Tanks for the memory: Bewdley RC's novice winners with their winning tankards from Monmouth Regatta. Back row (left to right): Duncan Pratchett, Jon Brookes, Steve Price and Jack Barker. Centre: Beckie Perkins.

BEWDLEY RC enjoyed even more success in two events over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The club saw its members compete in the Monmouth Regatta on Saturday and Hereford City Regatta on Bank Holiday Monday.

On Saturday the club came away with five wins from Wales.

The novice four of Duncan Pratchett, Steve Price, Jon Brookes and Jack Barker, who were was coxed by Beckie Perkins, defeated their opponents in the first few rounds comfortably and overcame a crew from DeMontford University by one boat length to win their section.

In the senior four eight final Scott Mitchell, Dan Leedham-Green, Matt Thomas and Simon Thornycroft teamed up with the novice four to get the better of a boat from Landaff.

Jen Merchant and Laura Ray followed up their success at Shrewsbury with a win in the women's senior three double scull. The duo took advantage of a crew from Monmouth hitting a buoy to win the race.

Bewdley's Hadyn Hughes, Jem Rogers, Simon Collingridge and Mike Parker won the Veteran D coxless fours event, while Mick Edmonds clinched the veteran D single sculls section.

In Hereford two days later, Matt Collier and Matt Thomas won the senior three double sculls by beating the home team in the final.

The club is now focusing on the Pubs and Clubs regatta to be held on Saturday, which marks the opening of the Bewdley Carnival week.

This year has attracted a record number of crews to the event - with racing starting at 10am and continuing throughout the day.

The rowing club will be open all day for families, friends and supporters.

Kidderminster Shuttle, 15 May 2008

Bewdley RC members enjoyed a successful weekend at the Shrewsbury Regatta by recording four wins and a host of strong performances.

The club took a full trailer of boats, with some of the younger members racing in their first regatta.

In perfect conditions for rowing, competitors battled it out over 1000 metres on Saturday and 600m on Sunday.

The club's novice coxed four, consisting of junior members Will Keen-Tomlinson, Sam Smith, Mark Jinks and Yaroslav Hamblett, coxed by Sophie McGrath, overcame a draw of 13 crews from as far afield as Chester, Leicester and Guildford to win their race on the longer course.

Bewdley had to battle through four races before eventually beating Guildford RC in the final by one length and then, as tradition dictates, they were thrown into the River Severn by their fellow competitors.

On the shorter course the following day the novice men's senior squad also had success.

The eight-man crew made up of Scott Mitchell, Doz Hughes, Richard Crowther, Jack Barker, Duncan Pratchett, Steve Price, Jon Brookes, Matt Thomas and cox Lorna Pritchard beat local rivals Bridgnorth in their first race and then went onto defeat University of Chester RC by half a length in the final on Sunday.

The women's squad also had successes in the senior three pairs events on Saturday and Sunday.

Laura Ray, whose mother Sarah won at Evesham Regatta last weekend, and Jenny Merchant were successful in both their finals, beating King's School Worcester BC on the Saturday and University of London Women's BC the next day.

Kidderminster Shuttle, 8 May 2008

Oar-some ladies: Bewdley's veteran's novice quartet of Sarah Ray, Jane Wagstaff, Sonia Grinnall, Linda Withey and cox Jo Atkinson won their race at Evesham Regatta.

ROWING: Bewdley made a great start to the 2008 Regatta season with a fantastic win in Evesham on Sunday.

The West Midlands season traditionally starts with the Evesham Regatta and over 500 crews from all around the country travelled to the town to race side-by-side on the River Avon.

Bewdley's women's veteran novice four of Sarah Ray, Jane Wagstaff, Sonia Grinnall and Linda Withey, coxed by their coach Jo Atkinson, entered their first race as a crew.

The ladies had trained in an eight-man boat all winter and were disappointed when Evesham RC were unable to offer them any competition in their chosen race.

However, four of the crew decided that they still wanted to race and changed boats at the last minute to race in the coxed four event instead.

The change of boat did not unsettle them and they secured their first win and silverware together by overcoming Ross Rowing Club by one and three quarter lengths over the 500 metre course.

The awesome foursome will now be looking ahead to the National Veteran Championships, which are to be held in Nottingham in June.