The 2022 Lakeland roll of honour
Cat Bells fell from Derwentwater Picture: Catherine Wetherfield
November
Head of the Lune At the event hosted by Lancaster’s John O’Gaunt RC, Jake Leech-Sanders wins the J13 singles, Jacob Griffiths and James Leech-Sanders take the J16 doubles, Izzie Watson and Lorna Whitaker triumph in the WJ18 doubles, and Izzie Watson, Olena Rawlinson, Ruth Walker and Lorna Whitaker take first spot in the WJ18 coxless quads.
There is success for the seniors too, with Nick Cowan winning both the open F and D/E singles, and Julia McCumiskey and Graeme Mactavish taking the mixed doubles and open D-F doubles titles.
October
North West and Yorkshire Explore Series The club finishes the season in a very impressive second place overall, following the final event, hosted by Grosvenor RC.
David Ferrier, Chloe O’Hare, Kim Pyle and Stefan Thompson, rowing as ‘Lambs to the Water’, win all four of their races, while ‘Cakeland’, consisting of George Coldham, Emily Chapman, Sharolyn Parnham and extra pairs of hands borrowed from Windermere RC, take two from four, putting Lakeland just two points behind John O’Gaunt RC’s ‘Loonies’ in the final reckoning.
Wansbeck LDS and SBH Julia and Graeme win the open D/G/H doubles in the Long-Distance Sculls event held by Cambois RC. They also take the open D/F title in the Small Boats Head.
September
North West and Yorkshire Explore Series The club enters two crews in the penultimate event of the season, hosted by Mersey RC. ‘Lambs to the Water’, made up of David, Chloe, Stefan and Emily, triumph in three out of their four races, while ‘Cakeland’, consisting of Kim, George, Fiona Smail and Don Mitchell win one from four after an early loss to the ‘Lambs’.
World Rowing Masters’ Regatta Lakeland returns with an astonishing two first places, five seconds and two thirds. Sam Ayers and Nick defend their F mixed doubles title, while Julia and Graeme triumph in the D mixed doubles.
Sam, Nick, Julia and Graeme also race as a mixed quad in the E class, finishing second. Sam and Julia are second in the women’s D doubles, while Nick has second place finishes in the men’s F doubles, with Keith Lawton of Hollingworth RC, and in the G doubles, with Andy Jaggard from Durham ARC.
Celia Whittam is second in the women’s G singles, while Sam and Nick come third in their singles races – Sam in D, Nick in F.
For more details, see Top spots for Lakeland at world masters.
North of England Sprint Championships In the club’s first-ever junior wins at the prestigious annual event hosted by Hollingworth Lake RC, Lorna does a double in the women’s doubles, taking the J16 category with Izzie and the J18 with Lucy Hammond, while James Leech-Sanders rows to glory in the men’s J16 singles.
In the senior racing, James Waterfield and Alex Hill triumph in the men’s masters B/C doubles, James also wins the masters A singles, and Connor Faulder and Ben Hammond, Lucy’s brother, take first place in the open doubles.
For more details, see North of England champs are a family affair.
August
North West and Yorkshire Explore Series At the event hosted, once again, by Runcorn Rowing Club, Fiona, David, Stefan, Naomi Raine and Sheila Wood cross the line first in three out of their five coxed quad races.
July
St Neots Regatta Sam and Nick win in their masters singles categories and triumph in the open masters doubles in the event held on the Great Ouse in Cambridgeshire.
North West and Yorkshire Explore Series At the year’s fifth competition, hosted by Leeds RC, Chloe, Don, David, Stefan and Sheila win four out of their five races, making them the day’s most successful crew.
Talkin Tarn Regatta The club notches up a record eight wins at this popular local event. In his first race, our youngest member, Jake Leech-Sanders, wins the open J13 doubles with Josh Griffiths, while Luca Regan-Teasdale takes the open J15 singles title.
In the adult races, Connor wins the open singles and teams up with Ben to take the open doubles crown.
