Series reaches oarsome finale on River Wear
Rowers from across the north contest sculling event ROWING
ROWERS from across the north of England converged on the River Wear for the exciting double-header of the final round of the Long-Distance Sculling Series and Durham Autumn Small Boats Head Race.
Both time trials were hosted by Durham Amateur Rowing Club.
The Sculling Series, organised by the Northern Rowing Council, includes six rounds over six consecutive weeks, previous rounds having taken place on the River Tyne at Newburn, the River Tweed at Berwick and the River Wear at South Hylton, with weather cancellations on the Tees and Wansbeck.
Although offering the shortest course of the series, Durham is one of the most challenging with competitors having to negotiate the narrow arches of Elvet Bridge at the halfway point of the 1,800 metres.
The morning sculling event, open to single, double and quadruple sculls, was followed by two divisions of the SBH, also accommodating sweep-oared boats.
The weekend’s events were fully subscribed within 48 hours of entries opening, attracting a diverse range of 300 competitors of all ages representing schools, colleges, universities and rowing clubs. The fastest times were posted earlier in the day when conditions were more favourable before overnight rainfall had time to take its effect on the flow of the river.
The overall winner in the LDS division, with a time of 6min.08.3sec, was Durham Amateur Rowing Club’s senior coxless quad of David Rutter, Nicholas Baird, Tom Richardson and Will Hamlyn.
With some of the region’s top competitors at GB trials in Boston the same day, success was distributed between 14 different clubs.
The host club fared best by winning 13 categories (nine at the LDS and four at the SBH), followed by Tyne ARC with seven and Durham School with six overall wins.
In the schools’ sector, Yarm School, St Leonard’s and Queen Elizabeth High School also enjoyed success in the junior races.
A strong contingent from Durham University Boat Club took the open (7.13.3) and women’s (8.19.0) pairs.
Kasey Jobling (8.56.7) claimed band one and Gabrielle Keblyte (9.40.0) band two in the women’s single sculls at the SBH.
In the LDS, 16-year-old Adam Morris from Durham ARC held off five opponents from Durham University to take the title of fastest sculler of the day, completing the course in 7.12.5.
Durham ARC also did well in junior events in the LDS, prevailing in the J18 girls’ (7.10.2) and J16 boys’ (6.44.3) coxless quads.
There were victories in the Masters events for John Appleby and Micky Stevens in the Masters G (6569) double sculls (7.12.2), David Muse in the Masters B single sculls (7.35.5), Andy Jaggard in the Masters G single (7.55.5), and Joyce Collett in the women’s Masters G single (9.10.6).
The traditional fierce rivalry between the colleges of Durham University was a feature of racing in the Small Boats Head, eight colleges providing 35 coxed fours over the two afternoon divisions.
To ensure fair competition, men’s and women’s crews were divided into three bands.
Hatfield College Boat Club triumphed in band one (6.26.6), Queen Elizabeth High School band two (7.12.7) and Grey College band three (6.58.9).
In the men’s coxed fours, Durham University BC won band one of the women’s coxed fours (7.30.1), with Collingwood College taking bands two (7.32.3) and three (8.35.3).
Tyne United RC won the girls’ J15 (8.51.3) and Durham School the women’s 2x (7.51.9).
Durham ARC clinched the senior women’s coxless quad, junior girls’ J15 and girls’ J14 coxed quads.