It was great to welcome Olympic medallist and World Champion rower Oli Wilkes as the surprise special guest at the District Council's Matlock Bath Illuminations last Sunday night.
Oli even rowed one of the decorated boats - "Heroes of the Sky" - in the spectacular parade on the river, courtesy of the usual rower, Taylor Hambleton-Harrison, of Ashbourne, who is the youngest of the Matlock Bath Venetian Boat Builders and celebated his 13th birthday the following day. Happy birthday Taylor!
Oli of course is one of our own, hailing from Matlock. He won a bronze medal in the Men’s four at the 2024 Olympic Rowing Regatta in Paris with David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson. First selected in the Men’s four at the start of the 2022 season, in 2023 Oli helped maintain the crew's unbeaten run as he became a World Champion, qualifying the boat for Paris.
He met other members of the Matlock Bath Venetian Boat Builders' Association on the landing stage and in the Derwent Gardens boat shed, as well as the District Council's Illuminations operating crew, veteran compere Geoff Stevens and wife Jacquie, and young fan Niamh.
Please note that the last weekend on the 2024 Illuminations this coming Saturday and Sunday is sold out - and no tickets will be available at the gate.
Photos: Simon Beynon
