UPPER THAMES Rowing Club athletes returned to competition after a 17-month hiatus from club rowing competitions due to covid restrictions.

With competitors limited to a single event, Upper Thames entered just two crews at the British Rowing Championships at the Nottingham National Watersports Center last weekend, where both crews walked away with gold medals .

Naomi Ashcroft and Becks Sadler won the double torque in the 50 to 54 category, rowing through a quick start Mortlake double.

Peter Jacobs and Dan Sadler won the coxless duets in the 55-59 category, fending off a solid finish from a Maidenhead duo. The win extends Jacobs and Sadler’s unbeaten streak in their age group to almost 14 years old.

The previous weekend, Upper Thames sent several senior and master crews to the Metropolitan Regatta at Dorney Lake.

The men’s masters team registered two eights, one in the 45-49 age group and the other in the 50-54 age group, as well as a scull.

This regatta took place over the entire 2,000-meter course and the master crews lined up alongside the senior men and school crews, first in a time trial and then in a series of group finals. according to the results of the time trial.

The two masters eight found themselves in the final with two other masters crews and four senior men’s crews. The 50 to 54-year-old crew finished near second in their final, but won medals for being the fastest master crew.

The average age of this crew was over 54 and consisted of Pete McConnell (bow), Mark Shimmin, Mark Tritton, Tim Senior, Zad Rogers, Andrew Green, Hamish Floyd, Peter Jacobs (AVC) and Brendan Desmond ( coxswain).

The 45-49-year-old crew finished fifth in the same final and third in the masters category. This crew consisted of Nick French (bow), Alastair Harsant, Gareth Morris, Ed Shorthose, James Symington, Steve Kelso, Nick Horne, Neil James (AVC) and Bea Crossley (coxswain).

Chris Gilligan and Nick Mills’ sculls were third in the C final of the senior men’s open pair ski event.