Rowers extend championship lead

Four wins at the Herne Bay Regatta on Saturday saw Bexhill increase their advantage over nearest rivals Deal with just three events remaining.

The day also saw two Bexhill crews, the men’s senior four and vets 50+, clinch their respective championships.

The club’s first win came in the men’s novice sculls as a fantastic row by Martin Matt earned him his first win in this category. Team-mate Will Knapp finished fifth.

The vet 50+ crew of Dave Jones, Mark Cowling, Clive Bingham and Andy Wilson gained Bexhill’s second victory of the day, and they toasted their efforts with the customary championship bubbly on their return to the shore.

This scene was repeated when Mark Mitchell, Doug Holdaway, Matt Hellier and Kieran Cahill claimed their championship with victory in the men’s senior fours.

The fourth and final victory of the day came in the men’s senior pairs with Mitchell and Cahill taking first, followed by Ashley Cahill and Greg Anderson in second, and Hellier and Holdaway in fourth.

Bexhill gained more points with second places for the J16 quad of Adam Baker, Toby and Max Golledge and Tom Gooch, the ladies’ senior four of Katie Skelton, Maisie Hill, Rachel Holdaway and Claire Cahill, and the vet 40+ crew of Andy Strevans, Bingham, and Matt and Mark Mitchell.

Third places were achieved by the ladies’ junior four, the J14 quad and girls’ J16 quad. The vet 40+ B crew, men’s junior pair and ladies’ senior pair came fourth, while the men’s junior senior four, ladies’ junior pair and men’s junior four all finished fifth.