On a soggy Saturday at Caldecotte Lake, Milton Keynes Rowing Club, ran the last summer regatta of the 2018 season. The course was 3 lanes and only 500 metres long. Apart from the drizzle the weather and conditions were good for racing.
The Nottingham Rowing Club Masters squad entered their Masters E four, Masters G four and a Masters F eight being the combination of the two fours. Unfortunately the Masters G did not have any competition but the F eight and the E four had opposition from Broxbourne Rowing Club and Loughborough Boat Club in both events. Broxbourne had also split their eight into two Masters D fours. The Masters E four’s semi final race was against one of these fours and being older they were given a handicap. However, they disposed of Broxbourne with relative easy and moved into the final to race the other half of the Broxbourne eight. They again won by more than the handicap allowed. This meant that the confidence was high for the eights race. Loughborough withdrew making it a straight final between Nottingham and Broxbourne. The Nottingham eight was only two athletes different from the eight that crashed into the opposition at Henley Masters Regatta, one of them being the cox! Again being the older crew by over 10 years per man the Nottingham crew were given a head start. They rowed down the course not going below 36 strokes per minute and again won by more than the original handicap. It reinforced the feeling the Henley Regatta had been an opportunity missed. The squad were pleased with their performances and it was fitting result for the end of the regatta season. Now it is back to the club to concentrate on the winter heads and training.