IN stunning conditions, there was plenty to cheer about for hosts Jersey at the inaugural Four Nations Beach Sprints rowing championship.
Twelve rowers from Jersey, England, Scotland and Wales competed in a series of rapid-fire time trials which decided the seeding for the head-to-head finals.
Caesarean Natacha Searson, who last year rowed in the GB Beach Sprints quad at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Championships, took top honours in the Women’s Singles, with Laima Pacekajute taking silver.
Scotland’s Gregor Hall – last year’s top-seeded GB Men’s Beach Sprinter – took gold in the open singles, ahead of Tynemouth’s Hal Flowerdew.
Meanwhile, Islander Joshua Watkins fought off tough competition from GB River Rowing World Rowing Cup medallist Cameron Buchan to secure bronze.
The event – supported by British Rowing and Swift rowing – was the first in the series of Beach Sprint Championships and Regattas to be held across England, Scotland, Wales and Jersey – with beach sprinters vying for the coveted Grand Slam title.
Jersey Rowing Club vice captain Sarah Earles said: “It was an honour to be asked to host an event in this new series of beach sprint races.
“Hosting a beach sprint event of this scale was a first for us. It took a lot of work but we are thrilled with how it went.
“With huge support from our club members who volunteered, we believe we did Jersey proud and the feedback from competitors who travelled to Jersey especially for the event has been amazing.
“Conditions on the day were perfect too. We are also thankful to Oak Group for their continued sponsorship of our beach sprint efforts.”
The Four Nations series follows the addition of Beach Sprints to the Olympics programme for 2028, and gives potential Olympians more racing opportunities.
Oak Group have committed to the Jersey leg with a four-year sponsorship deal, which began this year.