Graeme wins the open masters E/F singles and, with Julia, also triumphs in the open masters D doubles, while Julia and Sam win the women’s masters D/E/F doubles.
Finally, in their first-ever outing as a full sweep crew, Julia, Sam, Nick, Celia, Claire and Steve Lawson, Paul Eldridge and Stefan Escreet row to victory in the club’s inaugural mixed masters E coxed eight.
June
North West and Yorkshire Explore Series At the year’s fourth event, hosted by Lancaster’s John O’Gaunt RC, Chloe, Sheila, Stefan Thompson, Kim and Trevor Morgan, coxed by Celia, win three out of their five races.
British Rowing Masters’ Championships The club returns from the event at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham with an unprecedented eight medals.
It is gold, for the second year running, for Sam and Nick, while Sam takes silver in the bow seat of a Talkin Tarn ARC quad.
She also scores silver with Julia; Julia and Graeme take two silvers; Nick wins silver with Keith Lawton, from Hollingworth Lake RC, and Celia takes two bronzes, one with Gordon Jack.
For more details, see Record haul at national championships.
Hexham Jubilee Regatta Three junior doubles put in performances that are a credit to the club in their first ever races, Edward Copeland and Josh (above) winning their heat against older opposition in the J14 class in great style.
In the masters doubles, Julia and Graeme triumph in the mixed class and open C/D/E heats and finals, while Celia and Gordon take their open G/H heat but lose out in the final to a crew from Berwick ARC.
May
North West and Yorkshire Explore Series At the third Explore event of the year, hosted by Hollingworth Lake RC, Kim, Stefan, Sheila and David, coxed by Celia, win three out of their six races.
Nottingham Masters and Club Regatta Sam and Nick win the mixed masters E doubles, and join forces with Julia and Graeme to take the mixed masters E quad crown.
Tees Regatta Julia and Graeme triumph in the open masters C/D doubles.
Durham City Regatta Celia and Gordon are victorious in the open masters F/G doubles, beating crews from Hexham and Sunderland, at the event hosted by Durham ARC.
Shrewsbury Regatta Sam and Nick (above) head to Shropshire, cruising through the mixed masters doubles heats and semis to win the final.
April
Scottish Rowing Spring Regatta Sam takes top spot in the women’s masters singles event in challenging conditions at Strathclyde Park.
North West and Yorkshire Explore Series At the second Explore event of the year, hosted by Runcorn Rowing Club, Diane Ruddy, Don, Chloe, David and Sheila win four out of their five races.
Chester-le-Street Spring Regatta Doubles partnership Sam and Nick triumph in the D/E mixed masters competition, while Celia and Gordon take F/G. Sam and Nick also win the open final.
March
Somerset 525 Indoor Rowing Championships Sam takes the women’s supervet (age 50+) prize and is fourth fastest in the women’s masters category at the virtual event, organised by Portishead Pilot Gig Club, racing over 500m, 2000m and 5000m in a single weekend.
North West and Yorkshire Explore Series David, Don, Sheila and Alasdair Boden, coxed by Celia, win all five of their races at the first event of the Explore season, hosted by Windermere Rowing Club.
February
World Rowing Virtual Indoor Championships Celia takes silver in the women’s age 60+ 500m for the second year in a row, while Sam loses out to the World Record holder to win silver with a PB in the women’s lightweight 50-59 race at the same distance. Her doubles partner, Nick, misses bronze in the men’s 60+ 500m race by a mere tenth of a second.
In the 2000m events, Sam replicates her 2021 result with a bronze in LW50-54, and Nick comes fifth in a very strong field in M60-64.
South Yorkshire Head Julia and Graeme win the open masters B/D/E doubles over a 4000m course, with Sam and Nick in second place, beating a younger all-male crew in the final of the event hosted by Doncaster Rowing Club.
January
Tyne United New Year’s Head Julia and Graeme take the top spot in the mixed masters D/E/G category in their double, while Celia and Gordon secure second.