Trentham Regatta 2026

Trafford returned to Trentham Regatta on the 31st May with 45 crews racing throughout the day. Despite a forecast of rain from start to finish, the weather was kinder than expected, with only a couple of showers and turned to be an enjoyable day of racing. A cross-tailwind made for quick conditions, while the notorious Trentham steering challenges produced some interesting routes down the course from crews across the event. It was great to see so many Trafford rowers at the race, particularly those making their regatta debuts. The Trafford gazebo was packed with spectators, racers, and supporters creating a brilliant atmosphere; cheering every Trafford crew in their final sprints to the finish line. We finished with 12 wins and joint first in the medal table alongside Warrington RC 🏆💚🖤

Junior Squad

The juniors rowed well at Trentham, with 22 crews competing and securing 5 wins overall 🏆

Rebecca (W J18), Jemima (W J13), and Jack (Op J13 Band 2) all came away with wins in their singles. Rebecca and Jack collected their first Trentham cups, while it was also Jemima’s first win in the single scull. Rebecca had a really strong set of races, battling well against tough opposition from Warrington in both the semi-final and final, showing good composure and determination throughout. Jemima faced similar strong opposition from Agecroft and produced two close races, including a tight finish in the final where she was carried home by strong Trafford support from the bank. Jack dominated his race from the start to secure a convincing first win in the single. Well done all 🥇

Both girls’ quads also secured a win in their finals. The W J13 4x+ of Jemima, Min Yu, Lucy, Orlaith, with Seb coxing raced together for the first time and were dominant from start to finish, taking a comfortable win. A great first outing for the crew, with well done to Lucy and Orlaith on their first ever race - great to see the support from the experienced girls thrghout the day. The W J14 4x+ of Isobel, Holly, Molly, Min Yu, with Jemima coxing also won their event in the final Trafford race of the day, finishing strongly to take victory by a comfortable margin. Well done girls 🎉

A further mention goes to our W J12s Aveah and Francesca. Aveah made her singles debut against Derby and just missed out on a win in a close race, but gained a valuable first experience. Later in the day, the pair raced an age up together in the WJ 13 2x and worked hard through the crosswind conditions, again narrowly missing out but showing real determination throughout. A great first step into racing and plenty to build on. Great effort girls 🥈

Men's Squad

The men's squad enjoyed a successful day, bringing home 3 wins across the masters categories.

The Op Mas C 4+ of Graham, Mike, Ben, John, with Jane D coxing, produced a dominant win against Runcorn RC. They quickly established control of the race and stayed strong all the way through, continuing to push to the finish for a solid full race effort. Great row! 🥇

Division 2 saw Trafford represented in the Op Mas F 1x with 2 entries from Andy and Jim. Both rowers produced strong semi-final performances, each securing convincing wins against Hollingworth Lake RC to set up an all-Trafford final. In the final, Andy managed to edge ahead to take the win, with both athletes putting in solid races and showing good control and composure in both races. A great example of competitive racing within the squad and another win secured for Trafford 🏆

Women's Squad

The women's squad contributed 4 wins to Trafford's total and brought plenty of exciting races throughout the day. The W 4+ of Kate, Harriet, Natalia, Rowan and Catherine coxing kicked off the day by securing the first win against Trentham, taking victory by 2 lengths. The crew controlled the race well from the front, setting the tone for a successful start to the day for Trafford. Kate and Rowan then continued their winning momentum into the W 2x (Band 1), where they produced another dominant performance. They progressed confidently through the semi-final before going on to take the win in the final, making it 3 years in a row as winners of this event at Trentham Regatta. Fab work ladies 🥇

Division 1 saw a battle of the doubles in the W Mas C 2x event. Kicking off with a Trafford vs Trafford semi-final between Su & Jill and Andrea & Laura. The race quickly became one of the first demonstrations of Trentham's steering challenges, with Andrea & Laura ultimately taking the win by managing to stay on the intended course for the longest! Meanwhile, Louise & Kim were involved in one of the closest races of the day against Derby in their semi final. Neck and neck for most of the course, they dug deep in the closing stages and pulled ahead in the final 100 metres to secure victory by around half a length. Now a Trafford-Trafford final was approaching! Andrea & Laura found themselves taking the scenic route towards the middle island, while Louise & Kim stayed on course to take the win. A brilliant effort from all three doubles and a great Trafford victory in the event. 🏆

A further highlight came from the W Mas C 4x- of Helen, Jane, Su and Ania, who after winning their semi-final against Royal Chester RC, were left waiting for their final opponents only to later find they had scratched their entry. With the win already secured, the crew took the opportunity for a much more relaxed row down the course, with plenty of photo opportunities and even some well timed waves to spectators before the finish line. A great display of team spirit and enjoyment on the water, rounding off a well-earned win and another cup heading home for Trafford 💚🖤

Special Mentions

A special thank you to Georgia, younger sister of one of our juniors Francesca, who once again baked delicious shortbread biscuits for the squad following her popular contribution at Nottingham. They were a huge hit across the club! Additional praise must also go to Jane for her beetroot brownies, which proved equally popular and helped keep athletes fuelled throughout the day. 🍰🍪

Overall, Trentham Regatta was another fantastic day for Trafford. With 12 wins, strong performances, lots of first races, and excellent support across all squads, there was plenty to celebrate as we look ahead to the next event. Thank you to Trentham RC for a lovely day of racing 💚🍃🤍