Euro Masters Regatta – Race report
This July, the 1972 Olympic regatta course in Munich was the setting for an outstanding performance from Poplar’s sculling squad. The very course club president Kenny Dwan competed in at the 1972 games.
The Euro Masters Regatta brings together 3,000 athletes from across Europe and beyond to compete over four days. Poplar put seven of its scullers into contention, and came back with a remarkable five gold medals.
All week the six-lane course was lashed by changeable winds and flash downpours. Fortunately, these conditions are nothing new for east Londoners.
Bernarda proved that with her gold medal in the single, seeing off competition from Japanese, Irish, and French clubs.
She followed that up with a phenomenal race in the double with Bev. They thundered down the course bow ball to bow ball with a crew from Upper Thames, leaving the German and Polish crews in their wake. Poplar raced it all the way through the line, taking the gold by one second.
Dan did battle with some giants out on the course in his single. His gold-medal race was a masterclass. Scullers from Croatia, the Netherlands, and three from Germany weren’t enough to stand between the captain and another win for his club.
The sweetest victory was reserved for Bob. This Poplar legend produced two precise, intelligent races in his single, winning the gold medal in his heat and the overall trophy in his event. Watching Bob lift the trophy on stage in the shadow of the Olympic grandstand was a moment of immense Poplar pride.
That win completes the treble for Bob, after taking gold medals in his single at the British Masters and the Henley Masters regattas earlier this season. The man is unstoppable!
To top it off, Bob also flew the Poplar flag in a composite eight, adding yet another gold to the club’s tally.
Ben, Paddy, and Vicky all raced hard and did the club proud in singles and doubles racing during the week. Putting themselves and the club’s name out there as serious competitors at an international regatta is a huge achievement.
Singles racing can be a lonely business, but every Poplar sculler this week had coach Gary right there in the boat with us (luckily not literally). Gary has coached us through the ups and downs, the cold and wet, the circuits and the runs, of the last two years. He came out to support us all week in Munich and none of Poplar’s enormous success at the Euros or anywhere else would have been possible without Gary: a real club champion.
It was fantastic to see Ben’s mum and dad, Jackie and Rob, supporting us on the course at Munich. And thanks to Paddy, Bev, and Ben for tackling the long drive and customs paperwork to get our boats to Munich and back.
The Euro Masters this year has produced gold medals and good memories. Another step up for Poplar. See you next year, bigger and better!