A full entry of almost 400 enjoyed a splendid day of racing over 4 divisions at Durham Small Boats Head on Saturday, February 3rd, the main competition hosted by the club during the winter season.
The event was given the go ahead thanks to the river level having fallen to near normal by the appointed date and great work by volunteers to clear debris from the course following the recent storms that have blighted many other events across the country.
Conditions on the day were generally good but a stiff breeze at times coupled with the strong current added to the challenge of negotiating Elvet Bridge and meant it wasn’t a day for fast times.
Thirty-three clubs took part in the time trial over 1800 metres, with Durham ARC providing 39 entries, a total surpassed only by the 47 of George Watson’s College from Edinburgh. The most popular events were as usual the Open coxed four with 41 entries and Women’s coxed four with 29.
Crews heading to the start of division 3
Division 1
In Division 1 DARC’s J18 coxless quad placed 5th in a time of 7.32.6 behind a Yarm School J18 4x- who recorded 6.42.7. The J18 girls finished 2nd to the fastest Women’s crew from Tyne ARC in the WJ18 4x- event in 7.51.6.
The Men’s coxed four were drawn to start in a very competitive band 4 of the Open 4+ and did well to place 3rd of 22 entries behind winners Collingwood College.
The first victory of the day went to Nick Baird who recorded 8.09.7 in band 1 of the Open single sculls. Luke Davison was 2nd in the same event in 8.16.5.
The Women’s coxed quad finished 3rd in band 1 of W 4x+ in 9.16.9, closely followed by the Women’s Masters F coxless quad who were 3rd in a WMasCFG 4x- handicap race in 9.20.2.
The J14 girls coxed quad placed 5th of 12 entries in their event in 9.31.4, while in the J15 single scull Aidan Lawlor was 6th of 11 entries in band 2 of the J15 1x in 9.46.7.
The first of DARC’s two J13 coxed quads to race finished 3rd in their event in 11.22.2.
Women’s 4x-
Division 2
The Open coxless four was the 5th fastest crew in division 2 and the 16th fastest overall, finishing without opposition in 7.23.9.
Ethan Thompson and Quinn Mosley were the faster of two DARC J15 2x entries, winning band 1 of the J15 2x in 7.32.9, thirty seconds ahead of Lambton RC.
The MasG combination of Andy Jaggard and Richard Court were winners of the MasG 2x in 7.54.5.
Charlotte Foster, Sophie Hancill, Becca Burns and Izzy Maddison won the Women’s J16 4x- in 7.57.4.
Michael Terry won the MasD single sculls in 8.50.5, and the MasH coxless quad was 2nd in the MasFGH 4x- handicap in 8.54.2.
Angela Lund, Gabrielle Moore, June Davison and Helen McMillan in the Women’s MasF coxless quad won the WMasCFG 4x- handicap in 8.56.8.
The Women’s 2x finished 2nd to Chester-le-Street in band 1 of the W 2x in 8.57.5.
Iris Mitchell and Elizabeth Belsey won the J14 girls 2x in 9.05.1, ahead of 13 other doubles from Cambois, Chester-le-Street, Lambton, George Watson’s College, Yarm School, Durham School and Queen Elizabeth High School.
The WMasG 4x- was 4th in 10.25.5. Joyce Collett had no opposition, finishing in 10.46.2 in the WMasH 1x, and Paolo Fortis was 4th in the MasC 1x in 11.21.9.
WJ16 2x band 2
Division 3
Though not as fast as the DARC WJ16 and WJ18 coxless quads who raced in divisions 1 and 2 there was a win in Division 3 for Olivia Heads, Louisa Scott, Emily Rodgers and Grace Beattie in the Women’s 4x- in 8.13.5.
The J18 double placed 2nd in band 2 of the J18 2x in 8.28.8.
A second event win for Sophie Hancill and Izzy Maddison came in the WJ16 2x in 8.58.1, and Andy Jaggard also picked up his second success of the day winning the MasH 1x in 9.15.8.
Patrick Lakey was 2nd in band 2 of the J16 single sculls in 9.17.7.
