On the 23rd July, competitors from Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales came together at a sunny Royal Albert Dock in London, to compete in the 54th Home International Rowing Regatta. A total of nine athletes from ASRA were selected as part of the junior men’s and women’s sweep teams. The ASRA athletes headed south full of enthusiasm and confidence, following their recent successes at the British Junior Rowing Championships.

The girls JW4- of Freya Hughson, Rosie Wilson, Gemma Collins & Ella Brooks were racing together for a final time, before Rosie and Gemma head off to university later this summer. They began the day with a strong performance, pushing the English crew all the way to the line, to finish a close second. They then joined forces with girls from 3 other Scottish clubs to compete in the JW8+. They fought hard over the 2000m course; however they were again just pipped to the line by an excellent English crew.

It was then time for the boys JM4+ of Harris Pearce, Magnus Heidenreich, Murray Bone, Samuel Doherty & cox Samuel Cordiner to take to the water. The boys raced hard to earn a third place ahead of the Welsh. Still a relatively young crew, they couldn’t quite keep in touch with the blistering pace set by the more experienced English and Irish crews. Great experience however for next year, where they will undoubtedly come back stronger, wiser and faster. They boys also paired up with other Scottish athletes to race in the JM8+ where they took another well-earned third place.

The day’s racing culminated in a series of new sprint races, introduced for the first time at this year’s event. Despite some initial reservations, this new race format provided some fast and furious racing in both eights and quads. This was thoroughly enjoyed by many spectators, including a significant ASRA contingent, who had lined the length of the course to scream on the crews. Both the Boys and Girls eights powered their way down the course to finish a very close second behind the English. A great way to end a brilliant day, where the ASRA athletes did their country, ASRA and themselves proud.

Bring on next session!

Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association joined the best of the UK’s junior rowers at The English National Watersports Centre (Nottingham) last weekend for the 2022 British Rowing Junior Championships. The hot weather and intense competition turned the 2000m lake to a cauldron as crews progressed from Time Trials to a series of closely fought, side-by-side finals, ranked on their times. The ASRA crews raced strongly and recorded the following results to make them the most successful Scottish club at this premier event.

Gold Medals

• Open Junior 16 Coxed Four – Harris Pearce, Magnus Heidenreich, Gregor MacLeod & Magnus Lawson, coxed by Lily Arthur.
• Women’s Junior 18 Coxless Four – Freya Hughson, Rosie Wilson, Gemma Collins & Ella Brooks

Bronze Medals

• Women’s Junior 14 Single Sculls – Gabrielle Topp
• Open Junior 18 Coxless Four – Murray Bone, Sam Doherty, William Lawson & Christy Probart

Other notable performances

• Open Junior 14 Single Sculls – John Forbes – 1st in the D Final
• Open Junior 15 Single Sculls – Callum Sherwood – 2nd in the B Final
• Women’s Junior 16 Quadruple Sculls – Charlotte Arthur, Emily Simpson, Sophie Sinclair & Ella Johnston – 3rd in the B final
• Women’s Junior 16 Coxed Four – Maggie Seward, Tamara Brew, Isla Petty & Anna Donald, coxed by Erin Gibson – 6th in the A final
• Open Junior 16 Double Sculls – Callum Sherwood & Henrik Gundersen – 3rd in the D Final
• Women’s Junior 18 Coxless Pair – Freya Cummine & Sophia Brew – 4th in the B final

On Thursday 7th July , after an enforced break since 2019, the GB Rowing Team selected a full- strength team to race at the Olympic venue of Vaires sur Marne for the 40th edition of the GB v France J16 Match and following their outstanding performance at the GB J16 selection trials at Nottingham on the 26. June, ASRA ‘s J16 girls – Maggie Seward, Charlotte Arthur, Tamara Brew & Emily Simpson – were selected to form the eight along with Andrea Isla-Pujoi, Phoebe Williams, Steffi Brewer and Leah Farquharson from Surbiton High School.

On the day, despite their best efforts, the French eight proved too strong for the British composite, but, as Peter Sheppard, Deputy Director of Olympic Highways said:

“The GB v France J16 Match is the first step on British Rowing’s Olympic Performance Pathway and gives athletes the opportunity to represent their country and experience a pre-competition camp, team travel and international competition”

Congratulations to the girls and the ASRA coaching team.

