Poplar Crews Make Waves at a Choppy Hammersmith Regatta

Poplar Rowing Club made a strong start to the summer regatta season at Hammersmith today, with a fantastic turnout – the best in recent memory for this particular event. The aim of the day was to shake off the winter cobwebs, and our crews certainly did that, delivering some impressive performances despite less than ideal conditions.

The Thames served up a challenging day for all competitors, with significant chop and congestion making for some seriously tough racing. Despite the less-than-perfect water, our crews showed their mettle.

A particular highlight was the men’s Open double sculls (Op 2x), where both Poplar boats powered their way through to the final. In a thrilling showdown, Tommy and Ben managed to edge out their clubmates to take the win – a fantastic result for the club!

Meanwhile, our women’s four (4+) got their summer campaign off to a flying start with a strong performance, culminating in a well-deserved victory. A brilliant way to begin their season!

The rest of the day’s racing was a real mixed bag, featuring nail-biting photo finishes, some rather contentious umpiring decisions, the unfortunate snapping of a blade, and waves that, at times, made the river feel practically unrowable.

Despite these challenges, every single member who turned out and raced today did the club incredibly proud. Your resilience and determination in those conditions were truly commendable. Well done to you all!