Blenheim Palace Junior Regatta 2018

Blenheim Palace Junior Regatta, the second of two annual events run by Hinksey Sculling School, took place on Saturday 9th June this year. 

Over 400 competitors from 21 different schools and clubs entered this year's BPJR, and the race committee was ably assisted on the day by a team of almost 60 invaluable volunteers - parents, athletes and friends of HSS - to whom we are truly indebted. 

Unlike last year, when windy conditions forced us to cancel the multi-lane racing in favour of time trials, the weather gods were on our side on Saturday and the event took place on a beautiful sunny day with next to no wind. With this year's change from four lane racing down to three lanes, the regatta ran to time - something virtually unheard of in regattas that focus on younger novice athletes! Our group of 16 experienced and patient umpires worked tirelessly to catch up after any short delays and assisted the safety crews in retrieving boats and athletes when the inevitable capsizes happened.

Sixteen Hinksey athletes competed in eleven crews at BPJR - congratulations are due to all crews who raced down the course, particularly given that it was the first race for many of our competing athletes. Of the eleven crews, four progressed to the finals, winning medals for their efforts. Amelia Pearson brought home our only Gold in a closely contested final of the J12 Girls Single. As Hinksey’s youngest competitor, Hanmer Hanbury came charging home with a sprint finish to win silver in his final in the J11 Single. In the last race of the day Alexa Clover won Bronze in the J13 Girls Single. Bea Megaw experienced an eventful route to the final of her event: after an unlucky capsize at the start it looked like her day was over, but just before the finish line her competition also capsized meaning no one completed the course in her race. The umpires decided to to progress both girls to the final and, after going for another inadvertent swim on a such a fine day, Bea’s efforts were rewarded with a bronze medal. Eloise Porter placed second in the repechage of the WJ12 single, just missing out on progression to the final, while Rosalind Aumonier, Will Plucknett and Boe McCaughna all placed second in their heats. The WJ13 coxed quad (Lara Zahl, Claudia Bloom, Olivia Martin, Ada Kemp, Ailin Zhang) as well as the WJ13 double (Elizabeth O'Callaghan and Maria Allison) and Emily Myers in the WJ12 single all placed third in their heats. Fantastic achievements all round and we look forward to watching all of our BPJR competitors in their future racing careers.

 

Crews:

J12 Girls Single - Amelia Pearson, won heat, Gold in final. 
J11 Boys Single - Hanmer Hanbury, won his heat, silver in the final.
J13 Girls Single - Alexa Clover, won her heat, bronze in final.
J12 Girls Single - Bea Megaw, bronze in final.
J12 Girls Single - Eloise Porter, 2nd in heat, 2nd in rep.
J12 Girls Single - Rosalind Aumonier, 2nd in heat.
J13 Boys Single - Will Plucknett, 2nd in his heat.
J13 Boys Single - Boe McCaughna, 2nd in his heat.
J13 Girls Coxed Quad - Lara Zahl, Claudia Bloom, Olivia Martin Ada Kemp and Ailin Zhang, 3rd in heat.
J13 Girls Double - Elizabeth O’Callaghan and Maria Allison, 3rd in heat
J12 Girls Single - Emily Myers, 3rd in heat.