No mixed fortunes for successful double
A FINE mixed doubles victory from Marc Isabelle and Dani Barnett earned them the captain’s personal ‘performance of the day’ award in Guernsey’s surprise Sark to Jersey trophy triumph.
Guernsey Rowing Club captain Sam de Kooker has praised the protagonists that helped an outnumbered Sarnian side win the inter-insular Le Poidevin Trophy 7-3, with the inexperienced mixed double playing a star role as many others opted out over landing restrictions.
Speaking on the latest Guernsey Press Sport Podcast, de Kooker highlighted the challenges Isabelle and Barnett have faced in transitioning from the novice Foresite quad.
‘Going from a quad boat, where you’ve got a cox, you’ve got a more stable boat, into a doubles, which is a lot less stable, plus you’ve got to steer yourself, they went into the race just hoping to complete it,’ he said.
‘And in the end, they won their class in a very impressive time [of under 2hrs. 20min.].
‘Performance of the day from me definitely goes to them ... there was only one point available in that class and they took it, which has kind of really helped us to win the Le Poidevin Trophy.’
Men’s double TPA and women’s quad Le Mont Saint – AKA Out of the Blue – also won their classes impressively and the scratch Offshore Group men’s quad placed a very close second overall to Jersey’s Jaws.
Another trip to Sark follows this coming weekend.
The Guernsey to Sark takes place on Saturday and if conditions suit, the Around Sark ends its long absence on Sunday, allowing rowers to rewrite the record books of a race that last took place in the fixed-seat era.