From the 17th to the 19th June, 3 crews from the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association joined 2000 athletes from all over Britain and beyond to take part in the annual Henley Women’s Regatta, held on a 1500 metre course on the Thames from Temple Island to the Remenham Club.

All three crews emerged successfully from the time trials to take their place in the fierce side-by-side stages of the competition for the West End Amateur Rowing Association Trophy for Women’ Junior 16 Coxed Fours and the Groton School Challenge Cup for Women’s Junior 18 Coxed Fours.

Our Junior 16 girls – Teresa Brew, Emily Simpson, Charlotte Arthur and Maggie Seward, coxed by Sam Cordiner - were unfortunate to come up against one of the top seeded crews in the first round, but put up a tremendous fighting display against the girls of Headington School and only lost out to them in the end by a second in a photo finish.

Our Junior 18 Girls “B” crew- Sophia Brew, Ella Brooks, Freya Cummine , Gemma Collins, coxed by Rory Trythall - suffered a similar fate and were bettered in their first round by the very experienced local girls from Henley Rowing Club.

It was a rather different story however for our formidable Junior 18 “A” crew, where Rosie Wilson and Freya Hughson and cox Lily Arthur joined forces with our GB golden girls from Munich, Maisie Aspinall and Zoe Beeson. By virtue of their first place in the time trial they were awarded a bye into the quarter final, where they proved too strong for a feisty Clydesdale/ Molesey BC composite and in the semi-final they beat a strong four from Lady Eleanor Holles School by 2 ½ lengths to set up an all Scottish final against the National Rowing Academy select from Glasgow Academy, George Watson’s College, George Heriot’s School and St Andrew Boat Club. There they not only won by a handsome 4 ¾ lengths, but beat the course record for Junior Coxed Fours by two seconds to win in a time of 5 minutes and 20 seconds.

Aberdeen rowing cognoscenti will be aware this is in fact the second time that ASRA has won the prestigious Groton Challenge Cup. Back in the 2012 HWR final , Holly Reid – now ASRA’s Development Coach - crewed with Morven Shaw, Emily Geddes, Christie Duff and cox Charlotte Davie to beat the American girls from the Merion Mercy Academy to bring back the trophy to Aberdeen.

Another successful year at the 2022 Scottish Rowing Championships has come and gone for ASRA with plenty of gold and silver medals collected across the two days. ASRA won ten golds and nine silvers over the weekend with some outstanding performances across the board! One notable and particularly exciting event was the women’s pairs where ASRA athletes won gold and silver in Women’s Junior 18 Pairs, silver in Women’s Junior 16 pairs, and then also made it a double by winning gold in Women’s Open Pairs by just 0.03 seconds over Edinburgh University. Another notable performance was from Callum Sherwood in his OJ15 1x who has been taking every opportunity to get out in his single over study leave and his hard work paid off in gold. Victories come in all shapes and sizes, however, and a special mention has to go to Lottie Meekins and Grace Watt who raced some fantastic races in their singles, despite only having been out in a single once before!

Massive thank you to all the drivers and parent helpers that make sure that we can get to and from regattas, and keep kids (and coaches!) sun-creamed up, hydrated and fed! Well done to all the athletes that raced at the weekend, a lot of hard fought and well-deserved medals! Full list of medals below:

GOLD:

• WJ18 8+ (Sophia Brew, Ella Brooks, Freya Cummine, Gemma Collins, Rosie Wilson, Freya Hughson, Maisie Aspinall, Zoe Beeson, cox Lily Arthur
• OJ18 8+ (Christy Probart, Gregor Macleod, Harris Pearce, Magnus Heidenreich, Magnus Lawson, William Lawson, Sam Doherty, Murray Bone, cox Sam Cordiner)
• WJ18 4- (Rosie Wilson, Freya Hughson, Maisie Aspinall, Zoe Beeson)
• WJ18 4+ (Rosie Wilson, Freya Hughson, Maisie Aspinall, Zoe Beeson, cox Lily Arthur)
• WJ18 2- (Maisie Aspinall, Zoe Beeson)
• WO 2- (Maisie Aspinall, Zoe Beeson)
• WJ16 4- (Maggie Seward, Tamara Brew, Emily Simpson, Charlotte Arthur)
• OJ16 2- (Harris Pearce, Magnus Heidenreich)
• OJ15 1x (Callum Sherwood)
• WJ15 1x (Gabrielle Topp)

SILVER/SECOND:

