Rowing: Home success for city crews

May 23 2008 Chester Chronicle

Rowing: Home success for city crews

CHESTER Regatta celebrated its 275th anniversary on Saturday with 36 of the 46 events being won by Chester crews.

The Royal Chester juniors stole the limelight with 14 winners, and Grosvenor were not far behind with nine. Queen’s Park High School also finished with five wins and there was success for Chester University and The King’s School too.

A total of 18 clubs from as far afield as Cambridge and York were represented on the Dee, while the number of entries was up on last year by 15%.

Regatta secretary Jan Chillery-Belcher said: “I’m really pleased with how the regatta went. The weather was grey and showery but everyone had a good time. We even had a 1733 fun race in wooden Thames skiffs by rowers in period costume to commemorate the 275th birthday.”

The day’s action was dominated by Royal Chester, who introduced junior rowing 40 years ago for pupils at schools with no rowing facilities of their own. The club’s junior victories since 1968 have now reached 971 – well in sight of topping the 1,000-mark before the end of their 40th year.

The Aaron and Partners Solicitors-sponsored Frost and Holland Trophy for the first eight was won by a composite crew from Grosvenor and The King’s School, while the Baker Tilly-sponsored City of Chester Trophy – awarded to the winner of the first four race – went to Bangor University. The North Wales club also won the Victor Ludorum trophy for most senior wins by a visiting club.

Five-month-old Bessie Belcher – daughter of race secretary Jan – sponsored the women’s junior 13 double sculls, which was won by Queen’s Park High.

Jan said: “Bessie was born weighing only 2lb 3oz and spent the first four months of her life in hospital. She’s now fully recovered, fingers crossed, and we’re ecstatic to have her home.

“I thought it would be fun to have her as a sponsor of a race at Chester Regatta.”

Other parents who would like to sponsor a race in their children’s names can find more information at www.chesterregatta.org.uk