Regatta’s oarsome return

DURHAM IS

RACING AT

AFTER three years of disruption Durham Regatta returned to its usual format for 2022 for its 189th staging.

Although the weather tried hard to intervene with a strong breeze making conditions difficult for competitors, the general view was one of relief that action had finally returned to the River Wear at Durham City.

Two hundred and sixty races were held on the first day of the two-day meet, with 175 on day two.

Most were contested over the 700-metre short course – the exception being Championship races contested over 1,800 metres on the long course.

Local clubs and schools were well represented and were foremost among the race winners.

The most successful was Durham ARC with 13 wins followed by Yarm School with 12, Durham School 11, Tyne ARC 10, Chester-le-Street ARC nine and Queen Elizabeth High School with eight including composites.

Durham University’s colleges as usual provided many entries, Collingwood gaining the most event wins with three to Hatfield’s two.

Grey, University, Stephenson and St John’s Colleges also achieved success.

Further afield there were victories for crews from Warrington, Sheffield, Edinburgh University, Doncaster, Leeds Rowing Club and Leeds University. The most prestigious of the

Regatta’s 57 historical trophies, the Grand Challenge Cup for coxed fours, went to Lancaster University Boat Club – one of three victories for them this year.

They defeated Tyne Amateur Rowing Club by one length in the final over the long course.

With Henley Royal Regatta on the horizon, competition between local rivals Durham University Boat Club and Newcastle University Boat Club was somewhat muted, DUBC focusing more on non-championship events.

They rowed to victory in the Open Elite B coxed four, the Open Non-Championship A coxed four and the Women’s Non-Championship A eight.

NUBC claimed the Open Championship eight and the Women’s Championship eight.

Prizes were presented at a ceremony at Durham’s Gala Theatre at the end of the regatta.

The clashing British Rowing Masters Championships in Nottingham provided a rival attraction for Masters competitors which meant fewer events than usual were offered for Masters to enter at this year’s regatta.

BACK - AND IT IS BETTER THAN EVER

Two crews from Newcastle University contest the final of the Open Championship Eights at the 2022 Durham Regatta

Durham School and the University of York eights in action on the short course

Lancaster University’s coxed four who won the 2022 Durham Regatta Grand Challenge Cup