On Saturday 19 August, ASRA athletes joined in the fun of the Aberdeen Sprint Regatta.

Competing against two other ASRA crews, the winners of the Open Novice Coxed Quadruple Sculls were the crew of Archie Innes, William Bricknell, Connor Kennedy and Harris Pearce, coxed by Skye Ballance.

In a straight final between two ASRA crews, Seth Turner and Sam Kelso triumphed in the Open Restricted 1 Double Sculls.

In the Women’s Novice Coxed Four, ASRA’s Skye Ballance, Steph Low, Meg Lewis and Iona Adams, coxed by Cheyanne Taylor won an exciting semi-final against one Aberdeen Boat Club crew before succumbing to a second ABC crew in the final.

In Open Restricted 2 Single Sculls, our best placed athlete was the runner up Theo Stott. Theo had beaten Sam Kelso in the semi-final but lost to ABC’s Thomas Little who had already despatched Josh Berrie and Seth Turner en-route to victory.

ASRA athletes flooded the Open Novice Single Sculls with a field of 13 and provided what was arguably the most entertaining series of racing of the day. The deserving victor was Oscar Forbes who held on for tight “canvas” wins in his semi-final against Scott Lewis and in the final against Michel Dearsley. Well done to all who took part in these races – a couple of whom had literally only been out in a single one or two times but were up for the challenge of taking part.

The ASRA crew of Skye Ballance, Steph Low, Iona Adams and Cheyanne Taylor were runners up in the Women’s Coxed Quadruple Sculls.

Sam Kelso and Conrad Forbes steered an interesting line, but a straighter one than their opponents Seth Turner and Theo Stott to win the closest race of the day; 2 feet the winning margin in Open Restricted 2 Pairs.

The winners of a six crew field in Open Junior 14 Double Sculls were Ashley Geddes and Archie Innes.

Not to be outdone by our Novice Men, a total of nine entries were made in Women’s Novice Single Sculls from ASRA, ABC and Inverness. Skye Ballance sculled her socks off to win her three races and the gold medal. Again, well done to all our entrants in this event.

At this year’s Home International Regatta, hosted by England on the 22^nd July at Strathclyde Park, Abigail (15) and Megan (16) , as the Scottish select in  Women’s Junior Pairs , and Seth Turner (15),  Conrad Forbes (17) Theo Stott (17) and Aidan  Graham (16), with cox Emily Murdoch, in Men’s Junior Coxed Fours, did ASRA proud as always , but found the going predictably hard against opposition in almost every case one or two years above their own age level. It was of course a particularly savage reality check for Abigail, Megan, Seth and Aidan, who had medalled so outstandingly in J16 events at the British Junior Rowing Championships at Nottingham just a week earlier.

There is however consolation in the fact that all of this year’s Scottish caps are eligible to do it all again in 2018 and we have every reason to believe that some, if not all of them, given their present level of commitment, can equal, if not surpass, ASRA’s HIR successes of the past.   

Just a week later, at the annual Coupe de la Jeunesse Regatta, held this year in Hazewinkel, Belgium, on the 29^th and 30^th July, in which 13 European nations took part, our ASRA boys - not to be outdone by the girls’ J16 GB v France success -  won  yet another gold medal in a GB vest  - this time at J18 level. Miles Beeson and Robert Powell, having taken bronze in the “A” final of Men’s Junior Eights on the Saturday, snatched gold in a time of 5.56.78 in the same event the following day, pushing Switzerland with a time of 5.57.37 into second place and Saturday’s gold medallists, the Czech Republic, into third. The last time a Coupe medal went to an ASRA rower was back in 2000 in Switzerland , when David McNeill won bronze in the Pairs event.

At the British Rowing Junior Championships on the 14th, 15th and 16th July, at the English National Water Sports Centre, Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, 6 ASRA crews reached the A Finals of the 7 events entered and three of them made it to the medal podium.

Pride of place must go this year to our J16 Girls’ Pair – Abigail Topp & Megan Hewison - , who, having won gold in the GB v France Match at London’s Docklands the previous weekend, trounced all-comers to strike a brilliant gold once again in the Women’s Junior 16 Coxless Pairs event.

