With big competition in the senior and elite categories from competitors that (sometimes literally) eclipsed the Vesta crews, all three boats finished with respectable times, even if they were placed (let’s be honest!) last in their categories. The elite pair of Kat Hedges and Martha Kelly finished 6th out of all the women’s pairs, in a close race (at one point four boats abreast) that was won by crew members of the GB under 23 women’s VIII. The senior pair of Sarah Wood and Alex Johnson were beaten by a strong City of Oxford crew, while the senior double of Kitty Lowings and Emma Dyson were beaten by the rather curious Leander combination of Debbie Flood (of GB fame) and a cox (sculling as opposed to coxing) – who themselves were beaten by a speedy London RC crew. As Kitty and Emma had only very recently come together as a crew, and were impeded during the race by a men’s double (chivalry, much?), their time was commendable.

The IM3 doubles event was, as usual, the largest women’s category and had two Vesta crews – sibling duo Lara / Vicky Brock and Athene McGregor-Macdonald / Natalie Demblon. The Brockmobile cranked out the fastest squad time of the day, finishing in an excellent fifth place in the category. Meanwhile another new combination, Hayley Beer and Anna Ven Den Berg in the IM2 pair, enjoyed their first race in a pair despite seasonal sniffles.

In Matt’s words this was a “voluntary, fun” head race, and at a mere 4k was a good afternoon out. The (presumably mandatory, not fun?) Fours’ Head is the next race for the squad, on the 5th November.

- Martha Kelly

By Aga and Cheryl

Vesta member Helen Arbuthnot  is coxing for Ireland in the LTA mixed coxed four event at the World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro in New Zealand this week.

Good Luck Helen!

Michael Hughes and Jon Brown raced in the IM2 1x and IM3 1x respectively, Big Jon qualified for the final after an impressive heat but lost to a strong Bewl/Exeter Uni sculler. They teamed up for the IM2 2x and after winning the heat, the gunship won a closely fought final.

Peter Simpson convincing won the Masters C 1x against Erith before doubling up with Janet Simpson in the mixed masters B 2x where they lost to a powerful local crew.

Paul Mew beat David Wright from UTRC in a heat of the Masters F 1x only to be disqualified for steering and therefore missing out on a certain pot in the final. He then teamed up with David in a VRC/UTRC composite to defend the Lea Autumn Masters E 2x but they were unfortunately out-gunned in a close race by the national champions from Poplar.

Photo: Vesta’s entry to Lea Autumn regatta, won IM2 2x and Masters C 1x

The winning crew were (B-S): Rahma Barclay, Alex Johnson, Kat Hedges, Vicky Williams, Lara Brock, Vics McLeod-More, Charlie Dempster, Emily Trant and Julia Hedley (coxswain), and are very ably coached by Matt Gilliver, James Parris and Paul Fitzwilliam. This is an incredible achievement, rewarding our girls and coaches for their huge amount of effort, patience, tenacity and humour over the past nine months.

Earlier in the weekend, Vesta was very well represented in the quarter finals of the Intermediate Club eights with our club crew losing by two lengths to the eventual winners, Thames Rowing Club, our lightweight coxless four losing to Marlow Rowing Club, and Ailsa Tremayne losing to London Rowing Club in the elite singles.

A Vesta Senior Women’s crew will now attempt to qualify for the Remenham Challenge Cup this Friday at Henley Royal Regatta, please come and support them along with the Vesta Senior Men’s Wyfold ‘B’ Entry

Having destroyed the cream of British rowing at Met the previous week, the women’s Senior Eight turned their sights on the US. Following their string of recent wins, the girls were racing the elite American crews , St Joseph’s and Drexel, and proved that they have the power to stay cool under fire – rowing through from half a length down to win the final from Drexel by a foot.

Vesta 2, Americans nil – that’s how it’s done, Capello.

In the final of the women’s IM1 coxless 4, the Mighty Lighties (Tamsin Bernard, Pamela Brent, Freya Johnstone and Holly de Gay) cruised to a comfortable 3 length victory over Putney Town, demonstrating that sharp technical focus is more than a match for brute strength. The win so excited coach Matt Gilliver that he threw himself off his own bike and was removed from the regatta to have his leg stitched up.

The women’s intermediate eight made the finals of IM2, but were beaten by the more experienced Thames crew, while Ailsa Tremayne sculled through three rounds of the IM1x but was beaten at last by MAA.

Less than a week to go… be afraid, HWR, the Vesta women are on their way!

L-R: Vicky Williams, Alex Johnson, Kat Hedges, Lara Brock, Rahma Barclay, Vics Mcleod-More, Julia Hedley (cox), Charlie Dempster & Emily Trant

L-R: Matt Gilliver, Holly De Gay, Tamsin Bernard, Pamela Brent, Freya Johnstone, Paul Fitzwilliam & James Parris

The quad finished in the pack in a competitive final but the highlight of the day was Paul winning the gold medal the Masters F IM 1x in his first multi-lane single final.

Photo: Purdey congratulates Paul on his win on the presentation raft.

The Vesta Women continue to dominate at the business end of women’s club level rowing, this time winning Women’s IM1 Eights on the Saturday and Women’s Senior Eights on the Sunday.

Can anyone halt their victory strewn rampage towards Henley Women’s Regatta?

The IM1 crew of L-R: (Cox: Julia Hedley, Emily Trant, Charlie Dempster, Rahma Barclay, Alex Johnson, Vics Mcleod-More and Lara Brock (Verity Ansell missing))

The Senior crew of L-R: (Vicky Williams, Vics Mcleod-More, Lara Brock, Cox: Julia Hedley, Kat Hedges, Emily Trant, Charlie Dempster, Alex Johnson & Rahma Barclay)

Following on from the Novice Men’s Squad win last week, this means that Vesta is rapidly running out of rowers with Novice status!

So it was that they disappeared off to Mulhouse for a week long training camp (noticeably without the distraction of the Men’s Squad) where they plotted their takeover of the world of women’s club rowing.

Winning their heat comfortably at Wallingford Regatta, the IM2 8+ of cox: Julia Hedley, Emily Trant, Helen Edwards, Vicks McLeod-More, Aga Siemiginowska, Hillary Blandy, Kat Hedges, Alex Johnson and Rahma Barclay caught the scent of blood when they lined up for the final. Alongside them at the start were old Putney embankment rivals Thames RC and the club that had denied Vesta a HWR ’09 Medal, York City RC – the scene was set for payback.

In a blanket finish, mighty Vesta pulled out all the stops to beat Thames and York City into 2^nd and 3^rd in a time of 07:02.20.

It was about 7°C, and they do say revenge is a dish best served cold.

Other notable performances on the day came from Kitty Lowings and Alex Johnson coming in a very respectable 2nd in their IM1.2- final and the Vesta Men’s Senior 4- of Rob Shaw, Nick Nevelling, Harry Bond and Jamie Halliday, who despite illness in their boat managed to qualify for their final in a very tough field.