Seven weeks ago 21 of the older members of Ross Rowing Club Junior section qualified, against nine other local clubs, to represent The West Midlands at the Junior Inter-Regional Regatta at Nottingham.

The competition took place on Saturday, over a six lane course, against eleven other regions from England and Wales. The weather was to play a major part with the wind becoming stronger and waves getting higher as the day progressed and it was a test of each crew's skill and nerve.

First to compete was Johan Lai starting strongly and coming third in his heat. Next up was Pippa England taking part in her first JIRR and showing great determination to finish a close second in her singles heat. During the winter the fifteen year old girls had changed from sculling with two blades to sweeping with one blade and apart from the qualifiers this was their first event to test their new learned skill. They did not start well but showed great character to haul their way to second place; within three seconds of the heat leaders.

Last year, as fourteen year olds, the boys' quad had missed out on a medal place by one second, all winter they had trained hard desperate not to be disappointed again. The weather by now was atrocious and the boys battled hard to win their heat. Dale, at stroke, commented that it couldn't really be called rowing- but it was great fun!

However the event organisers did not agree and after the composite Ross/Evesham four completed their heat the event was cancelled with waves rolling over the jettys making it particularly hazardous to get the boats safely back to land. Unfortunately two crews, the coxed WJ16.8X and the J14 double did not get their chance to race. Medals were awarded to the three fastest crews from the heats in each event. Pippa England was awarded a silver in the singles event, the J15 boys coxed quad of Dale Kernot, Henry Jones, Henry Vowles, George Probert and cox Rhodri Morris were rewarded with a silver medal and Catrin Morris, Jess Crossman, Molly Phillips and the two birthday girls Hazel Thomas and Olivia Baynham-Williams earned a bronze medal.

The hard work shown by the juniors throughout the winter has paid off and it is a brilliant start to the new racing season. Thanks must also go to the coaches, Ian Howell, Chris Jones, Morgan Baynham-Williams, Jackie Baynham, Mark Scott and Wendy Burden, who have shown as much dedication to training as the athletes.