Just one hour later they joined club mates – Ellie Andrew, Megan Lewis & cox Emily Murdoch – to win silver in the final of Women’s Junior 16 Coxed Fours.

Not to be outdone, our Junior 16 boys – Aidan Graham, Sam Kelso, Daniel Lynch and Daniel Skinner, coxed by Laura Barraclough - took a hard-fought silver in the final of the Men’s Junior 16 Coxed Fours, with their J15 clubmates – Seth Turner, Christos Bardas, Alexander Beeson & Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Skye Ballance - just missing out on bronze in the same event.

ASRA’s J14 B crew - William Bricknall, Scott Lewis, Oscar Forbes & Ben Milne, coxed by Skye Ballance - came 6th in the final of the Men’s Junior 14 Coxed Quadruple Sculls event - from an original entry of 28 crews - and our ASRA development Eight (Sam Kelso (16), Christos Bardas (15), Theo Stott (17), Daniel Skinner(16), Daniel Lynch (16), Seth Turner(15), Aidan Graham (16) & Conrad Forbes (17), coxed by Emily Murdoch) came a highly respectable 5th in the final of Men’s Junior 18 Eights.

Next weekend at the annual Home Countries International Regatta, hosted this year by England at Strathclyde Park, Motherwell, Abigail Topp and Megan Hewison have been chosen to represent Scotland in the Women’s Junior Pairs and the Women’s Junior Eights events and Seth Turner, Conrad Forbes, Theo Stott & Aidan Graham, coxed by Emily Murdoch, will represent Scotland in the Mens’ Junior Coxed Fours event.

At the Scottish Rowing Championships held at the Scottish National Rowing Centre, Strathclyde Park, Motherwell from Friday 9th to Sunday 11 June, ASRA crews won 8 gold and 5 silver medals. A magnificent achievement given the lack of opposition in ASRA’s preferred sweep events and the gusting side winds at the start which made attachment a nightmare for less experienced crews.

Gold

• Men’s Junior 18 Coxed Fours: Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell & Theo Stott, coxed by Emily Murdoch
• Men’s Junior 18 Coxless Pairs: Miles Beeson & Robert Powell
• Men’s Junior 16 Coxless Pairs: Seth Turner & Aidan Graham
• Women’s Junior 16 Coxless Pairs; Abigail Topp & Megan Hewison
• Men’s J15 Double Sculls : Seth Turner & Jakub Zbikowski
• Men’s J14 Double Sculls: Harris MacDonald & Matthew Hughson
• Wylie Cup (First year of Rowing): Michel Dearsley, Scott Lewis, Josh Berrie & Ben Milne, coxed by Stephany Low
• Men’s Open Novice Eights: Jan Barraclough, Josh Berrie, Xander Beeson, Oscar Forbes, Matthew Hughson, Ashley Geddes, Archie Innes & Connor Kennedy, coxed by Ben Milne

Silver

• Men’s Junior 18 Coxed Fours: Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Xander Beeson & Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Harris MacDonald
• Women’s J16 Double Sculls: Abigail Topp & Megan Hewison
• Men’s J15 Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Xander Beeson & Jakub Zbiikowski, coxed by Laura Barraclough
• Men’s J14 Double Sculls: Ashley Geddes & Archie Innes
• Men’s J13 Single Sculls: Ben Milne

Many thanks to the many parents who helped out either at the Champs in one capacity or another or with transport in getting us there and back. We cannot do it without you.

Mariner’s Cup Win for Aberdeen

Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association have just returned from Dorney Lake – the 2012 Olympic rowing venue – after competing in the 2017 National Schools Regatta. In the premier junior regatta of the UK season, with over 5000 competitors, ASRA returned with an excellent haul of a gold medal and two bronze medals.