• OJ15 2x (Callum Sherwood, Jack Winton)
• WJ18 2- (Rosie Wilson, Freya Hughson)
• WJ16 2- (Charlotte Arthur, Emily Simpson)
• WJ14 1x (Gabrielle Topp)
• OJ14 4x+ (John Forbes, Rory Trythall, Iain Petty, Luke McMorris, cox Ella Johnson)
• OJ15 4x+ (Callum Sherwood, Jack Winton, Mackenzie Reid, John Forbes, cox Rory Trythall)
• WJ16 4+ (Maggie Seward, Charlotte Arthur, Tamara Brew, Emily Simpson, cox Rory Trythall)
• OJ18 4- (Murray Bone, Sam Doherty, William Lawson, Christy Probart)

At the prestigious annual National Schools Regatta on the Olympic course at Dorney Lake, Eton, on the 28th & 29th May, 5 crews from the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association joined 5000 of Great Britain’s best young rowers to compete for national titles. All five crews reached their respective “A “ finals , three reached the medal podium and the remaining two missed out on medals by under a second.

ASRA’s top girls, Zoe Beeson and Maisie Aspinall, fresh from their GB triumphs at Munich and Varese, simply blew the rest of the field away to bring home gold and the Leander Cup for championship girls’ coxless pairs for a second year in succession and our J16 boys - Harris Pearce, Magnus Heidenreich, Gregor MacLeod & Magnus Lawson, coxed by Samuel Cordiner – successfully fought off the close attention of Hinksey Sculling School and Hampton Boat Club in a nail-biting finish to snatch gold and the Arundel Cup for Aberdeen.

Not to be outdone, our J16 girls’ eight in the club’s first ever final in this event at the National Schools Regatta - Margaret Seward, Emily Simpson, Charlotte Arthur, Tamara Brew, Sophie Sinclair, Penny Irvine, Anna Donald & Isla Petty, coxed by Erin Gibson – showed almost unbelievable levels of fitness and determination to move through the field from sixth place after the first 500 metres to take bronze on the line ahead of Surbiton High School Boat Club. Gold and silver went to the seasoned local campaigners from Henley Rowing Club and St Paul’s Girls’ School Boat Club.

Commiserations have to go to our J18 girls - Freya Hughson, Rosie Wilson, Gemma Collins and Ella Brooks, coxed by Lily Arthur - who came agonizingly close to bronze, missing out in the end by .13 of a second to King’s School Chester and our J18 boys in the Championship Coxless fours event - Murray Bone, Samuel Doherty, William Lawson & Christie Probart – who again looked until the last few strokes of the race as if they had done enough to medal, only to lose out on the line to Westminster School Boat Club.

The first North East Regatta after two years of restrictions proudly took place on the river Dee on the 14th May 2022. ASRA were dominant on their home water, with a winning total of 103 points collected.

Not only did ASRA show strength in sweep events, but also sculling with four wins in single sculls from: Topp, Bone, Aspinall and Petty.

It was good to see established crews such as the boy’s fours and J18 pairs taking the win. J16 girls pairs also secured a couple of golds, trying out different combinations to gel together in preparation for racing their 8+. However, exciting to note are the rising juniors getting great racing experience. Winton and Sheerwood won in their double, proving a useful stepping stone for Scottish Championships where they secured a silver. Both boys and girls J14 quads won novice coxed quads, showing the depth in the up-and-coming ASRA squad.

All in all, a successful weekend, fuelled by many macaroni pies and some sunshine. 

NER22 Winner Names

At the 2022 Munich International Junior Regatta held on the Oberschleissheim Olympic rowing course on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th of May, Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association athletes Zoe Beeson and Maisie Aspinall both struck gold twice as members of the GB Under 19 rowing squad.

On Saturday in the A Final of the Junior Women’s Coxless Fours event, the GB Four - Annalisa Janss Lafond (Tideway Scullers) , Alice Baker(Kings School Worcester), Amy Newton (George Heriots School) and Maisie Aspinall (ASRA) fought their way to gold against top composites from all over Germany and eastern Europe and in the A Final of the Junior Women’s Coxless pairs event, Issie Magee (Headington School) and Zoe Beeson (ASRA) were unstoppable as they took gold for GB again by a margin of 13 seconds over their nearest German rivals.

On Sunday, GB rang the changes in their Women’s Coxless Four and the rerigged crew with Maisie Aspinall (ASRA), Amy Newton(George Heriots School), Issie Magee (Headington School) and Zoe Beeson (ASRA) in stroke seat demolished all comers in the A final of the event , crossing the finish line a massive 15 seconds ahead of their closest challengers.

