Carrow Cup 2017 results

Winners, Blades of Dartmouth

It was cold, cold, cold on the River Wensum for the 2017 Carrow Cup Race on Saturday 9th December. Hardy crews from the local rowing clubs were joined by visitors from Dartmouth, North Berwick, Southend, Leigh on Sea, King's Lynn and Blakeney. 

King's Lynn winners for couture

Numbers in the traditional race, for fixed seat boats without outriggers, were slightly reduced this year, however ten assorted skiffs and gigs mustered by Bishop Bridge, built in 1340 and witness to Carrow Cup races going back to the early 1800s.

As before the "traditional" rowers compete on handicap for the Bi-centenary Bowl, which was given by The Norwich Society in 2013 to encourage use of the River Wensum in Norwich and to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the existing (and second) silver Carrow Cup.

North Berwick in Eton skiff Seraph

In the event, Blades of Dartmouth, who had made the long journey from Devon were too strong for last year's winners, Lower Thames Rowing Club, and for the North Berwick pair, who were beaten into second place. The 30 second winning margin appearing to contradict the neck and neck struggle witnessed by spectators on the bank.
Southend junior girls put in a good time amongst senior (and in some cases very senior) opposition.

Southend in Rozenante

The local Derby between Blakeney and King's Lynn in their St Ayles Skiffs was won by Blakeney, but King's Lynn had a deserved place on the podium for their Christmas Fairy costumes. Perhaps rowing in wings was not an advantage.


Vanessa Trevelyan, chair of The Norwich Society, presented the Bi-centenary bowl to the Felton Flyer crew and David Bolton, chairman of Norwich Rowing Club, invited everyone to return to Norwich for The Carrow Cup 2018.

Lower Thames prepare by Bishop Bridge

The name of Blades of Dartmouth will now join those of Lower Thames Rowing Club and Langstone Cutters Rowing Club on the silver bowl.

Carrow Cup 2017 Traditional boat Result				Elapsed	Corrected
	Club	Boat type		Time	Time
Peters	Blades Rowing River Dart	St Ayles skiff special	Felton Flyer	00:21:51	00:19:00
Wightman	North Berwick RC/NSC	Thames skiff 22'	Seraph	00:22:47	00:19:30
Packer	Lower Thames RC	Hanningfield Hy gig	Spirit of Trafalgar	00:22:36	00:20:28
Gardiner	Lower Thames RC	Hanningfield Hy gig	Proud Mary	00:22:13	00:20:39
Hodge	Norfolk Skiff Club	Thames skiff 26'	Cherub	00:23:29	00:20:58
White	Southend CRC	Seax gig	Rozinante	00:24:12	00:21:29
Forrest	CRA Blakeney	St Ayles skiff	Hoi Larntan	00:26:23	00:22:23
Howes	CRA Blakeney	St Ayles skiff	Bluejacket	00:25:45	00:22:25
	Kings Lynn CRC	St Ayles skiff	Ouse Rewet	00:27:20	00:23:11
Jackson-Smith	Lower Thames RC	Hanningfield Hy gig	Spirit of Dunkirk	00:24:31	00:23:22

Carrow Cup 2017

Nights are drawing in and, as temperatures fall, the autumn calendar proceeds from Halloween to Guy Fawkes Night, Advent and Christmas.
But, for rowers there's another important event to be remembered, The Carrow Cup, when crews in a variety of ancient and modern boats take to the River Wensum in the shadow of Norwich Cathedral to race for The Carrow Cup and Bi-centenary Bowl.
Once again Norwich Rowing Club has invited traditional boats to compete for the trophy given by The Norwich Society for the bi-centenary of the Carrow Cup in 2013.
This year the event will be held on Saturday 9th December. Further details will be available later.