On Friday 26. May, ASRA boys Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Alexander Beeson and Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Michael McCrory grabbed an impressive bronze medal in the Junior 15 Coxed Quadruple Sculls. After a time trial and semi- finals, the field of 44 crews was reduced six. In the final, a length down from the winners, Henley Rowing Club, the boys had a tremendous tussle with two other crews; eventually finishing a metre behind 2nd place and the same ahead of 4th place.

On Saturday 27.May, the same crew of Seth, Chris, Alexander, Jakub and Michael (cox) entered their preferred event, the Junior 15 Coxed Fours. After progressing smoothly through the opening rounds, the final developed into an attritional battle between ASRA and Walton Rowing Club. The ASRA boys pushed their bows in front after the first 250m of the 2000m race and steadily opened this up to a lead of one boat length. Every time Walton managed to lift their rating and claw back some of the difference, the ASRA crew managed to find a little extra and open the lead back up again, eventually crossing the line in first place to win the prestigious Mariner’s Cup for Aberdeen.

On the same day, ASRA Junior 17 boys Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell and Theo Stott, also coxed by Michael McCrory, were entered in First Coxed Fours event. After progressing into the A Final the race started well for the ASRA boys and they were in a tight battle with two other crews. However, St George’s College and Tideway Scullers pushed ahead after 1000m, with the former winning a very tight race for gold; and with ASRA unable to respond to the quickening pace, the boys were left in a comfortable bronze medal position.

In other events ASRA crews gained very respectable results. The crew of Harris MacDonald, Scott Lewis, William Bricknell, Ashley Geddes, Archie Innes, Michel Dearsley, Matthew Hughson and Oscar Forbes, coxed by Ben Milne, came 5th in the A Final of Junior 14 Coxed Octuple Sculls. The crew of Abigail Topp, Ellie Andrew, Meg Lewis and Megan Hewison, coxed by Emily Murdoch reached the semi-finals of the Junior 16 Girls Coxed Fours and the crew of Aidan Graham, Danny Skinner, Daniel Lynch and Sam Kelso reached the semi-finals of the Junior 16 Coxless Fours.

Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association will now be training for the Scottish Rowing Championships on the 9th – 11th June at Strathclyde Park, Motherwell.

Results table from the Aberdeen Scratch Regatta held on May 7th

Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association, energised by their Easter training camp in Germany, put in a strong performance at this weekend’s Strathclyde Park Regatta in a mixture of junior and open events, gaining seven gold and four silver medals.

There was an excellent win for Junior 16 boys Aidan Graham, Danny Skinner, Daniel Lynch and Sam Kelso, coxed by Emily Murdoch, in the final of the Open Restricted 2 Coxed Fours event. The lead changed hands a number of times over the 2km course but ASRA finished strongly to beat nearest challengers Belfast Rowing Club.

Megan Hewison and Abigail Topp pulled away from the opposition in the Women’s Junior 16 Double Sculls and, despite having to repel a late surge from Inverness Rowing Club, hung onto a comfortable victory.

Megan and Abigail then teamed up with Ellie Andrew, Megan Lewis and cox Emily Murdoch to win the Women’s Junior 18 Coxed Four event in emphatic style.

ASRA Junior 15 boys Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Alexander Beeson and Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Michael McCrory destroyed the field of 11 other crews in Open Novice Coxed Quadruple Sculls; never looking troubled and galloping away to win with handsome margins in their heat and the final.

The J15 and J16 boys joined forces to score an impressive victory in the final of the Open Restricted 2 Eights. Seth, Aidan, Danny, Chris, Daniel, Sam, Jakub and Alexander were brilliantly spurred into a late charge by cox Michael McCrory to overhaul a three-quarter length deficit in the last 250m and get their bow in front of a composite crew from Clydesdale, Glasgow and Strathclyde University rowing clubs.

Harris MacDonald, Ashley Geddes, Archie Innes and Matthew Hughson, coxed by Connor Kennedy got a scare from their club mates who led them through the halfway mark but eventually eased away to secure victory in the Open Junior 14 Coxed Quadruple Sculls final.

Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Alexander Beeson and Jakub Zbikowski, ably coxed by Michael McCrory, then rounded off a successful weekend by completing a hatrick of golds; rowing a mature race to grab an outstanding victory in Open Novice Coxed Fours, leaving crews from Durham, Newcastle and Edinburgh universities – some of the UK’s top rowing universities – in their wake.

Very creditable performances also gained silver medals for Conrad Forbes and Theo Stott in Open Junior 18 Coxless Pairs; Abigail Topp, Ellie Andrew, Megan Lewis and Megan Hewison coxed by Emily Murdoch in Women’s Restricted 2 Coxed Fours; Abigail Topp in Women’s Junior 16 Single Sculls and Harris MacDonald and Matthew Hughson in Open Junior 14 Double Sculls.

The athletes will now be timetabling their exam revision with training in the build-up to the National Schools Regatta at Eton Dorney in May.

On Thursday 23 March, Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association competed in three events in the prestigious Schools' Head of the River Race on the River Thames. The annual race normally takes place over the 6.8 kilometre championship course from Mortlake to Putney however this year, due to high winds, the race was shortened to roughly 1600m.

The women’s junior sixteen coxed four of Abigail Topp, Ellie Andrew, Megan Lewis and Megan Hewison, coxed by Emily Murdoch, won an impressive bronze medal in their category, despite being impeded by a rival crew when overtaking them.

The men’s junior sixteen quadruple scull of Jakub Zbikowski, Alexander Beeson, Danny Skinner and Daniel Lynch came in eleventh of nineteen in their category and the junior eight of Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Robert Powell, Miles Beeson, Theo Stott, Conrad Forbes, Aidan Graham and Sam Kelso, coxed by Michael McCrory achieved the overall position of 38th out of 350 crews.

On Friday 24 March, the club took part in the British Junior Sculling Head at the 2012 Olympic venue, Eton Dorney. In blustery conditions, three crews competed over the 3600m course against a very large field.

The men’s junior fourteen octuple scull of Harris MacDonald, Scott Lewis, William Bricknell, Ashley Geddes, Archie Innes, Matthew Hughson, Connor Kennedy and Oscar Forbes, coxed by Ben Milne, won a fantastic bronze medal out of sixty-one crews, in the club’s first attempt at competing in this category at a national level. 

The men’s junior fifteen coxed quadruple scull of Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Alexander Beeson and Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Emily Murdoch, also won a creditable bronze medal competing against sixty-two other crews and consolidating their reputation as one of the best in the country at this age group.

The women’s junior sixteen quadruple scull of Abigail Topp, Ellie Andrew, Megan Lewis and Megan Hewison came in thirteenth of thirty-six crews.

The club is now preparing to leave for a one week training camp at Breisach, Germany in order to sharpen up for the summer regatta season of side-by-side races.

Thirty-four athletes of the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association travelled to compete in the Inverness Head over the 4500m Caledonian Canal course. In mild conditions, with a slight tail wind to help them along, all crews put in positive performances over the four divisions.

Category wins were secured for:

Men’s Restricted 2 Eights – Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Danny Skinner, Daniel Lynch, Alexander Beeson, Aidan Graham, Sam Kelso, Jakub Zbikowski and Michael McCrory (cox);

Women’s Junior 18 Eights – Abigail Topp, Megan Hewison, Megan Lewis, Ellie Andrew, Fiona Emsley, Laura Barraclough, Skye Balance, Stephany Low and Michel Dearsley (cox);

Men’s Junior 16 Coxless Quad – Aidan Graham, Danny Skinner, Daniel Lynch and Sam Kelso;

Men’s Restricted 2 Pairs – Conrad Forbes and Theo Stott;

Men’s Junior 18 Coxless Quad – Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Aidan Graham and Sam Kelso; This was unopposed as our other crew scratched, but they got a medal

Men’s Junior 14 Coxed Quad – Ashley Geddes, Archie Innes, Oscar Forbes, Matthew Hughson and Hannah Holland (cox);

Men’s Junior 18 Pairs – Conrad Forbes and Theo Stott;

Women’s Junior 18 Fours – Abigail Topp, Ellie Andrew, Megan Lewis, Megan Hewison and Laura Barraclough (cox).

