On the Sunday of the Metropolitan Amateur Regatta the women’s squad’s Myriam Goudet and Ellie Darlington raced elite pairs against an extremely high-class field.
Lining up on the stakeboats, Myriam and Ellie had on one side the 2014 World Silver Medalists from the U23 8+ Bethany Bryan and Nicole Lamb (Newcastle/Tees), and on the other a combination from Oxford University Women’s Boat Club, including winning Blues Lauren Kedar, and their new President Maddy Badcott.
Also in the straight final were the 2014 World Champions from the LTA four Grace Clough and Pam Relph (Nottingham/Leander), the Irish Senior Internationals Aifric Keogh and Barbara O’Brien (Cork), and Thames RC lightweights Eleanor Fielding and Lowenna Coad.
Despite the quality of the field it was the dark blue and silver bows of the Cantabs Stampfli that first pushed ahead coming out of the start sequence. Myriam and Ellie quickly put half a length on most of the field, with only Newcastle/Tees sticking with them.
As the crews hit their stride after the first minute of racing, Newcastle/Tees started to move back on Cantabs, with the two crews going through the 500m marker neck and neck, and OUW and Cork half a length back.
Into the second five Newcastle/Tees turned the screw and moved out to a half length lead over Cantabs, both crews leaving OUW and Cork a length behind to battle it out for third place.
When Cantabs slipped to a length down on Newcastle/Tees it all looked to be over, but a fabulous push in the last 350m saw them finish just half a length down on Newcastle/Tees, one length up on Cork, two lengths up on the OUW pair, three lengths up on Nottingham/Leander and over 30s ahead of Thames RC.
Congratulations to Myriam and Ellie for such a strong performance in a high quality field, and to their coach, Tom Copeland, for maintaining his record of second-places at high profile events!
Good luck to the pair in their next event, the Elite Coxless Pairs at Henley Women’s Regatta (19-21st June)!
