Rowing Gold for Royals Masters Women

Royal Chester's Women's Masters D coxed Four won gold medals at the National Masters Rowing Championships in Nottingham last weekend. The crew of Nicki Miller, Helen Tweed, Jane Sweeney, Irene Adam and cox Jo Hinnigan were pitched against boats from Star Club of Bedford and Gloucester Rowing Club to battle it out in a 3 way final.

The Royal Chester crew drew on their hours of training in refining the sequence of very rapid strokes at the start and then settled into a smooth rhythm. Despite giving Star Club a handicap lead of 8 seconds off the start the Royals overtook them after 400m of the 1000 metre race distance and never looked back, eventually winning by 18 seconds with the younger Gloucester crew coming through in second place.

Jane Sweeney, Club Captain of Royal Chester and rowing at two in the victorious boat, said "The Gold Medal is the highlight of a 6 year Odyssey for this group of Women, who only started the sport around 6 years ago after being introduced to rowing by children and husbands. They have all many hours of hard work into fitness and technique on land and on the water, all those 06:30am sessions on the river have paid off with a National Champions medal!"

Royal Chester welcomes new members of all ages and experience. Membership Secretary, Helen Tweed, can be contacted on 07834 730405 or by email from the club website www.royalchesterrowingclub.co.uk

Gold medal winners L to R : Irene Adam, Jane Sweeney, Nicky Miller, Helen Tweed, Cox Jo Hinnigan and coach John Hinnigan