Evesham Golden Mile

Posted on July 10, 2006 | Filed under Rowing

The cream of British indoor rowing descended on Evesham Rowing Club at the weekend for the annual Golden Mile. Seven British records were smashed at the event which attracted over 200 competitors from all over the country.

Six records were broken by women rowers. One of the most exciting rows was by Joanne Lyons in the open category. The 23-year-old former champion swimmer, who now rows at Worcester Boat Club, rowed the mile (1,609 metres) in 5.31.8 minutes, shaving a massive 11 seconds off the previous record.

There were record-breaking sub-six minute rows for the older women too. In the 30-39 category lightweight Christina Lee rowed 5.57.3 minutes. Sue Palmer in the 40-49 women’s heavyweight beat that with a 5.55.6 minutes row and in the 40-49 lightweight women’s event Carol Dunbar rowed 5.57.1. There was a record too for Georgina Hamilton who rowed 6.51.3 in the 60-69 age group while the amazing Mavis Surridge who rows in the 70-79 age group rowed the distance in 7.21.1 minutes.

Only one men’s record was broken on Saturday by John O’Grady, in the 40-49 age group, who rowed the mile in 4.55.5 minutes. His was one of seven sub-five minute rows of the event. The fastest man on the day was Simon Handley, who is trained by Evesham sports scientist Eddie Fletcher. Handley rowed 4.49.4 in the men’s 30-39 event.

Evesham’s junior rowers picked up several medals. Tom Walker rowing at J18 rowed 5.08.9, a time that gave him gold and wouldn’t have looked out of place in the men’s leader board. Fellow J18 Fred Hardman, rowing lightweight, picked up a bronze with his time of 5.58.5. At J16 Will Tew won gold with a time of 5.14.4, and there was gold for Ed Surman and silver for Lewis Giles rowing in the J14 category despite being only 12-years-old - a result that bodes well for their future rowing career.

Abi Penrose won gold for a women’s J16 time of 6.26.8 while her sister Colleen had to be content with a bronze in the WJ15 age group despite a good row of 6.26.9. Ruth Whyman also WJ15 picked up silver with a row of 6.13.6, both girls outclassed by a fantastic rower from Oxford who rowed 5.56.7 minutes. At J14 Aimee Rutherford claimed gold with a 5.56.7 row, with crewmates Dani Symonds and Jorden Parsons claiming silver and gold, respectively.

Full results are available at: www.indoorrowing.org.uk

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