Abergavenny Indoor Rowing Championship
23rd November 2003 - Abergavenny Leisure Centre
500m: Men | Women2000m: Men | Women
There was no water, but plenty of sweat at Gwent's first rowing machine championships.
Around 100 racers put their shoulders to the wheel at Abergavenny Leisure Centre on 10 Concept ergometer machines.
And it wasn't a rower, but a sailor who cruised home first, Phil Tilley from Usk covering the 2000m distance in six minutes 35 seconds.
Monmouth doctor James Allison, who rows for Monmouth RC, was second in 6.49 with Abergavenny RFC backrow forward Allistair McNab, who had never sat on an ergo before, third in 6.57.
The women's section saw a storming performance from British age-group record holder Anna Bailey, fresh from retaining the British 50-55 title last week and likely to win a call-up to February's World Championships in America. The six foot five inch Midlander finshied in 7.09.3 just 2.7 seconds off her GB record.
Second fastest was GB U16 rower Lisa Bentham from Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls, who shaved one second off her GB U18 trial time to win the junior crown in 7.43.8.
Monmouth RC's Louise Allison - wife of James and also a doctor - took second in women's open in exactly the same time of 7.50 as second-fastest junior Catrina Kay.
Kay's Haberdasher GB U16 clubmate Katrina Jacks and Stephanie Cherington were close behind on 7.58.6 and 7.59.7, with British lightweight 50-55 medallist Judith Pople from Coleford splitting them on 7.59.1 to set the fastest women's lightweight time.
Second-fastest lightweight woman was Monmouth RC's Abigail Goodwin in 8.27, two seconds faster than the quickest junior girl lightweight, Blaenavon swimmer Carlie Beavan.
In the over 40 men's class, former Welsh international boxer Martin Isaac, who lost a leg five years ago, did a superb 7.03, but was just pipped by two-tenths of a second by Abergavenny fitness fan Gary Bell.
British Schools U15 sculling medallist Matthew Stott from Monmouth RC was quickest junior man in a personal best 7.03, closely pursued by Abergavenny sailor David Hammersley in 7.13 and Abergavenny RFC player Michael Jones in 7.21 in his first time on a rowing machine.
Monmouth RC's John Powell took men's over 50 in 7.37, ahead of Abergavenny's Ioan Holmes in 7.40 and Norman Jones in 7.48.
Peter Norman from Ludlow took the over 60 class in an impressive 7.05, while there were also four over 70s in action, including quadruple by-pass patient Reg Davies who pulled 8.46.
Fastest was Midlander Alan Gilmore (7.51) with Monmouth RC's 70-74 GB lightweight medallist Peter Brunt from Penhow in 8.26 and Charles Morley in 8.42.
In the sprint 500m events, former Wales athlete Peter Maitland from Caerphilly showed the sort of pace that took him to 10.42 for the 100m on the track, recording 1.19.0.
Monmouth rower Steve Poole was second in 1.27.9 with long-distance winner Phil Tilley third 0.4 seconds back and Allistair McNab fourth a further two seconds behind.
Anna Bailey was unstoppable again in the women's race, scorching home in 1.36.5, nine seconds up on Louise Allison who sneaked in ahead of Judith Pople by 0.4 seconds.
Event organiser Ian Parfitt said: "We only put the rowing on to put our foot in the water so to speak, but it's been such a success that we will definitely be holding it again next year.
"The atmosphere in the hall was great with everyone shouting each other on and going for it, and hopefully next time a few more sports clubs and fitness fans will join in."
- Nick Hartland
