Marlow Town Regatta is the town’s biggest social event of the year, one of the biggest adaptive rowing competitions in the UK (if not the world), and featured the two biggest adaptive/pararowing clubs in the country – Marlow and Stratford-upon-Avon (bragging rights will have to be decided at the next competition as both squads scored 6 wins in the 14 races). The bright shining sun and the returning lively crowds (reduced last year to the weather-reduced competitor field) made for exceptionally exciting racing. The time-handicap racing made for some neck-and-neck finishes including Marlow’s junior Harry Taylor who just nipped Guildford’s veteran Chris Boys to overcome his 15 second handicap and pip Boys at the post.
The day also introduced new things as well. First of all, the event introduced a number of races in the “Adaptive/Pararowing” slot which were actually “Mixed Ability” (“MA” as opposed to “AR” or “PR” in the race designations). “Mixed Ability” refers to individuals rowing with impairments not included in the official Adaptive/Para classifications. Examples include learning disability, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, deafness, and epilepsy. The day also welcomed 7 athletes for their maiden race (and one athlete for whom it was their first competition since their secondary school days decades ago).
The highlights of the day were the two special cup challenges sponsored by local companies, the Chelton Cup (Men’s Pararowing) and the Fox Smith Cup (Women’s Pararowing), which this year were both fixed-seat competitions. The winners received the cup from Marlow legend Sir Steve Redgrave (see above).
Congratulations to all the winners…
- Sup J Ada 2x – Edward Owen-Smith and Aron Altman, Stratford-upon-Avon
- Sup Mx Ada 2x A – Gillian Middleton and Aron Altman, Stratford-upon-Avon
- Sup Ada Mx 2x B – Hattie Throssell and Jake Blatcher, Stratford-upon-Avon
- Sup Ada 2x A – Daniel Christian and Paul Roworth, City of Oxford
- Sup Ada 2x B – Ricky Clutterbuck and Jake Blatcher, Stratford-upon-Avon
- Sup Ada 2x C – Graham McClelland and Rory Whelan, Stratford-upon-Avon
- MA Sup Ada 2x A – Ian Ward and Paola Ward, Stratford-upon-Avon
- MA Sup Ada 2x B – Richard Jeremy and Bruce Lynn, Marlow
- Op Ada 1x A – Harry Taylor, Marlow
- Op MA 1x B – Aadam Majeed, Marlow
- W MA 1x – Helen Cooper, Marlow
- W PR1 1x Fox Smith Cup – Georgia Carmichael, Maidenhead
- PR1/2 (Chelton Cup) – Adam Hussain, Marlow