Well done to all our athletes, coaches and parents; who made this an enjoyable and successful weekend.

It's official! Chris "Leonidas" Bardas is a double world record holder for the half and full marathon row - congratulations!

On Saturday 26 November, in cold but beautiful conditions, ASRA raced in the Rutherford Head against a strong contingent of crews from some of the country's top rowing universities.

In the first division the coxed eight of Seth Turner, Aidan Graham, Robert Powell, Theo Stott, Danny Skinner, Chris Bardas, Daniel Lynch and Sam Kelso, ably coxed by Michael McCrory, beat their junior opposition from Queen Elizabeth High School by one minute and came nineteenth overall in a total field of 129.

In the second division our coxed four of Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Robert Powell and Theo Stott, coxed by Michael McCrory won their junior 18 event by one minute and 13 seconds. Meanwhile the coxless quad of Aidan Graham, Daniel Lynch, Danny Skinner and Sam Kelso won the junior 16 event by 30 seconds.

Well done to all of those who took part!

At the Inverness Fours and Small Boats Heads on the Caledonian Canal on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th November, ASRA crews braved freezing temperatures and a severely congested course to record an impressive total of 9 category wins.

Saturday:

Divison 1

Men's Junior 16 Coxless Quadruple Sculls: Aidan Graham, Miles Beeson, Danny Skinner & Daniel Lynch

Men's Novice Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Alexander Beeson & Archie Innes, coxed by Harris Pearce

Men's Restricted 2 Coxless Pairs: Theo Stott & Conrad Forbes

Men's Junior 14 Double Sculls: Ashley Geddes & Matthew Hughson

Divison 2

Men's Junior 18 Coxless Fours: Daniel Lynch, Aidan Graham, Danny Skinner & Sam Kelso

Sunday:

Division 1

Men's Junior 16 Double Sculls: Aidan Graham & Miles Beeson

Men's Junior 14 Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Ashley Geddes, Archie Innes, Leon MacKenzie & Matthew Hughson, coxed by Oscar Forbes

Divsion 2

Men's Junior 18 Coxless Pairs: Theo Stott & Conrad Forbes

Women's Junior 16 Coxed Fours: Abigail Topp, Ellie Andrew, Megan Lewis & Megan Hewison, coxed by Skye Ballance

At the Aberdeen Fours and Small Boats Head of the River Races on the Dee on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th November, ASRA athletes recorded an impressive series of category wins against good senior crews from ABC, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrews and Stirling Universities as well as ourown AU and RGU and against equally feisty opposition from their own Association club-mates in the junior events.

Saturday (Fours Heads)

Division 1:

Men's Open Coxless Fours: (and fastest crew overall in Division1): Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell & Theo Stott

Men's Junior 15 Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Ashley Geddes, Michel Dearsley, Leon MacKenzie & Matthew Hughson, coxed by Aidan Graham

Division 2:

Women's Restricted 2 Coxed Fours: Abigail Topp, Ellie Andrew, Meg Lewis & Megan Hewison, coxed by Amy Wojciechowski

Men's Restricted 2 Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Alexander Beeson & Hamish Dunnett, coxed by Michel Dearsley

Men's Junior 14 Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Archie Innes, Ashley Geddes, William Bricknell & Oscar Forbes, coxed by Leon MacKenzie

Sunday (Small Boats Heads)

Division 1:

Women's Novice Double Sculls: Megan Hewison & Abigail Topp

Men's Open Single Sculls: Robert Powell

Men's Junior 18 Single Sculls: Theo Stott

Men's Restricted 1 Single Sculls: Aidan Graham

Men's Novice Sculls: ( first equal): Sam Kelso & Daniel Lynch

Men's Junior 15 Doubles: Ashley Geddes & Matthew Hughson

Division 2:

Men's Restricted 2 Pairs: Robert Powell & Theo Scott

Women's Junior 18 Single Sculls: Megan Hewison

Men's Novice Double Sculls: Jan Barraclough & George Grahamslaw

Open Junior 15 Octuple Sculls: Ashley Geddes, Matthew Hughson, George
Grahamslaw, Michel Dearsley, Ben Milne, Connor Kennedy, Oscar Forbes & Sky Ballance, coxed by Steph Low.