In recognition of these outstanding performances, Zoe and Maisie have been selected to row for GB in the U19 Women’s Coxless Pairs event in the upcoming European U19 Rowing Championships on 21/22 May in Varese.

The Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association attended the Scottish Rowing Spring Regatta on 23 & 24 April at Strathclyde Park, Motherwell, competing against crews from across Scotland, the North of England and Northern Ireland.  Sunny weather was accompanied by a strong cross wind and choppy water -  challenging conditions for the athletes but there were plenty of strong performances as the club took part in their first open regatta of the season.

Gold medals were won in the following races:

• Women’s Junior 18 coxless pairs – Freya Hughson & Rosie Wilson.
• Women’s Junior 18 coxed fours – Freya Hughson, Rosie Wilson, Gemma Collins & Sophia Brew, coxed by Rory Trythall.
• Open Junior 18 coxed eights – Harris Pearce, Sam Doherty, Murray Bone, William Lawson, Christy Probart, Gregor Macleod, Henrik Gundersen & Callum Sherwood, coxed by Lily Arthur.
• Open Junior 18 coxless fours – Murray Bone, Sam Doherty, William Lawson & Christy Probart.
• Open Junior coxed fours – Harris Pearce, Magnus Heidenreich, Gregor Macleod & Magnus Lawson, coxed by Lily Arthur.
• Open Junior 18 coxless pairs – Sam Doherty & Murray Bone
• Open Junior 16 coxless pairs – Magnus Heidenreich & Harris Pearce
• Open Junior 15 double sculls – Callum Sherwood & Jack Winton.
• Open Junior 15 single sculls – Callum Sherwood.

Silver medals were awarded to:

• Open Junior 15 coxed quadruple sculls – Callum Sherwood, Lily Arthur, Jack Winton & Gabrielle Topp, coxed by Mackenzie Reid.
• Women’s Junior 14 single sculls – Gabrielle Topp

On the 19th and 20th of March Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association hosted The Bob Neill Scottish Schools Head of the River on our home waters here on the Dee. It was a successful weekend with one hundred school children from across Scotland competing for their schools and clubs. ASRA walked away with a fantastic eighteen victories out of the twenty-eight titles competed for across the weekend, securing the Scottish Junior Club Team trophies in both sweeping and sculling. George Watson’s College took eight victories home to Edinburgh and The Glasgow Academy took home two. The ASRA winners were as follows:

Saturday Division 1

• OJ18 4+ Murray Bone, Sam Doherty, Christy Probart, William Lawson, cox: Sam Cordiner
• WJ18 4+ Rosie Wilson, Zoe Beeson, Maisie Aspinall, Freya Hughson, cox: Mackenzie Reid
• WJ16 4+ Charlotte Arthur, Emily Simpson, Sophie Sinclair, Anna Donald, cox: Ella Johnston
• WJ14 4x+ Grace Watt, Gabrielle Topp, Lily Arthur, Molly H (GWC), cox: Anna Taylor

Saturday Division 2

• OJ16 4x Harris Pearce, Magnus Lawson, Magnus Heidenreich, Gregor MacLeod
• OJ18 2x Murray Bone, Sam Doherty
• OJ15 2x Callum Sherwood, Jack Winton
• WJ18 4x Gemma Collins, Freya Cummine, Sophia Brew, Ella Brooks
• WJ18 2- Maisie Aspinall, Zoe Beeson
• WJ16 2x Maggie Seward, Sophie Sinclair

Sunday Division 1

• OJ18 4x Murray Bone, Sam Doherty, William Lawson, Christy Probart
• OJ16 2x Magnus Heidenreich, Harris Pearce
• WJ18 1x Maisie Aspinall
• W J14 1x Gabrielle Topp

Sunday Division 2

• WJ16 4x Emily Simpson, Charlotte Arthur, Sophie Sinclair, Maggie Seward
• OJ18 1x Murray Bone
• OJ16 1x Magnus Heidenreich
• OJ15 1x Callum Sherwood

Despite the lack of outside junior competition at Aberdeen Head of the River Race ASRA put up a tough fight against senior competition to win a fantastic fourteen gold medals across the weekend. The eights racing on Saturday provided valuable practice to all three of the ASRA eights that are going on to race at the British Schools Head of the River on the 14th March on the Thames in London. Well done to all competitors across the two days, and see all of the weekend’s winners below:

