Lea spring regatta judged huge success

The Lea Regatta took place on Easter Sunday. Photograph: Lea Rowing Club

Ten rowing clubs from around the south east took to the River Lea for the first of two annual regattas on Hackney water. Over one hundred competitors crossed the finishing line at Lea Rowing Club on Easter Sunday (24 April) but there had been some anxiety ahead of the regatta.

Lea RC Treasurer Sally Lawrence said: “I was a little worried, with it being Easter Sunday, that we weren’t going to get lots of crews because people were away. But it turned out to be our normal-sized regatta, with more juniors than usual.”

With the Olympic Park just 15 minutes away, it is likely there were several young sportsmen and women daring to dream of emulating the likes of Redgrave, Pinsent and Cracknell.

Amongst them was Lea’s Liam Downes who follows an intense rowing regime at Mossbourne Academy. He claimed victory by three lengths on Sunday morning and is hoping to be studying at the University of Cambridge in the autumn. He said: “I’ve had an offer to read German and Latin, I just need to get the grades.”

Whilst rowers from Broxbourne and Norwich provided a stern test for the Hackney club, Downes’ triumph was one of a host for Lea on the day.

Lea RC are always keen to accommodate new members, especially those eager to cox a crew. Last year’s participants on the Learn2Row course were raring to go after a harsh winter on the river. New member Ben Brierley was competing on Sunday and he said: “When you’ve rowed through the snow, you feel ready for everything.

“It was two months learning to row, just once a week. Then we transferred on to Learn2Train. When you want to start racing they move you on to Learn2Race, which is four days a week.”

Race wins for Lea’s rowers leaves them buoyant as they lookahead to Dorney Lake, Henley and the National Championships in the coming months.

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