A crew from Greenbank Rowing Club made their mark at the first regatta of the season on the bank holiday weekend, writes Sarah Lewis.

Wallingford Regatta is the largest one-day regatta in the country, held at the impressive facility of Dorney Lake, the venue for the 2012 Olympic rowing events. Racing over the 2,000m course, the Greenbank crew was one of 24 entries from all over the country to compete in the Club Coxed Fours.

The crew of Matthew Pullen, James Kerr, Lex Kerr and Tim Wilkinson, coxed by Sarah Lewis, secured a comfortable second place in one of four heats in the early stages of the regatta. Going on to compete in the repechage, the crew won comfortably and earned their place in the final.

Having built on their speed throughout the rounds, the crew kept their cool in the six-boat final, saving their best for a final push which saw them take the win from the outside lane ahead of crews including those from some large Thames-based clubs.

James Kerr, crew member and Greenbank’s Chairman, was pleased to compete with his nephew, Lex, who is relatively new to the sport.

“The crew grew in confidence and speed throughout the rounds and there was 100% commitment from each rower to get over the line in first place. It was a proud day for the club to win at such a prestigious event.”

Greenbank Rowing Club is based at Stithians Lake, near Redruth and welcomes members of all ages and abilities. The club is grateful for the support of the Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth.