Bideford Reds juniors rowed to success at the Gloucester Head race.

Bideford Reds’ rowers were rewarded for braving freezing temperatures on the Sharpness Canal with a string of successes in the two division time trial Gloucester Head race.

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Once again the majority of the Reds’ rowers were from the strong junior section.

Matt Harris and Nick Wilson were the pick of the bunch. They gained a fine class win in the Junior 15 double sculls event in a time of 7 mins 13 seconds, which was nine seconds ahead of their nearest challengers. Racing over the shorter 1,750 metre course they were also the fastest crew overall in the race containing 30 crews.

Wilson also stepped up a year to compete in the Junior 16 single sculls event over 4,500 metres and finished third in a time of 19 mins 27 secs.

Having blooded four of their 13-year-olds at Bristol two weeks earlier, the Reds took the opportunity of entering another group of promising juniors over the short course. The Junior 13 A crew of Alex Wilson, James Jordan, Georgia O’Connor, Isaac Crowther and cox Abbie Jones won their class in a time of 8 mins 46 secs, with the B crew of James Norton, Georgia Gibbons, Aaron Lott, Tom Luxton andcox Abbie Dunn finishing in a time of 10 mins 38 secs.

In the 2nd division, again over the shorter 1,750 metre course, the Junior 14 crew Toby Ainger, Jamie Norton, James Jorden, Kayla Johnson and cox Abbie Jones were the only crew in that class, but were 12th overall in 8 mins 55 secs.

Racing twice over the 4,000 metre distance the club’s veteran four were the fastest sweep oared four on the day, recording a time of 17 mins 44 secs in division one of the Masters D category.They were eight seconds slower in the second race as a head wind got stronger.

Charlie retains title

BIDEFORD Blues’ rowers enjoyed success at the Gloucester Spring Head race.

Charlie White won the Junior 15 single sculls and doubled up with Lloyd Barron-Robinson to finish second in the double sculls event.

In their first outing together, Joanne Maulder and Sheilby May finished third in the Junior 15 ladies’ event.

Charlie White of the Blues and Bideford College has also retained the regional schools indoor rowing title with a distance of 1,502 metres in the allotted five minute race.

Junior 15 ladies Abbie Lawson, Charlotte Berry, Kirsty Snow, Shannon Monaghan and cox Joanne Maulder attended the National Schools Quad Head at Dorney Lake, where they posted a personal best time.