Eastbourne are champions

It was the highlight as Eastbourne travelled to Plymouth for two days of racing at the 68th South Coast Rowing Championships.

The event, attended by 32 clubs and more than 500 competitors, brings together the most successful boats and crews from the 2025 season, across three Associations (Kent to Cornwall), to compete for the coveted trophies.

Proudly representing Eastbourne and the Coast Amateur Rowing Association (CARA), the club floated boats in eight Open categories, and had qualified for two Championship races, the men’s Junior/Senior 4 and Men’s Masters 4+.

The club performed incredibly well qualifying through the heats to compete in three finals in the open races, including strong performances from Women’s Novice Four (White, Needham, Andrews, Pilcher) who rowed well in both heats and final to place third.

In the Championship races, the Men’s Junior/Senior crew (Phil Grove, Gary Hammond, Jon Osborn, Jonni Andrews - coxed by Jon Reeve-Fowkes) finished strongly to row passed Ryde Rowing Club to finish third in a tight field.

Then, in one of the final races of the weekend, the Eastbourne Masters crew (Jon Osborn, Gary Hammond, Jonni Andrews, Lewis Bacon, coxed by Tabitha McConnell) took on Southampton's BTC Rowing Club in a head-to-head race on the 1,500 meter course on the river Plym.

After a poor start, and a length down after 400m, the Eastbourne crew settled, dug in, and reeled in the BTC boat, drawing level as the race passed the marquees, Eastbourne supporters and CARA clubs cheering on the river bank. Eastbourne pushed again pulling half a length clear with 450m to go. Holding off a final push from BTC, Eastbourne crossed the line a length clear to become South Coast Champions for the first time since 1983.

The 2025 season has been the most successful for Eastbourne Rowing Club in recent memory. In the CARA league, racing clubs from Kent, Sussex and Hampshire, Eastbourne have won the CARA Championship in 4 Categories.

The men’s Open novice crew (Nick Barham, Sam Trenchard, Josh Lord, Vince Herencia) progressed to Junior rowing following impressive wins in the second half of the Season. The club won four open novice races over the course of the season in total.

The Men's Masters (Osborn, Hammond, Andrews, Bacon, Back) and Masters 50 (Guppy, Back, Andrews, Bacon, Osborn) both won their CARA Championships. The Women’s Junior Pair of Tabitha McConnell and Andrea Faulkner dominated the Women’s Junior Pair beating all other CARA crews in all bar one of the seasons regattas.

With the trophy cabinet almost full, Eastbourne RC can boast finishing third in the CARA league overall, and joint second in the Grand Aggregate. An incredible performance.

Eastbourne Rowing Club provide land and on-water training to the community and the opportunity to race and compete to those who wish to. Based at Fishermans Green the club welcome members from age 14 (school year 9) to age 50+.

Those interested should contact [email protected] to attend an open day or introductory session. The club rely on the support of volunteers, fundraising and the community to remain operational. Donations, fundraising and sponsorship offers should be sent to [email protected]