bronze medal won by Connor Mark and Matt in the same event.

Jack and Alex were also entered into Men’s Junior 16 Double Sculls in which they came fourth in their semi, narrowly missing out on a place in the final. Martin and Shaune raced in the rowing discipline of the sport, entering Men’s Junior 16 Coxless Pairs. They finished a respective fifth in their final.

William Howard School pupil Catherine Gammage teamed up with rowers from Queen Elizabeth High School, Yarm Durham and Tyne Rowing Clubs to finish fourth in Women’s Junior Eights.

Catherine then joined three QEHS rowers Gina Lamb, Katrine Hardy and Stephanie Charlton to compete in Women’s Junior Coxless Fours. Finishing third in their semi on the Saturday, they went straight through to the final the following day.
The final saw a close race developing with the TTARC boat fighting for third place. Although finishing outside the medals in fourth place, the girls were selected to represent England the following weekend at the Home Countries International Rowing Regatta in Cork, Ireland.

After painting their blades in England’s colours, the team were in the first race of the day.

The Scotland crew, who had taken gold at the British Championships a week previous, took a very early lead but the girls did well to stick with them.
Finishing in second place, Catherine and her teammates managed to secure three points for the England Women’s Junior Team.

Catherine is now the second club member, and the first girl to do so, to compete in Home Countries.

With such a huge success in two consecutive weekends, the juniors have put themselves out there and given other club youngsters something to strive for.