Saturday

• WNov8+ (Isla, Penny, Tamara, Sophie, Anna, Maggie, Emily, Sophie, cox: Luke)
• O8+ (Sam C, Gregor, Henrik, Callum, Magnus L, Murray, Sam D, Harris, cox: Lily)
• WJ18 8+ (Ella J, Ella B, Freya C, Gemma, Rosie, Zoe, Maisie, Freya H, cox: Jack)

Sunday

• WJ18 2- (Maisie & Zoe)
• OJ18 1x (Murray)
• OJ16 2- (Harris & Magnus L)
• WJ16 1x (Charlotte)
• OJ18 2- (Murray & Sam D) 
• WO 1x (Maisie)
• OJ16 1x (Callum)
• WR2 2- (Gemma & Sophia)
• WJ18 1x (Freya H)
• WJ16 2- (Maggie & Anna)
• OJ14 2x (Iain & Rory)

Aberdeen Schools Rowing Success at International Event - Scottish Rowing Indoor Championships

On Saturday 21^st January athletes from Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association faced off against tough competition from around the world. The club came away with several podium places for individual age group events and four team wins. Gabrielle Topp cinched the Women’s Junior 14 category win with an impressive 1078m in four minutes, narrowly defeating an athlete from Ringsten RC in Denmark in a very exciting battle for the line. Magnus Heidenriech won the Open Junior 16 2km event, by an impressive seven seconds, over the second placed athlete from George Watson’s College in Edinburgh. 

In the team races ASRA came away with a clean sweep of gold medals in the Junior 16 and Junior 18 categories. The Women’s Junior 16 team of Penny Irvine, Sophie Sinclair, Maggie Seward and Charlotte Arthur even broke their event record! The victorious Open Junior 16 team included Magnus Heidenreich, Magnus Lawson, Harris Pearce and Gregor Macleod. Murray Bone, Alex Fowler, William Lawson and Sam Doherty won the Open Junior 18 team event and Maisie Aspinall, Zoe Beeson, Freya Hughson and Rosie Wilson won the Women’s Junior 18 event.

The other podium-placing ASRA athletes of the day were:

• Silver OJ15 – Callum Sherwood
• Silver WJ16 – Sophie Sinclair
• Bronze WJ12 - Katherine Taylor
• Bronze WJ13 – Lottie Meakins
• Bronze OJ18 – Murray Bone
• Bronze WJ16 – Maggie Seward

On the Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st November 18 ASRA athletes took part in the Inverness Fours and Small Boats Heads on the Caledonian Canal.

Some very tough and close racing against the best of Scotland’s rowing juniors saw the club take home four gold medals:

• Men’s Junior18 Coxless Pairs: Alex Fowler & William Lawson
• Women’s Novice Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Lily Arthur, Penny Irvine, Gabrielle Topp & Erin Gibson, coxed by Iain Petty
• Men’s Junior 16 Single Sculls: Magnus Heidenreich
• Women’s Junior 15 Single Sculls: Gabrielle Topp

Meanwhile on Saturday, down at the Early ID Sculling Trials in Boston, Lincolnshire, ASRA’s sweep pair stars, Zoe Beeson and Maisie Aspinall, opened up their challenge for places in this year’s GB quad by coming in 20th and 22nd respectively in a field of 120.

On Saturday 6th November, despite the stormy weather conditions, ASRA put forward a large team of competitors to race at the local Aberdeen Fours Head of the River. There was a strong field from across Scotland but ASRA managed to cinch a few victories on the day:

Division 1:

• OJ16 4+ Harris Pearce, Magnus Heidenreich, Magnus Lawson, and Gregor McLeod, coxed by Iain Petty
• WJ18 4+ Zoe Beeson, Maisie Aspinall, Freya Hughson, and Ella Brooks, coxed by Lily Arthur

Division 2:

• OJ18 4+ Murray Bone, Alex Fowler, Sam Doherty, and William Lawson, coxed by Sam Cordiner
• WJ18 4- Zoe Beeson, Maisie Aspinall, Freya Hughson, and Sophia Brew
• WJ16 4+ Emily Simpson, Charlotte Arthur, Sophie Sinclair and Tamara Brew, coxed by Erin Gibson

Unfortunately, due to the weather conditions, the Small Boats HOR on Sunday 7th November was cancelled, but ASRA, of course, replaced it with a similarly gruelling session indoors. Well done to all of the athletes who competed! 

