Stratford Boat Club claim West Midlands series victory

STRATFORD Boat Club are celebrating after winning the West Midlands Explore Rowing Series on Sunday.

Eleven clubs from the region took part in the final afternoon regatta, with Stratford A and C crews claiming four wins to finish first ahead of Bewdley A.

The series was run from May until October and draws rowers from the Learn to Row Explore Rowing programme, which introduces adults to recreational rowing.

Stratford Boat Club ran Learn to Row Explore Rowing courses throughout the year and they plan to run more courses in spring 2017.

Nils Purser, Stratford Boat Club’s Explore Rowing squad organiser, said: “Stratford was honoured to be chosen to run the final Explore Rowing regatta and we were even more delighted to have won the day.

"Credit goes not only to Stratford’s Explore Rowing crews, but especially to the coaches who taught us to row and have helped us with the improvement we have made since our initial courses."

Stratford’s Explore Rowing crews were not the only crews to be on the water this last Sunday - the club’s senior squad represented Stratford at Gloucester Rowing Club’s Long Distance Autumn Head of the River race, while the junior and masters' squads took part in the club’s upstream time trials on the Avon.