Another victory came in the J13 4x+ for Dominic Lee, Aled Auyeung, William Tew, Sam Hancill + cox Aidan Lawlor who completed the course in 10.12.9.
The J16 girls 2x was 3rd in band 2 in 10.16.4, and the Women’s 4x+ was 3rd in band 2 in 12.05.3.
J13 4x+
Division 4
Division 4 brought a good win for a Durham/Tyne ARC composite J15 coxed quad, including Quinn Mosley, Jason Wrack, Harrison Glasper and cox Izzy Maddison, in 7.12.2, the fastest time of the day by any DARC crew and the 9th fastest overall behind George Watson’s J16 4x-, who were the overall winners of the head with 6.41.6, and also raced in Division 4.
Livvy Terry, Gem Anderson, Scarlett Nicholson, Madeline Carty and cox Georgia Curry won the J14 girls 4x+ in a time of 8.50.0.
The last win of the day went to Heather Hirst, Eleftheria Pervolaraki, Vickie Jackson and Jenny Conroy who finished in 9.19.6 in band 2 of the Women’s 4x+, coxed by Andy Jaggard who recorded his third success of the day.
DARC’s two entries in band 2 of the Women’s 2x finished 3rd and 5th in 9.44.1 and 10.07.6.
DARC/TYNJ15 4x+
List of wins for Durham ARC –
A haul of 14 victories made Durham ARC the most successful club. A summary of winning events and times is below –
- J15 4x+ (Durham/Tyne ARC composite) Mosley 7.12.2
- J15 2x band 1 Thompson 7.32.9
- MasG 2x Jaggard (MasEFG 2x) 7.54.5
- WJ16 4x- Foster 7.57.4
- Open 1x band 1 Baird 8.09.7
- Women’s 4x- Heads 8.13.5
- WJ14 4x+ Terry 8.50.0
- MasD 1x Terry 8.50.5
- WMasF 4x- Lund (WMasCFG 4x-) 8.56.8
- WJ16 2x band 2 Hancill 8.58.1
- WJ14 2x Mitchell 9.05.1
- MasH 1x Jaggard (MasGH 1x) 9.15.8
- Women’s 4x+ band 2 Hirst 9.19.6
- J13 4x+ Lee 10.12.9
Andy Jaggard in Masters H 1x
Many events were banded to cater for the large number of entries. Collingwood College was the most successful of the Durham Colleges in the Open 4+, winning all 4 bands, while in the Women’s 4+ the winners were Hatfield College in band 1, St John’s College in band 2 and Hexham Rowing Club in band 3.
George Watson’s College amassed 9 victories, including J16 4x-, Open 4x-, Open 4x+ band 1 and Women’s 4x+ band 1, and filled three of the ten fastest places overall.
Hexham and Chester-le-Street also did well with 8 and 5 wins respectively. It was pleasing to witness many athletes gaining their first competitive experience and several achieving good results.
There was a first ever appearance in open competition for Infinity Boat Club since its affiliation to British Rowing last year. Two crews entered, the J14 boys 4x+ were 3rd in their event and the J14 girls 4x+ 8th. The club is a registered charity aiming to bring the sport of rowing to underserved communities of school children in Teesside.
WJ14 4x+
We are grateful to the many volunteers whose efforts make events such as this possible.
Sixty-one events were contested as tabulated below. Those marked with * were without opposition.
