This week, we spoke to two pupils from our school who take part in rowing outside of lessons — Annabelle S in Year 10 and Olivia M in Year 9. They both row for Shanklin and Sandown Rowing Club and have been training hard while taking part in some impressive competitions.
Annabelle’s Rowing Story
Annabelle has been rowing since Year 7, so about four years now. She trains regularly at her club and was recently picked by her coach to represent her rowing school at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham after winning a previous competition.
On Saturday 26th April, Annabelle travelled to Nottingham again, this time to represent Wessex at the prestigious Junior Inter Regional Regatta. She earned her place at this event after a brilliant performance in a time trial at Bryanston School, where she finished first in her race — an impressive result on its own!
At the national regatta, Annabelle placed 10th overall in the time trial, which qualified her for the B Final, where she went on to finish 5th place. A huge well done to Annabelle for her dedication and effort — she continues to represent the school and region with pride.
Annabelle trains on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends, so she spends a lot of time on the water. She told us: “I like rowing because I can just go out and have some peace of mind. It’s a good way to relax.”
One moment she remembers clearly was at her home regatta: “Our team sank a boat. It was funny for some of us, but not for everyone.”
If you’re thinking about trying rowing, Annabelle says: “Just give it a go. You might enjoy it, even if you’re not sure at first.”
Olivia’s First Year — And National Gold!
Olivia M, in Year 9, has been rowing for just over a year, and she’s already had an incredible result. She recently competed in the Ball Cup National Rowing Competition in the WJ14 doubles — and won Gold, beating 23 other boats in her category!
She was picked by her coach to compete at Eton College, where the event was held. Olivia rows three to four times a week and enjoys how fast-paced the sport is.
“Rowing takes a lot of physical training, but that’s what I like about it,” she explained.
Her funniest memory? “During a water safety course, everyone was jumping into the water and face planting the rocks,” she said, laughing. Luckily, no one was hurt!
Olivia’s advice to others is: “It’s a really nice sport, but it’s not for everyone. It takes time. But if it sounds like something you’d enjoy, just go for it.”
Final Thoughts
Both Olivia and Annabelle have shown that rowing takes commitment, effort, and resilience — but their achievements prove that it can lead to great opportunities too. Olivia’s national gold and Annabelle’s regional and national performances are something to be proud of.
By Maisie C
