The 2021 Lakeland roll of honour

Explore squad members after taking five wins at Warrington RC

It has been a busy and successful 12 months for Lakeland RC on the national and (virtual) international stage.

December

British Rowing Indoor Championships In a fabulous end to the year, Celia Whittam takes gold in the W60 500m, Sam Ayers does the same in W50, and Nick Cowan secures bronze in M60 at the same distance.

November

Head of the Lune Julia McCumiskey and Graeme Mactavish win the open masters doubles A-C and D-E categories at the event hosted by Lancaster’s John O’ Gaunt RC, while Nick takes the open masters D-F crown in his single.

North West and Yorkshire Explore Series Explore squad members Chloe O’Hare, David Ferrier, Adam Dobinson and Sheila Wood win all four of their races at Chester’s Grosvenor Rowing Club, finishing the season in second place overall, after Grosvenor’s own squad.

Boat naming ceremony The club celebrates the official naming of double Pinball Wizard in honour of original member David Thomas (above) and his extraordinary contribution to Lakeland RC.

October

Dee Autumn Head Nick takes the open masters F category in his single at the Grosvenor RC event in Chester.

Wansbeck Long Distance Sculls and Small Boats Head Julia and Graeme win the open masters doubles D-E category in the long-distance sculls, but can’t quite row down the handicap of the H crew to take the small boats head D-H final as well.

Tees RC Long Distance Sculls and Small Boats Head Julia and Graeme take first place in the open masters doubles D-G in the small boats head and are second in the long-distance sculls, racing against all-male crews.

York City RC Autumn Sculls Sam wins the women’s masters B-F singles and Nick Cowan takes the men’s masters C-F title.

September

British Rowing Virtual Championships Nick takes gold at 500m and 2K (men aged 60-64), Graeme strikes gold at 2K (lightweight men 55-59), and Sam (lightweight women 50-54) and Celia (women 60-64) do the same at 500m.

Chester Long Distance Sculls Sam triumphs in the women’s masters D final in her single, while Nick is second in the men’s masters F.

North West and Yorkshire Explore Series Explore squad members Diane Ruddy, Chloe O’Hare, Greg Webzell and David Ferrier win three out of five races at Lancaster’s John O’ Gaunt RC.

Boat naming ceremony The club celebrates the official naming of the stable single Ian Hill OBE (above) in honour of its generous donor, one of Lakeland RC’s founding members.

August

North of England Sprint Championships Sam and Nick win a close all-Lakeland final against Celia and Gordon Jack in the E-F mixed doubles at Hollingworth Lake. Celia takes the women’s F singles, and Nick triumphs in the men’s E singles in the final against Gordon.

Sam and Julia take top spot in the women’s C-E doubles, Julia rows to victory in the D mixed doubles with Graeme, and Nick and Graeme win the men’s E-F doubles.

It is a first taste of racing for many of the club’s junior members and, despite cold and very windy conditions, they perform impressively. In his first ever race, 15-year-old Luca Regan-Teasdale wins his heat comfortably and just loses out in the final to much more experienced rowers.

North West and Yorkshire Explore Series Explore squad members Diane, Greg, David, Adam Dobinson, Julia Metcalf and Sophie Strelling take five wins out of six races at Warrington RC. Diane, Greg, David, Julia and Sophie then take a further three from five at Runcorn RC.

July

Rowers Without Borders world records Julia, Catherine Wetherfield, Helen Tucker, Stefan Escreet, Trevor Morgan and Alex Morgan are part of an international team of over 100 who set a new world endurance record for indoor rowing – and for the longest-ever human-powered relay – rowing continuously for four-and-a-half months to cover just over 40 million metres, the distance around the equator.

York Summer Regatta Julia and Graeme win the mixed masters C-D doubles, while Julia and Sam take the women’s masters C-E crown.

Scottish Rowing Lochdown Regatta Sam and Nick win the open masters E doubles category at Strathclyde Country Park.

June

British Rowing Masters Championships Sam and Nick win the mixed masters E doubles, and Julia and Graeme are runners-up for mixed masters D at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham.

Hexham Regatta Julia and Graeme win the open masters D-F category in their double.

May

Wansbeck Regatta Julia and Graeme beat Sam and Nick to take mixed doubles victory in the event hosted by Cambois RC.

March

World Rowing Virtual Indoor Sprints Sam wins silver in the women’s lightweight 50-59 category over 1000m, while Nick takes bronze for men aged 60-69.

February

World Rowing Virtual Indoor Championships Celia takes silver in the women’s age 60+ 500m, Sam wins bronze in the women’s lightweight 50-54 2K, and Nick gets bronze in the men’s 60-64 2K.

Runcorn RC Virtual Spring Head A quad made up of Nick, Graeme, Gordon and Ian Tweedie wins the open masters F-H category, while Julia and Sam are victorious in women’s masters D-E.

Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships Sam is first in the women’s lightweight 50-54 category over 2K, and Nick gets bronze in the men’s 60-64 2K in the all-Americas qualifying event for the World Rowing Virtual Indoor Championships.