Following trials at Cambois Rowing Club in March Junior members from thirteen clubs in the Northern Region were selected for the team to represent the region at the British Rowing Junior Inter Regional Regatta (JIRR) which took place on the multi-lane course at the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham on Saturday, April 26th.
Results of the Trials can be found here.
The JIRR brings together teams of J14 to J16 age group rowers from 14 regions of England, Scotland and Wales to compete with one another in a series of qualifying time trials over 1000 metres and side by side finals over 1500 metres. The number of participating regions has increased from 12 to 14 over the past two years with the addition of Scotland, and the subdivision of the Thames region into 4 teams rather than 3. Wales continues to combine with the Wiltshire, Avon, Gloucester and Somerset (WAGS) region.
Team North included representatives from 13 different clubs and entered 28 events, with Durham ARC providing competitors for 5 crews, some being part of composites with other clubs –
- J14 girls 2x
- J14 boys 4x+
- J15 girls 4x+
- J16 1x
- J16 girls 8+
Thankfully conditions on the appointed day were good, ensuring an enjoyable experience for organisers and competitors for an event that has on some past occasions been blighted by inclement weather.
The morning session consisted of a series of time trials, in which crews entering each event rowed in procession over 1000 metres with times to comlete the course being used to facilitate seeding into A, B and C finals later in the day.
DARC competitors progressed as follows –
- WJ14 2x – Florence Wilks and Lucy Stewart (Lambton RC) – 2nd in time trial in 4.04.6 and into A final
- WJ16 8+ – Izzy Maddison, Olivia Tute, Iris Mitchell, Madelaine Carty and composite – 9th in time trial in 3.47.3 and into B final
- J16 1x – Quinn Mosley 1st in time trial in 3.33.4 and into A final
- J14 4x+ – Dominic Lee, William Tew, Harold Pinter, Sam Hancill and cox Aled Auyeung – 6th in time trial in 3.46.7 and into A final
- WJ15 4x+ – Georgia Curry, Livvy Terry, Gem Anderson, Elizabeth Belsey and cox Scarlett Nicholson – 8th in time trial in 3.55.2 and into B final
DARC crews qualified for three A finals and two B finals raced in 6 lanes over 1500 metres in the afternoon –
Lucy Stewart (Lambton) and Florence Wilks WJ14 2x JIRR 2025
A finals
WJ14 2x Florence Wilks/Lucy Stewart 2nd in 6.24.93 for a silver medal
J16 1x Quinn Mosley 1st in 4.29.64 for a gold medal (photo above)
J14 4x+ 5th in A final (time not taken)
B finals
WJ15 4x+ 3rd in B final in 6.11.59
WJ16 8+ – 5th in B final (time not taken)
Results of all races can be found on the JIRR website
The Northern team won 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medals.
Medals were presented by JIRR Deputy Event Chair Jess Eddie who said in her post event interview “We definitely want to see these rowers heading onto the Olympic and Paralympic Pathways. This is where I started my rowing career – what a fantastic day.”
In the Victores Ludorum tables compiled at the end of the day the North placed 5th in boys events, joint 6th in girls events, 5th overall and 2nd in single sculling events. The result shows an improvement of one place on last year’s 6th position overall.
JIRR 2025 Victor Ludorum
Victor Ludorum tables can be found here.
Thames Upriver won the Junior Boys and Overall competitions, Scotland won the Junior Girls competition and the Single Sculling competition.
British Rowing’s event report is here.
Well done to everyone taking part and thanks to the organisers and volunteers who make competitions possible.
The National Schools Regatta returns to Nottingham on May 23rd to 25th and the British Rowing Club Championships takes place there between July 18th and 21st.
Photos by AllMarkOne