Nottingham Masters Regatta – Race Report

Blustery conditions, which we are reliably informed are simply “a normal day in Nottingham,” greeted PBDRC this weekend. At one point, JP described the water as “like rowing through a jacuzzi”—which felt accurate, if slightly less relaxing than an actual spa experience.

There may have been no wins on paper this time, but there were plenty of positives, brilliant progress, and valuable racing experience for the crew.

JP, Joelle, Vicky, and Anita all raced at the Nottingham Masters Regatta for our first event of the season. Despite the wild conditions, there was a lot to take away:

• Joelle raced exceptionally well in difficult conditions, securing a fantastic 2nd place in Category E.

• Anita had a closely fought race, going neck-and-neck over the closing stages before pulling ahead in the final 250m to take 3rd place.

• Vicky raced in her first event since returning from injury and faced some incredibly tough competition. It was a strong comeback performance and an important step back into racing mode.

• JP had an unforgettable day. It was his first-ever multi-lane regatta in a single, and to add to the excitement, he was given the wrong lane number and had to switch at the last minute. Despite the last-minute change and a truly shocking start, he stayed calm under pressure and showed real grit to battle his way back through the field. He put down a very strong time—which actually would have been a winning result in the younger category! Proof that age is just a number (and, apparently, wind resistance is too). Most importantly, he stayed dry throughout, which in these conditions practically counts as a podium finish.

Overall, it was a windy, wavy, slightly chaotic, but hugely useful day of racing. Lots was learned, plenty of resilience was shown, and nobody ended up swimming—which, in Nottingham, definitely counts as a success.