Lake District Rowers Crowned World Champions In Slovenia
Five Lakeland Rowing Club members have been crowned world champions after a successful campaign at an international rowing regatta in Slovenia.
Nine members of the Lake District club, which is based on Derwentwater, travelled to Lake Bled to compete in the World Rowing Masters Regatta. The five day competition attracted more than 4,500 athletes representing 889 clubs, creating a huge international field for the Cumbrian rowers to compete against. Around 50 hours of racing took place during the event, with races following one another at a demanding pace throughout the competition.
The Lakeland team faced challenging conditions during their time in Slovenia, with temperatures reaching around 30 degrees and thunderstorms adding to the difficulties. Despite the demanding weather, the club members produced a series of strong performances and secured multiple victories across their events. Their results ultimately saw five of the competitors claim world championship titles at the prestigious masters regatta.
Celia Whittam, aged 69 and from Troutbeck, enjoyed a particularly successful competition by winning gold in her singles event. Her victory provided one of the standout results for the Lakeland club and demonstrated the level of preparation required to compete successfully at an international event. Whittam also returned to the podium in the women's double, where she partnered 56 year old Julia McCumiskey from Keswick.
McCumiskey added another victory to her own results when she competed in a mixed double alongside 60 year old Graeme Mactavish from Bolton Low Houses. The result gave the club another world championship success and contributed to an exceptional series of performances from its competitors. The combination of experienced rowers from across Cumbria helped the club make a significant impact at Lake Bled.
Sam Ayers, aged 55, and 66 year old Nick Cowan, both from Eaglesfield, also secured victory in their mixed double race. Their success meant that several different combinations of Lakeland Rowing Club members were able to achieve wins during the competition. The results reflected the depth of experience within the club and the preparation undertaken ahead of the international event.
The remaining members of the Lakeland group also played an important part in representing the club at the regatta. The competitors included Gordon Jack, aged 69, Seb Walker, aged 55, club captain James Waterfield, aged 36, and Craig Wagstaff, aged 46. Together, the nine rowers formed the club's travelling group for the five day event and experienced competition on one of the world's best known rowing venues.
Lake Bled provided a distinctive setting for the regatta, with competitors racing against an international field surrounded by the Slovenian landscape. For McCumiskey, the opportunity to compete at Lake Bled had been a major attraction. She said attending an international competition required a considerable commitment but that the location had been one of the places she had wanted to row.
McCumiskey described the experience of rowing on Lake Bled as living up to her expectations, highlighting the quality of the water, the surrounding scenery and the organisation of the event. Her comments reflected the significance of the competition beyond the results themselves, with the trip providing the club members with the opportunity to compete at a renowned international rowing venue.
Whittam also described the atmosphere surrounding the races, particularly the experience of approaching and crossing the finish line. She said the support from fellow club members and other British spectators created a strong atmosphere for the competitors. The encouragement provided by supporters added another dimension to the experience for the Cumbrian rowers competing far from home.
For Cowan, the victory represented the outcome of a season of preparation and hard work. He described the result as particularly satisfying after the effort invested throughout the season and said the outcome had brought both surprise and delight. His comments underlined the significance of securing a world championship result after months of training and preparation.
The World Rowing Masters Regatta provided a particularly demanding competitive environment because of the size of the field. More than 4,500 athletes travelled from hundreds of clubs, creating a broad range of experience and ability across the different events. The scale of the competition also meant that the Lakeland rowers were competing against athletes from rowing clubs representing many different countries and regions.
The competition schedule added another challenge, with around 50 hours of racing taking place over the five days. Races were staged at frequent intervals, with an eight lane race taking place approximately every four minutes. This required competitors and teams to remain organised and prepared throughout the event, particularly when dealing with multiple races and changing weather conditions.
The hot weather presented another test for competitors during the regatta. Temperatures reached 30 degrees, while thunderstorms also affected conditions. Maintaining performance in such circumstances required the rowers to manage the physical demands of racing while adapting to the changing environment around Lake Bled.
For Lakeland Rowing Club, the results provide a significant international achievement and reflect the commitment of its members to competitive rowing. The club's location on Derwentwater places it within one of the Lake District's most recognisable landscapes, while its members regularly train and compete as part of their sporting activities.
The five world championship victories also provided a strong conclusion to the club members' preparations for the event. Whittam, McCumiskey, Mactavish, Ayers and Cowan each contributed to the winning results, while the wider group helped represent the club throughout the competition. Their performances brought international recognition to a rowing club based in the Lake District.
The success at Lake Bled gives the nine travelling members a memorable result from an event that brought together thousands of masters rowers from around the world. With five world championship victories secured across singles, doubles and mixed doubles events, the Lakeland Rowing Club delegation returned from Slovenia having achieved a notable set of results on the international stage.
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