On Saturday 22. October at the Tyne Head Races - the Tyne Rowing Club Long Distance Sculling Head and the Tyne United Small Boats Head - crews from the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association recorded 4 category wins against quality opposition from across the North East of England, but arguably the most impressive performance of the day came from ASRA's Junior 16 boys - Aidan Graham, Miles Beeson, Sam Kelso & Daniel Lynch - who unfortunately did not receive a pennant for their efforts as they raced up a category in the Junior 18 Coxless Quadruple Sculls event , but came a brilliant 3rd overall in a field of 112.
Category winners were...

Tyne Rowing Club LDS

Men's J15 Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Xander Beeson & Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Harris MacDonald

Men's Junior 16 Single Sculls: Aidan Graham

Tyne United Small Boats

Men's Junior 14 Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Ashley Geddes, Matthew Hughson, William Bricknell & Oscar Forbes, coxed by Eddie Grahamslaw

Women's Junior 18 Single Sculls: Megan Hewison

On Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd October at the Scottish Schools' Rowing Council Head Races over a 4.5 kilometre course on the Forth & Clyde Canal between Banknock and Auchinstarry, 32 members of the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association celebrated considerable success when on Saturday they won the Scottish Junior Club Champions' Fours Cup for the 7th year in succession and on Sunday came equal second behind the Glasgow Schools' Rowing Club in the Scottish Junior Club Champions' Sculling Cup.

Winners' Pennants went to the following crews...

Saturday (SSRC Fours Head)

• Men's Junior 18 Coxed Fours: Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell (all Albyn School) & Aidan Graham (Cults Academy) with cox William Bricknell (Albyn School)
• Men's Junior 16 Coxed Fours: Daniel Lynch (Harlaw Academy), Sam Kelso (Albyn School), Danny Skinner (Banchory Academy), Gregor Cooper (Cults Academy) with cox Leon McKenzie (Torry Academy)
• Men's Junior 15 Coxed Fours: Seth Turner (Cults Academy), Chris Bardas ( Harlaw Academy), Alexander Beeson (Albyn School) and Jakub Zbikowski (Harlaw Academy) with cox Scott Lewis (Mearns Academy)
• Men's Junior 14 Coxed Quads: Oscar Forbes (Albyn School), Matthew Hughson (Aberdeen Grammar), Archie Innes (Harlaw Academy) & Ashley Geddes ( Aberdeen Grammar) with cox Laura Barraclough (Cults Academy)
• Women's Junior 16 Coxed Fours: Abigail Topp (Kemnay Academy), Ellie Andrew ( Mackie Academy), Megan Lewis ( Mearns Academy) & Megan Hewison (Ellon Academy) with Skye Ballance (Cults Academy)

Sunday (SSRC Sculling Head)

• Men's Junior 18 Coxless Quads: Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell (all Albyn School) & Daniel Lynch (Harlaw Academy)
• Men's Junior 15 Coxed Quads: Seth Turner (Cults Academy), Chris Bardas (Harlaw Academy), Alexander Beeson (Albyn School) & Jakub Zbikowski (Harlaw Academy) with cox Oscar Forbes (Albyn School)
• Men's Junior 15 Double Sculls: Seth Turner (Cults Academy) & Jakub Zbikowski (Harlaw Academy)
• Men's Junior 14 Coxed Quads: Oscar Forbes (Albyn School), Matthew Hughson (Aberdeen Grammar), Archie Innes (Harlaw Academy) & Ashley Geddes (Aberdeen Grammar) with cox Laura Barraclough (Cults Academy)

Tantalisingly close second places in Men's J18,16 and 15 Single Sculls, Men's J16 and 14 Double Sculls and Women's J16 and J15 Coxed Quads indicate just how near we were to making it a complete shut-out. A great team effort and clearly all to play for in the season ahead!

