Race Report – Norwich Small Boats Head and Norfolk Sculls

I’m Pete Woodford. I was 12 when I started rowing, and I joined IoERC last year.

On 18th October 2025, a group of us from IoERC raced at the Norwich Small Boats Head and Norfolk Sculls — a 7 km time trial on the River Yare. Including rowing to and from the start, it was over 20 km and two hours on the water. Steering was tricky for us Ely rowers; local knowledge would’ve helped.

Ely’s 7 km racers were Cheryl and Arnie (Mix MasC 2x), Michael Hill (MasE 1x), me (MasD 1x), Matthew Turrell (J17 1x), and the J18 2x Marygold. In the 3 km divisions, Lilly Turrell competed in WJ15 1x, and Gresley in J16 1x. Ely took two wins — me and Lilly. Well done, Lilly!

It was great to be part of the team representing IoERC at Norwich. I love racing and I’m keen to motivate others to get involved. There are many types of races for different abilities and categories. Being part of a team — cheering each other on and helping each other on the day — it’s a fantastic experience. Taking part is what truly matters; it’s easy to say, but it really is true. Even if you don’t want to race, supporting the club is just as enjoyable and equally important.

Race insight: I set my SpeedCoach to show stroke count, distance, and time only — no speed or rate. Trusting my body helped me focus on technique.