On Saturday 16 October, Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association (ASRA) competed in the Tyne Long Distance Sculls and Tyne United Small Boats Head –time trials rowed over the 4500m course between Blaydon and Newburn, west of Newcastle Upon Tyne.

An early morning conversation with our hosts at Tyne Rowing Club about The Battle of Newburn Ford, was remarkably prescient as the athletes of ASRA demonstrated the skills, strength and determination necessary to dominate their coevals from the North East of England. On the day, ASRA’s twenty-two athletes came away with a fantastic ten wins out of the eleven categories they raced in.

Tyne LDS

• Winners of Open Junior 16 Double Sculls – Magnus Heidenreich & Harris Pearce
• Winners of Women’s Junior 17 Quadruple Sculls – Ella Brooks, Freya Cummine, Gemma Collins & Gabrielle Topp
• Winners of Women’s Junior 16 Quadruple Sculls – Isla Petty, Sophie Sinclair, Anna Donald & Maggie Seward
• Winner of Open Junior 18 Single Sculls – Alex Fowler
• Winner of Women’s Junior 18 Single Sculls – Maisie Aspinall
• Winner of Women’s Junior 17 Single Sculls – Zoe Beeson

Tyne United SBH

• Winners of Women’s Fours – Freya Hughson, Maisie Aspinall, Zoe Beeson & Sophia Brew
• Winners of Open Junior 18 Pairs – Alex Fowler & Murray Bone
• Winners of Open Junior 16 Coxed Quadruple Sculls – Callum Sherwood, Jack Winton, Gabrielle Topp, Mackenzie Reid & Ian Petty (cox)
• Winners of Women’s Junior 16 Double Sculls – Maggie Seward & Sophie Sinclair

With such a successful start to the season, ASRA will knuckle down to training with renewed enthusiasm and look forward to their next races… Aberdeen Head (6/7 Nov) and Inverness Head (20/21 Nov).

On 22nd August 2021, the Inter Schools Regatta took place on the river Dee, more commonly known as the ‘Henley of the North.’

Eight school crews competed on the traditional 200 metre stretch from ABC to the ASRA boathouse. Aberdeen Grammar School were the strong favourites with the J18 Boys 4- in the crew, fresh from their silver medal at National Schools. However, they weren’t without competition , namely the well-established Albyn School. Albyn FP’s include Sam Kelso, Conrad Forbes, Robert Powell and the Beeson brothers. With previous Inter Schools’ wins under both Grammar and Albyn belts, the competition was on.

There were many exciting races during the day, which was atypically warm and sunny and for the first time in a while, crowds were able to gather and cheer on the quads. Live commentary was also provided by ASRA athletes to give a unique insight into the crews racing and this was paired with a magnificent barbecue and spread provided by our parents and coaches.

After a competitive afternoon of back-to-back races, the final arrived consisting of race-off between Albyn Green and AGS. Nerves were high, and an adrenaline fuelled sprint saw the “green team” cross the line in first place, to claim the Elliott Cup for Albyn School. .

Meanwhile, the Inter Schools Trophy (the beginners’ trophy) was awarded to Tamara Brew, Henrik Gundersen, Louisa Benson and Grace Watt for what was an outstanding start to their rowing careers at ASRA.

Finalist Zoe Beeson from Albyn Green commented: ‘Looking back, winning the hardest competition of the year ( against our own ASRA team-mates) was a great way to end the season.’

Will the rivalry continue? Or will the new influx from schools across Aberdeenshire and City such as Cults Academy, Portlethen and Kemnay create a new spectacle in August 2022?

A group of our younger and less experienced athletes, who weren’t racing at the British Junior Championships, travelled to Glasgow to represent ASRA at the Scottish Rowing ‘Lochdown Regatta’ on July 24th. There were a lot of strong performances at a well attended regatta, with some standout racing from the J14s and J15s, showing that we have very promising athletes coming through the club. Full results below and well done to everyone who competed!

