Leek and District Sports Council Team Winners Announced
North Staffs Rowing Club Women’s Team have been announced as the Team of the Year at The Leek and District Sports Awards. Read more about them below.
The women’s team at the North Staffs Rowing Club (NSRC) has been growing and developing over the past 5 years. The majority of the team started the club as novices and came through on the learn–to-row scheme. Some of the women’s team were introduced to the sport through their daughter’s participation in the sport, whilst a couple rowed 30 years ago at university and have come back to the sport. Ages range from 32 to 60 years of age.
The women have shown true dedication to the sport, and their passion for this has been born out in their hard work, determination, organisation and commitment to early morning training on the water in all weathers.
This commitment has culminated in the women having their most successful year so far in competitions.
2017 started with a ladies 8 crew competing in a national competition held on the ‘boat race’ course on the Thames. This is a huge event, with over 300 ladies ‘8’ boats entering. The competition for this event ranges from top GB rowers, elite crews, top university crews and clubs from all over the country. We entered for the first time and rowed the course faster than over 90 crews.
The ladies 8 then came 2nd at the Northwich Spring Head race in April 2017.
As the year progressed we then entered further competitions in different size and types of boat.
We had a win for a quad at the Chester summer time trials in July 2017.
A win for a ladies single (Sarah Taylor) at the Chester long distance sculls in September 2017. This is the first time 2 of our ladies (Sarah Taylor and Janet Howson) have entered a singles race – no mean feat, as it is a 5km row up followed by a 5km race!
A win for a ladies quad at the Northwich Autumn Head race in November 2017. The Ladies Masters coxless quad won their race despite being slowed by other crews when trying to overtake them.
And a win for the ‘8’ at the Liverpool Head of The Float in December 2017. It was a strong performance against a crew from Northwich Rowing Club.
The success of the women’s team has now spurred them on to work and train harder than before. They are inspirational in their time-management (as they all have jobs), commitment and enthusiasm for the sport.
During a time and national campaign of ‘THIS GIRL CAN’ in sport, ‘THESE GIRLS CERTAINLY DO’!