This year's Home International Regatta was held in Cardiff on Saturday 23rd July and saw seven ASRA boys representing Scotland across multiple events.

First up was the development pairing of Robert Powell and Miles Beeson. Having recently been part of the successful J16 GB versus France winning eight, as well as the double gold medal winning performances at the British Junior Championships, on the day the less experienced pair struggled with the tricky conditions taking third place behind England - the British Junior pairs champions from Kings School Canterbury - and Ireland.

Next up for ASRA were Conrad Forbes, Gregor Pittendreigh, Theo Stott and Hamish Dunnett in the coxless four. All of them having been part of the gold medal winning ASRA eight from the British Junior Championship the previous week. Again the difficult conditions on the day appeared to prevent the crew from performing at their best, running in fourth behind the other home nations.

The final race of the day for Scotland's junior men was the boys' eight, comprising of cox Michael McCrory, stroke Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell, Gregor Pittendreigh, Fergus Mainland (George Watsons College) Theo Stott, Hamish Dunnett and Sam Abernathy (Glasgow Schools). Historically Scotland have struggled to be competitive in this event, but, given ASRA's recent success at British Junior Championship expectations were high for this crew. Unfortunately, on the day it was not to be and with fatigue doubtless playing a large part, the Scottish eight struggled home fourth in the rough conditions.

Despite finishing second to England in the Junior Men's Match, this was a strong performance from a squad which included a large number of development/J16 athletes. "Indeed this was the strongest result by the Junior Men in eight years", said Scotland Team Manager, Graeme Cunningham.

At the British Rowing Junior Championships on the 15th, 16th and 17th of July, held this year at the English National Watersports Centre, Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, ASRA crews won 2 gold medals, 1 silver and 2 bronze.

Pride of place must go to the ASRA boys' junior eight - Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell, Gregor Pittendreigh, Calum Bird,Theo Stott, Hamish Dunnett and Ross Napier, coxed by Michael McCrory - which in the last race of the meeting, after a thrilling ding-dong battle with the eights from Hampton School and Claire's Court, had the crowd on its feet as they pushed ahead in the final two hundred metres to win gold by a margin over Hampton of 1.7 seconds. A magnificent achievement and the first ever win for an ASRA eight outwith Scotland.

Gold also went to our Junior 16 four - Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell and Theo Stott, coxed by Michael McCrory - who, fresh from their victory in the GB Junior 16 eight in Valenciennes last week, saw off repeated spirited attacks from Tideway Scullers to win in the end by a convincing one and a half lengths in the open junior coxed fours event.

In the inaugural and highly competitive junior under fourteen "omnium" event on Friday, silver medals went to Seth Turner and Jakub Zbikowski in their double scull and bronze medals went to Abigail Topp and Seth Turner in their single sculls.

Our J15 crews - boys and girls - also did the club proud with Daniel Lynch, Aidan Graham, Danny Skinner and Sam Kelso, coxed by Oscar Forbes coming in 5th and Alyssa Egido, Megan Hewison, Ellie Andrew and Laura Barraclough, coxed by Emma Quinn coming in 6th in the "A" finals of the J16 coxed fours events.

Megan Hewison and her J14 partner Abigail Topp were winners of the "B" final of the WJ15 doubles event and our senior girls - Cara Leslie, Fern Harvey, Cecily Burnett-Stuart and Eilish Murphy - came a respectable 4th in the "B" final of WJ18 coxless fours.

Finally, many thanks to all our ASRA competitors, whose behaviour was at all times exemplary both on and off the water, to our drivers - Ian Duncan , Pete Turner and Jonny Muir - for getting us safely there and back and to the parents and friends who undertook the long journey south to support our cause.

As a result of their recent success at the GB under 16 Junior Trials at the National Watersports Centre, Nottingham, the following five ASRA boys - Michael McCrory, Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell and Theo Stott -along with four boys from Eton, were selected to row for Great Britain as part of the boys' eight at the prestigious GB v France Match on the 10th July, held this year in Valenciennes.