• 🥇 GOLD OJ15 4x+ (Gregor M, Harris P, Magnus H, Magnus L and Sam C)
• 🥇 GOLD OJ14 4x+ (Harry M, Jack W, Mackenzie R, Calum S )
• 🥇 GOLD OJ15 2x (Magnus L, Magnus H)
• 🥇 GOLD OJ15 1x (Magnus H)

• 🥇 GOLD WJ15 2x (Emily S, Sophie S)
• 🥇 GOLD WJ15 4x+ (Ella J, Emily S, Isla P, Sophie S )

• 2nd ONov4x+ (Gemma C, Kate G, Rosie W, Tegan J )

• 2nd WJ14 2x (Gabrielle T, Lily A)
• 2nd WJ15 2x (Isla P, Penny I)
• 3rd WNov 2x (Freya C, Gemma C)
• 4th WNov 2x (Kate G, Tegan J)

• 2nd WJ15 1x (Emily S)
• 3rd WJ15 1x (Sophie S)
• 5th WJ15 1x (Isla P)
• 6th WJ15 1x (Ella J)
• 7th WJ15 1x (Penny I)
• 2nd WJ14 1x (Gabrielle T)

• 2nd ONov4+ (Magnus H, Dom R, Gregor M, Magnus L)

• 4th OJ15 2x (Gregor M, Sam C)
• 2nd OJ14 2x (Calum S, Jack W)
• 3rd OJ14 2x (Harry M, Mackenzie R)

• 3rd OJ15 1x (Magnus L)
• 4th OJ15 1x (Gregor M)
• 5th OJ15 1x (Sam C)
• 3rd OJ14 1x (Calum S)
• 4th OJ15 1x (Jack W)
• 5th OJ15 1x (Harry M)
• 6th OJ15 1x (Mackenzie R)

• WJ15 2x: B Final 1st place
• OJ15 1x: B Final 2nd place
• OJ16 2x: B Final 3rd place
• WJ18 2- 🥈 
• WJ18 8+ Composite🥈 
• OJ18 1x: H Final
• OJ18 2-: A Final 5th Place
• OJ18 4-(A): A Final 5th Place
• OJ18 4-(B): B Final 2nd Place
• OJ18 8+: B Final 1st Place

Over the weekend of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of July ASRA competed in the Junior Women's Coxed Fours event for the Groton School Challenge Cup, at the Henley Women’s Regatta. The crew consisted of Freya Hughson (J16), Zoe Beeson (J16), Maisie Aspinall (J17) and Sophia Brew (J17), coxed by Isla Petty (J15)  and even though the Covid-19 restrictions in place meant that the event was missing its usual contingent of overseas crews, the standard of the event was as high as ever with tough competition across the field. Our ASRA girls put in a highly competitive performance in the Time Trial to come 4th out of the 17 crews entered and that allowed them a bye through to the first round on Saturday afternoon and straight into the second round. The girls then made it through to the semi-finals on Sunday where they came up against formidable competition from The Glasgow Academy, the eventual winners of the event, and unfortunately lost out by only two lengths to be knocked out of the competition. Making it to the semi-finals of Henley Women’s Regatta is no small achievement, a fantastic effort  and well done to all of the girls!

At Scottish Rowing’s Junior Summer Regatta held at the National Rowing Centre, Strathclyde Park on Saturday 5^thJune, athletes from the Aberdeen Schools’ Rowing Association, brushed aside the effects of a punishing racing schedule down at the National Schools and Scullery Regattas at Dorney Lake, Eton, just last weekend and put in a series of outstanding performances against the best of Scotland’s junior rowers to win a total of 6 gold and 3 silver medals.

Gold:

• Women’s Junior 15 Quadruple Sculls: Charlotte Arthur, Maggie Seward, Sophie Sinclair & Emily Simpson, coxed by Erin Gibson
• Women’s Junior 15 Double Sculls: Maggie Seward & Emily Simpson
• Men’s Junior  15 Quadruple Sculls: Magnus Heidenreich, Gregor Macleod, Magnus Lawson & Harris Pearce , coxed by Sam Cordiner
• Women’s Junior 16 Single Sculls: Zoe Beeson
• Men’s Junior 16 Doubles: Murray Bone & Sam Doherty
• Men’s Junior 18 Single Sculls: Matthew Hughson

Silver: 

• Women’s Junior 14 Double Sculls: Lily Arthur & Gabrielle Topp
• Women’s Junior 15 Double Sculls: Charlotte Arthur & Sophie Sinclair
• Women’s Junior 18 Coxless Fours: Freya Hughson, Maisie Aspinall, Zoe Beeson & Sophia Brew

Grateful thanks to all the parents who stepped in to ferry our troops to the event when our new minibus lost power enroute and had to be returned to the boathouse.

A selection of photos from the day are available to view in the Photo Gallery