Newark Rowing Club junior squads compete at National Schools’ Regatta, Dorney Lake, Windsor, over May Bank Holiday weekend. The club competed in Championship and J16 events, walking away with a top 20 finish in respective events, plus 3rd place in Championship Girls double sculls.
May Bank Holiday weekend saw Newark Rowing Club history with the first Championship girls boat to ever medal at the National Schools’ Regatta. 17 years old Connie Ferrer and Neve Woodman, racing for the Crockford Bowl, Championship Girls double sculls, qualified for the A-final after finishing 4th overall in the morning’s time trial. The 2,000m final saw tough competition from Hartpury College and Peterborough City with Newark sitting in 6th place for the first half of the race. However, Ferrer and Woodman moved through the other crews, fighting for bronze medal position during the final 1,000m. The girls beat Hartpury College to 3rd place by 2 seconds.
The Club had further entries in Championship Girls quads, Championship Boys single sculls, J16 Boys quads, and J16 Girls quads which some events saw 2nd boats. Each event saw strong competition from independent schools with strong rowing programmes and funding, however, Newark Rowing Club rowed well to finish top 20 across all of their events.




“National Schools’ Regatta is one of the biggest events in the calendar for our junior squad,” comments Head Coach, Ashley Cowley. “The junior squad has had a tough year with training due to lockdowns but it is such a pleasure to be able to get back to racing. To bring home results like we did this weekend, makes all the hard training miles worth it. This is just the start for Newark Rowing Club’s 2020/21 season and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds.”
National Schools’ Regatta was the first event of the 2020/21 season for Newark Rowing Club’s junior squad, and it is one of the biggest events in the race calendar. The event draws in more than 1,000 competitors from up and down the country to showcase the best of junior rowing.