The Maidstone Invicta Rowing Club Junior Squad have celebrated a successful 2008 / 2009 season last weekend. Following a grant from the Kent Youth Service for £50,000 the deputy mayor (to send name) helped name the new eight and new training single. The eight was named after the longest serving junior coach Ray Long who helped coach the juniors to their greatest year.
The boat naming ceremony was followed by the annual presentation evening held at Leeds Castle. It was a fantastic evening with lots of laughter and reminising. The junior of the year award was won by Morgan Hellen, who represented the club and Great Britain at Le Coupe de la Jeunesse winning 3 golds and a bronze. Morgan's mother, Anita Hellen was awarded Coach of the Year an award voted for by the juniors.
The overall contribution award went to Ross Porter after he coxed the junior eight to the Henley quarter finals, the coxed four to National Championship silver and represented the club and England winning a silver at the Home Countries. He is the club's youngest athlete to win a medal representing his country.
It has been a great year for the junior squad and a big thank you goes to all the juniors, parents and coaches for all their hard work.
Kate Beaumont
Cambridge Regatta - Sunday 13th September
On Sunday 13th September, Maidstone Invicta Rowing Club entered 8 boats into the Cambridge Regatta. Of those 8 boats, 6 made it into the final with 4 of them winning. This event was 2 crews racing side by side in knockout stages.
The winning crews were:
Women's Novice coxed 4's - Vicki Spencer, Emily Barrett, Rachel Rickwood, Liz Macham and cox Chloe Martin won against composite crew Peterborough/Newcastle
Vet C Novice 4+ - Bert Kleine-Dieters, Greg Snape, Bill Butler, Rob McManaway and cox Chloe Martin beat Sudbury's Vet B Novice crew
Mixed IM3 8+ - Jo Sticklee, Liz Macham, Rick Wood, Katie Martin, Mark Tomkins, Liz Bennett, Aly Cooper, Guy Sticklee and cox Robin Chapman beating X-Press, Cambridge
Mixed IM2 8+ raced in CRA Mixed 8's - Jo Sticklee, Aly Cooper, Anne Salmon, Katie Martin, Mark Tomkins, Liz Bennett, Richard Ridgway, Guy Sticklee and cox Robin Chapman beating First and Third Trinity, Cambridge.
The Womens novice coxed quad and Mens Novice 1x lost out to Beccles in the final.
The Vet C Novice 4+ and Vet D 4+ both made it through to the semi-finals.
This was the final regatta race of the season that MIRC are entering. Now the club is starting to concentrate on the forthcoming winter head races. Starting with the Maidstone Small Boats Head on Sunday 4th October.
Laura Johnson
The winning crews were:
Women's Novice coxed 4's - Vicki Spencer, Emily Barrett, Rachel Rickwood, Liz Macham and cox Chloe Martin won against composite crew Peterborough/Newcastle
Vet C Novice 4+ - Bert Kleine-Dieters, Greg Snape, Bill Butler, Rob McManaway and cox Chloe Martin beat Sudbury's Vet B Novice crew
Mixed IM3 8+ - Jo Sticklee, Liz Macham, Rick Wood, Katie Martin, Mark Tomkins, Liz Bennett, Aly Cooper, Guy Sticklee and cox Robin Chapman beating X-Press, Cambridge
Mixed IM2 8+ raced in CRA Mixed 8's - Jo Sticklee, Aly Cooper, Anne Salmon, Katie Martin, Mark Tomkins, Liz Bennett, Richard Ridgway, Guy Sticklee and cox Robin Chapman beating First and Third Trinity, Cambridge.
The Womens novice coxed quad and Mens Novice 1x lost out to Beccles in the final.
The Vet C Novice 4+ and Vet D 4+ both made it through to the semi-finals.
This was the final regatta race of the season that MIRC are entering. Now the club is starting to concentrate on the forthcoming winter head races. Starting with the Maidstone Small Boats Head on Sunday 4th October.
Laura Johnson
