Staite takes sole gold as junior rowers shine

11:30am Monday 17th November 2008

A SMALL group of Evesham juniors travelled to Lower Basildon near Reading to compete at the Pangbourne Junior sculls held on the Thames.

For most of the Evesham contingent, this was their first chance to step up a gear and race against some of the best scullers in the south of the country and they rose to the occasion returning home with a gold medal, three silvers and two bronze.

Oli Staite was in fine form coming back to racing in J18 single sculls after his successes with the GB squad rowing in crew boats.

He stormed down the 2.8K course and was hard-pressed by a home opponent but he kept his cool to take the top spot.

He was backed up by fellow GB rower, Rory Sullivan, who finished in fourth, well ahead of the remaining field of 27 athletes.

The silver medals came from Will Taylor in the J14 singles who, had it not been for a steering problem and time consuming collision with the bank, may well have won this event.

Tegan Parsons, who continues to impress, took silver in the J14 singles 15 seconds ahead of her closest challenger.

Ross McIldowie teamed up with Wil Taylor in the J14 doubles in what was another closely- fought contest with Reading who pipped the local lads by four-tenths of a second.

Ed Surman in the J15 Singles and the J15 double of Tash Bradley and Zena Tredell both claimed bronze medals.

There was success for junior double scullers Abi Penrose and Aimee Rutherford at Stourport Head of the River.

Rutherford enjoyed yet another successful day racing up an age group as they completed the 4.5K course in an impressive time of 14 minutes and 33 seconds.