The boys all travelled down early to train with the Eton crew at Dorney lake, the 2012 Olympic Rowing venue, and it was clear from the offset that this would be a formidable eight. Both clubs combined well together to produce a strong, fast crew.

On the day, under the baking French sun there was a full programme of hotly contested events with the French running out eventual winners and ending GB's five year winning streak. Arguably, however, one of the best performances of the day was the boys eight where the ASRA/Eton composite crew led from the start to finish eventually winning by a margin of some 9 seconds over the 1400m course.

This weekend, the boys, along with 15 other ASRA crews, will again make the journey south to the National Watersports Centre to take part this time in the annual British Rowing Junior Championships.

On Sunday 19th June ASRA hosted the 8th Aberdeen Inter-Schools Regatta, in which annually members of ASRA's individual feeder schools are invited to form scratch crews to compete for two cups - the Aberdeen Inter-Schools Cup for beginners (the so-called "wet starts") and the Elliot Cup for more experienced rowers.

In the Elliot Cup competition, some 40 ASRA members from 10 different educational establishments across the region relished the opportunity to row against their club mates in their own school colours. The final, raced in coxed quads over 500 metres, saw an exciting race-off between pupils from Harlaw Academy and last year's runners-up, Albyn School, with the honours going this year to Harlaw. Congratulations to our Harlaw stalwarts: Theo Stott, Daniel Lynch, Chris Bardas, Jakub Zbikowski, Cara Leslie and Emma Quinn.

The Inter-Schools Cup went to three extremely promising young "wet starts" from Cults Academy, Dayna Ledingham, Skye Ballance and Michel Dearsley.

A great afternoon's racing watched by an impressive crowd of parents and supporters. Many thanks to the organisers - Iona Riley, Holly Reid and Catriona Bain - and to the parents who stocked and manned the cake stalls and barbecue.

On Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th June at the Scottish National Rowing Championships, Strathclyde Park, Motherwell, athletes from the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association became Scottish Champions for 2016 in 15 different events and runners-up in three.

Saturday Gold
• Women's Junior 15 Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Megan Hewison, Abigail Topp, Ellie Andrew & Alyssa Egido, coxed by Emma Quinn
• Men's Junior 14 Coxed Quadruple Sculls; Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Zander Beeson & Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Oscar Forbes
• Men's Junior 15 Double Sculls: Daniel Lynch & Aidan Graham
• Men's Junior 16 Sculls: Robert Powell
• Men's Junior 18 Coxed Fours: Emmanuel Egido, Gregor Pittendreigh, Calum Bird & Ross Napier, coxed by Emma Quinn
• Men's Junior 18 Eights: Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell, Gregor Pittendreigh, Calum Bird, Theo Stott, Emmanuel Egido & Ross Napier, coxed by Michael McCrory
• Men's Open Coxless Fours: Gregor Pittendreigh, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell & Hamish Dunnett
Saturday Silver
• Junior 13 Double Sculls: Matthew Hughson & Ashley Geddes

Sunday Gold
• Women's Novice Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Megan Hewison, Ellie Andrew, Laura Barraclough & Alyssa Egido, coxed by Emma Quinn
• Men's Junior 13 Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Oscar Forbes, Harris Macdonald, Ashley Geddes & Matthew Hughson, coxed by Michael McCrory
• Men's Junior 14 Double Sculls: Seth Turner & Jakub Zbikowski
• Men's Junior 15 Coxed Quadruple Sculls: Daniel Lynch, Aidan Graham, Danny Skinner & Sam Kelso, coxed by Michael McCrory
• Men's Junior 15 Coxed Fours: Daniel Lynch, Aidan Graham, Danny Skinner & Sam Kelso, coxed by Emma Quinn
• Men's Junior 16 Quadruple Sculls: Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell, & Theo Stott
• Men's Junior 16 Double Sculls: Robert Powell & Miles Beeson
• Men's Junior 16 Coxless Pairs: Robert Powell & Miles Beeson
Sunday Silver
• Women's Junior 14 Sculls; Abigail Topp
• Women's Junior 15 Double Sculls: Abigail Topp & Alyssa Egido