Families battle each other

A FAMILY who have taken part in the Wargrave and Shiplake Regatta for 46 years increased their medal haul to more than 100 at this year’s event.

More than 1,000 people lined the banks to watch more than 300 races across Friday and Saturday, two of the hottest days in August so far.

Hundreds of competitors raced in a myriad of boats, including skiffs, canoes and punts along the 400-yard stretch of the River Thames.

The Goodall family, who have been taking part since 1979, won nine medals, bringing their total tally to 103.

The oldest and youngest of a sister trio from the family raced against their middle sister in the semi-final of the ladies’ double sculling skiff.

Lucy Roberts and Caroline Simmonds, who raced against Amy Goodall-Smith in the semi-final, were defeated in the final by Rhiannon Cook, Seren Moore and Ben Loggie. Loggie had coxed Shiplake College’s junior men’s eight to victory in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at this year’s Henley Royal Regatta.

Ms Simmonds, 45, from Wargrave, secured her 34th medal in the ladies’ dinghy category, taking home the Victor Herman Challenge Cup.

She said: “Every regatta, we have taken part in a minimum of 10 races and this year we made it to the semi-final.

“Often the draw ends up that we’re in a final against each other and that’s worse. For me, I would rather two go through than one. While we’re very competitive, actually, we do cheer each other along and aren’t competitive with one another.”

Ms Goodall-Smith said: “Caroline has the endurance while Lucy has the technical ability. I think I have the strength, so we all bring something different. It also depends on who enters that year.

“It’s part of our year which we spend with all our friends and family. All the parents are friends, us as the first generation of kids are all friends and now our kids are friends. So, it’s so lovely and we do just really love each other and it’s such an amazing community.”

Mrs Moore, 47, from Shiplake, also won the veteran lady and gentleman’s double sculling skiff with her husband Peter, which was also coxed by Loggie.

She said: “It’s hard to win the ladies’ race because it’s really competitive, even though it’s a friendly regatta.

“I said to my sister that this year we wanted to get the title back after winning it in 2023. That’s what we set out to do and achieved.”

Mrs Moore has known Loggie since he was three years old.

She added: “He used to mill around but he was too young to be in the crew so practised coxing instead. Now he’s big, we jokingly have to remind him that his roots started here at the regatta.”

Competitors wore fancy dress, with outfits including cowboys, clowns and Pokémon characters.

Andrew, Fiona and Freddie Hedges, nine, raced with their godmother, Kate Cook, raced Mr Hedges’s best friend and best man Russell Harper dressed in Pikachu outfits.

Ms Hedges, 47, who has been racing at the event since she was 23 years old, said: “I think I even raced when Freddie was in my stomach, so the adrenaline-fuelled event is engraved in the calendar. It’s hard work and agony but it’s an amazing day.

“The event is really wholesome and intergenerational. You don’t have to be an athlete but it is taken seriously by some people. You’re doing it with your kids and you’re doing it with your grandparents who are coxing, so it’s just magical.”

Coca Hall, 24 and Freddie Hall, 25, fell in during the final of the double punting in canoes.

They were competing against their cousin and uncle, Charlie and Andrew Pooley, who wore Union flag dresses with wigs.

Mr Pooley and Ms Hall won the Vassal Adams Trophy for “excellent style and fantastic teamwork”.

Ms Hall said: “It was tiring but we’re so happy because this is our first time winning a race. This is the second year we have raced together and last year we fell in. We have definitely got more stable as the competition has gone on.

“We were quite lucky with our last couple of races because our opposition fell in, so we had quite a leisurely race in the last few rounds.”

Cedd Burge, who grew up in Shiplake and has taken part in the regatta since he was six years old, raced in six different events this year.

It was a close race during one of the heats of punting in the canoe before him and his punting partner, Lotte Burge, 13, fell in.

He said: “My grandmother used to live here so we would come down and have a family holiday. It was a close race until we fell in but speaking to someone on the bank who hasn’t competed before, they said the way they fell in inspired them to go in next year.

“After the pandemic, not everyone came back straight away but it seems to be getting a bit bigger every year and the young people seem to be getting faster. I used to be more competitive but now everyone beats me.”

Charles Burge, 77, from Tadley, who lived in Shiplake until he was about 30 years old, auctioned off a boat called Podge, which is around 100 years old.

It is named after his mum, whose childhood nickname was Podge, despite her being described as slim and elegant.

Mr Burge said: “My father bought her second-hand when he got back from the war. He only had a very light Canadian canoe, and he saw this boat rotting away in Shiplake and went and bought it. He scraped it down to nothing and restored it to its condition now and the family has had her ever since.

“Since then, I have restored it twice and it still gets used but I’m selling it because I’m the main user and I live out in Tadley. I am very lucky to keep it in the boathouse here but now I’m old and decrepit. I can get it in, but I can’t get it out.”

More than 90 people aged 12 years and over took part in the regatta swim early Saturday morning. There was a 1km and 2km race, along with a go with the flow category down the course from 6.30am.

Shane Renders, 59, from Binfield Heath, took part in the swim for the first time in 10 years.

He said: “I thought it was a bit better attended this year and very well organised. It was a good set of participants, with some very good swimmers and others who just wanted to do it in their own time or come along for the ride. For me, it was a good time compared to what I’ve done in the past. I’ve done most of the swims in Henley before, so I knew what to expect. In summer, there’s a lot more growth in the river, so you can feel it when you’re swimming but it was good fun.”

Ben Phillis, who has lived in Wargrave since he was three, has been participating since he was 12. He said: “Around 15 years ago, I did my first swim and built it up over the years and it has been growing and growing.

“Last year was a bit quiet with 75 people, but this year reached around 95 people, with around 45 people turning up on the day, which we didn’t necessarily anticipate, but we managed to get them all in.

“The weather was beautiful, and it was a great way to start the day. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, so it was a lovely morning.”

Lady Jean Phillis, president of the regatta, who has taken part since she was at least 10 years old, also took part in the morning swim.

She said: “When you live on the river, it’s lovely to get involved. You get families who have moved away who still come back for it, which provides a lovely atmosphere.

“It is good fun but it’s taken quite seriously. Seeing some of the little ones in the scratch dongolas who queue first thing in the morning is lovely.

“My husband was president many years ago but for me it’s the fun of being involved, especially since I have three sons, one who lives nearby and loves to get involved too.

“There are so many people behind the scenes who quietly manage to put this all together and put so much effort in.”

An awards ceremony took place following Saturday’s racing. Competitors, family, friends and their dogs gathered to watch the prizes being handed out before the National Anthem was sung. The annual fireworks took place at 10pm.