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For the first time Danes Hill entered crews in Ghent International Regatta, it was a wonderful experience for our crews to race crews of similar age from all over Europe and even as far afield as China on a multi lane International course. Understandably everyone was a bit nervous when they first saw the course and regatta site, but nerves soon gave way to excitement when we trained on the course in the days before the regatta.
J Coutts was first off in the U14 Singles an event he had never competed in before, this was followed by the Cranmore/Danes Hill composite in the coxless quadruple sculls with B Pettifar joining with ex Danes Hill rower, C O’Byne and Cranmore squad members to be the only British J14 crew to enter this challenging event. On Sunday the J12 double of C O’Byne and J Weeks had a fantastic row in spite of being rammed by the Chinese crew just off the start. This was followed by the J14 double of J Coutts and B Pettifar on the longer 100 metre course.
Saving the best until last we joined forces with Cranmore for the coxed J14 quadruple sculls with J Coutts rowing and B Pettifar in the coxes seat the crew won the bronze medal.
The trip was not all about the rowing, we took a day off to go the European Space Centre to experience astronaut training and build rockets which were later launched from their launch pad. We even found time to tour a decommissioned Russian submarine and a light ship in Zeebrugge.
A huge thanks to all the parents who came to support us and of course Gentse Rowing Club who hosted us.
