SOUTHAMPTON’S Itchen Imperial Senior Four rowing team, have been drawn to face London Rowing Club in the first round of this year’s Henley Royal Regatta Wyfold Challenge Cup after a successful qualifying time on Friday at the Hampshire and Dorset Rowing Championship.

BTC rowing club looked to be the favourites to clinch qualification but Itchen improved late in the race to finish ahead of Christchurch and BTC to win by two lengths, writes JOHN BAILEY.

The Hampshire & Dorset event involved 153 crews and scullers, who competed in around 40 different races and In the women’s races, BTC Southampton claimed the Ladies Junior Four title, finishing just ahead of Coalporters.

Michelle Muscroft, Rosie Upsill–Goddard, Anna Wardlaw, Sophie Maxwell and cox Cloie Weaver were all part of the winning team. Elsewhere, Itchen Imperial moved 4-3 ahead of Christchurch in the Senior Ladies races. In the Ladies Veteran 40 and over race, Southampton, Christchurch and BTC Southampton were well matched as they turned their buoys together ahead of Poole, Coalporters and Westover.

With 300 metres to go the BTC and Southampton combined crew of Jackie Hitchins, Jackie Rose, Elaine Nichols and Kaye Hume proved too strong for Christchurch and Southampton, winning by two lengths. In the small boats Itchen Imperial’s Tom Foad continued to dominate the Junior Sculls Championship as he notched up his sixth win of the season.

Lymington’s Chris Schreiber closed the gap on BTC rower Richard Hume to make it 4-3 with three regattas remaining in the Men’s Senior Sculls Championship.

In the Men’s Junior Pairs, Westover remained the only crew unbeaten with an emphatic four lengths victory over Lymington.

Southampton’s Andria Davies and Ann Beastal moved ahead of Itchen Imperial in the Championship to make it 3-2 in the Ladies Senior Pairs with a four lengths win over Poole and Christchurch.

The next regatta will be held at Southsea on Saturday, July 13.

Full Results

Men Senior Fours: 1 Itchen Imperial A, 2 BTC A, 3 Christchurch A.

Junior Senior Fours: 1 BTC A, 2 Southampton A.

Junior Fours: 1 Ryde A, 2 Lymington A, 3 Westover A.

Novice Fours: 1 Westover A, 2 Itchen Imperial A, 3 Christchurch A.

Veteran +40 Fours: 1 Poole A, 2 Christchurch A, 3 Lymington A.

Veteran +50 Fours: 1 Lymington A.

Senior Pairs: 1 Itchen Imperial A, 2 Lymington A, 3 Lymington B.

Junior Pairs: 1 Westover A, 2 Lymington A, 3 Shanklin A.

Senior Sculls: 1 Lymington (Shreiber), 2 BTC (R Hume), 3 Southampton (Kneller) Junior Sculls: 1 Itchen (Foad), 2 Shanklin ( Robertson), 3 BTC (S Bailey) Ladies Senior Fours: 1 Itchen Imperial A, 2 Christchurch A, 3 Christchurch B Junior Fours: 1 BTC A, 2 Coalporters A, 3 Poole A.

Novice Fours: 1 Coalporters B, 2 BTC A, 3 Itchen Imperial D.

Veteran +40 Fours: 1 BTC/Southamton Comp. 2 Christchurch A, 3 Southampton A.

Senior Pairs: 1 Southampton A, 2 Poole A, 3 Christchurch B.

Junior Sculls: 1 Itchen (Emery), 2 Southampton (Davies) Novice Sculls:1 Itchen (Paul), 2 Newport (Bennett).

J16 4+:1 Coalporters A, 2 Christchurch A.

J16 4+:1 BTC A, 2 Poole B, 3 Coalporters A.

J16 Mixed 4+: 1 Poole, 2 Westover, 3 Ryde.