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2024 was another good year of Coastal Racing in Sussex and Kent. 8 of 10 regattas were held, with the only Dover and Hastings were cancelled due to weather.

It was a successful year for the rowers at Shoreham, who took both the big prizes – The Grand Aggregate and the CARA League. But they certainly didn’t have it all their own way, as some of the biggest wins and best results went to other clubs, and we must mention Deal men’s long awaited, hard fought and thoroughly deserved victory in the South Coast Championships as the stand out moment moment of the year.

In the men’s events, Deal were were the senior club to beat, taking 18 wins out of a possible 21 in Men’s senior events. With only their ‘B’ crew challenging them in Senior Fours and Herne Bay taking just a single win in pairs in single sculls. Shout out to Shoreham for taking a token, but significant for them, first men’s senior pairs victory in over 15years. Deal also won the men’s Junior Single Sculls championship to further strengthen their challenge in the men’s senior event (which they won for another consecutive season) next year.

Elsewhere in the Men’s rowing events Shoreham dominated J/S Fours, and Bexhill and Folkestone had some great racing for Junior Fours, the title going to Bexhill 3-2 in the end. Though Folkstone proved their prowess in Pairs, taking a clean sweep of all 8 possible wins. Men’s double sculls was a welcome addition to the calendar at a number of regattas this year, but was not held as a ‘status’ event (with a championship outcome).

On the Women’s side, 2025 saw some really close races and some very close calls in championship events too. With only one championship (Junior Fours – Shoreham) looking one sided. In the Women’s Senior rowing events, Deal took the Fours Championship 5-2 against Shoreham, with many races were close run and entertaining to watch and Shoreham took the Pairs Championship, despite it looking like Worthing’s to lose all year.

Women’s sculling events grew this year with Women’s Junior Singles a status event available at all regattas, and it was great to see rowers from all clubs support both the Novice and Junior events. The Novice event, was a three way tie between Bexhill, Worthing and Hastings, which bodes well for participation next year in the Junior event. Women’s Masters racing took a more prominent place this year with Masters 40+ a Championship Event for the first time, the inaugural win going to Shoreham 3-2 in a close battle with Herne Bay.

Here’s to lots more close racing in 2025.

The COVID-19 pandemic which has blighted so many lives, finally appears to be lessening its grip on the UK, and for us that means a return of rowing regattas on the South Coast. No regattas were held during 2020 and the first half of the 2021 season was also cancelled. However, as of the 11th of July 2021, we are back up and running!

Folkestone had the honour of being the first post-COVID race, after Worthing lost out owing to the lockdown extension.

We’re so pleased to be back and are looking forward to many more races to come this year and beyond.

Thomas Barwell and Victoria Ward of Deal Rowing Club have broken the world record for the longest tandem ergometer row (Heavyweight Mixed 19 and Under). They together kept a single rowing machine running for 37 Hours straight, which is incredible!

The 2019 calendar is now on the website, go to ‘Competition’ -> 2019 Race calendar to see or click here 2019 Calendar