| Event | Winner | Entries | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| J16 4x- | George Watson’s College | 6 | 6.41.6 |
| J18 4x- | Yarm School | 8 | 6.42.7 |
| Open 4x- | George Watson’s College | 8 | 6.45.0 |
| Open 4+ band 1 | Collingwood College | 4 | 6.54.1 |
| J15 4x+ | Durham ARC/ Tyne ARC | 9 | 7.12.2 |
| Open 4- | Durham ARC | 1 | 7.23.9 * |
| J16 2x | George Watsons College | 8 | 7.24.8 |
| MasE 4x- | Hexham RC | 5 | 7.28.4 |
| J18 1x band 1 | Yarm School | 5 | 7.31.2 |
| J15 2x band 1 | Durham ARC | 4 | 7.32.9 |
| J18 2x band 1 | Durham School | 4 | 7.33.4 |
| Open 4+ band 3 | Collingwood College | 9 | 7.40.1 |
| Open 4x+ band 1 | George Watsons College | 4 | 7.40.2 |
| Open 4+ band 2 | Collingwood College | 6 | 7.42.8 |
| WJ18 4x- | Tyne ARC | 9 | 7.43.5 |
| Open 4+ band 4 | Collingwood College | 22 | 7.49.0 |
| J18 2x band 2 | St Leonards School | 6 | 7.50.7 |
| MasG 2x | Durham ARC | 5 | 7.54.5 |
| WJ16 4x- | Durham ARC | 5 | 7.57.4 |
| Open 2x | Durham School | 5 | 7.58.3 |
| J16 1x band 1 | George Watsons College | 5 | 8.01.1 |
| J14 2x | George Watsons College | 12 | 8.02.3 |
| Open 1x band 1 | Durham ARC | 4 | 8.09.7 |
| Women's 4x- | Durham ARC | 3 | 8.13.5 |
| MasG 4x- | Hexham/Tyne ARC | 5 | 8.15.5 |
| Open 2- | Lambton RC | 6 | 8.16.3 |
| WJ16 2x band 1 | Hexham RC | 4 | 8.20.2 |
| J15 2x band 2 | Durham School | 9 | 8.21.4 |
| J14 4x+ | George Watsons College | 12 | 8.22.6 |
| J15 1x band 2 | Lambton RC | 10 | 8.23.2 |
| WJ18 2x band 1 | Chester-le-Street | 4 | 8.23.3 |
| W 2x band 1 | Chester-le-Street | 4 | 8.26.4 |
| Open 1x band 2 | St Hild & Bede College | 3 | 8.26.9 |
| J18 1x band 2 | Hexham RC | 7 | 8.30.8 |
| WJ15 4x+ | Hexham RC | 9 | 8.34.8 |
| Women’s 4+ band 1 | Hatfield College | 5 | 8.35.6 |
| Women's 4x+ band 1 | George Watsons College | 3 | 8.45.0 |
| J15 1x band 1 | George Watsons College | 6 | 8.45.5 |
| WJ14 4x+ | Durham ARC | 12 | 8.50.0 |
| Open 4x+ band 2 | Sunderland City | 4 | 8.50.1 |
| MasD 1x | Durham ARC | 3 | 8.50.5 |
| Women’s 4+ band 3 | Hexham RC | 18 | 8.56.5 |
| WMasF 4x- | Durham ARC | 4 | 8.56.8 |
| Women’s 4+ band 2 | St John’s College | 6 | 8.57.4 |
| WJ16 2x band 2 | Durham ARC | 4 | 8.58.1 |
| WJ18 1x | Chestsr-le-Street | 5 | 9.02.5 |
| WJ14 2x | Durham ARC | 14 | 9.05.1 |
| Women's 1x | Chester-le-Street | 4 | 9.07.8 |
| Women's 2x band 2 | Hexham RC | 6 | 9.09.3 |
| MasC 1x | Hexham RC | 4 | 9.12.8 |
| WJ18 2x band 2 | St Leonards School | 4 | 9.15.2 |
| MasH 1x | Durham ARC | 3 | 9.15.8 |
| J16 1x band 2 | QEHS | 9 | 9.16.9 |
| Women's 4x+ band 2 | Durham ARC | 5 | 9.19.6 |
| WJ15 2x | Lambton RC | 8 | 9.23.3 |
| WJ15 1x band 1 | George Watsons College | 3 | 9.44.2 |
| WJ15 1x band 2 | Cambois | 9 | 9.44.8 |
| WJ16 1x | Chester-le-Street | 6 | 9.45.9 |
| J13 4x+ | Durham ARC | 4 | 10.12.9 |
| WMasH 1x | Durham ARC | 4 | 10.46.2 * |
| Women's 2- | QEHS | 2 | 11.21.7 * |
Women’s 4x+ band 2
Full results in PDF format are here and additional reports can be found here. Photos are available from the SI Events website.
Infinity Boat Club WJ14 4x+