With an entry of 102 from Durham College Rowing and 26 from Durham ARC for the 2025 Hexham Regatta a huge volunteer effort saw an unprecedented eight trailers on the road on June 7th transporting the Durham fleet of boats to Tyne Green.
Falling a week before Durham Regatta and being one of the largest one-day competitions in the local rowing calendar the fixture is traditionally very popular, particularly with College Boat Clubs.
As well as the volunteer drivers putting in 15-hour shifts driving 2 club vehicles, 3 hired vehicles and 3 private cars to Hexham and back it was also a busy day for the umpiring fraternity with 9 members of Durham ARC officiating over the course of the day.
Boating at Hexham
Three divisions contested over the 700 metre course on the River Tyne included 253 races in conditions that alternated between showers and sunny intervals and produced wins in 5 events for DARC putting them 4th in the medal table, with a further 7 crews reaching finals and one losing by only 2 feet. The excitement continued to the very end with the final race of the day decided on a bow ball verdict!
Hexham Rowing Club was the most successful club of the day with victories in 11 events, while eight Durham Colleges recorded 14 wins between them, Collingwood College gaining most wins with 4.
Victories for Durham ARC came in the following events –
- Women’s 2x band 1
- Women’s 4x- band 1
- J14 4x+ Hancill
- J15 2x band 1
- WJ15 2x band 1
In division 1 the two J16 girls scullers Olivia Tute and Izzy Maddison went out against Jasmine Kane of Lambton in the semi-final and final respectively.
Jenny Conroy and Aisling Dutton in the WMasC 2x lost to Hexham in the final by 2 feet.
The MasE and MasH coxless quads lost against Hexham and Talkin Tarn respectively.
Coxed fours were the most popular event of the day with 36 Women’s 4+s competing in 5 bands and 17 Open 4+s in 3 bands, many being from Colleges. Lancaster University was successful in two of the bands and DARC lost in the final of bands 2 and 3 of the Women’s 4+.
Women’s 4x- at Hexham
In division 2 the Women’s 8+ went out in the semi-final of band 1 against the eventual winners from Collingwood College.
Gary Walker and Paolo Fortis went out in the semi-final of the MasD 2x against event winners Tyne ARC.
Aidan Lawlor in band 1 of the J15 1x went out against Lambton in the semi-final. Nick Baird beat University College in the quarter-final but went out to Grey College in the band 1 semi-final of the Open 1x.
The J15 girls 4x+ went out to Queen Elizabeth High School in the semi-final.
The J16 girls 2x lost in the final against Tyne United.
The Women’s 4x- beat Hexham and QEHS by 2 lengths to take band 1 of the W 4x-.
The Women’s 2x had good wins against Van Mildert, Hexham and St Leonard’s to win the W 2x band 1.
Women’s 2x at Hexham
With no J13 events available Durham’s J13 coxed quad entered the J14 event along with their J14 counterparts. Both won through their semi-finals and met in the final, with the J14 crew taking the honours.
J14 4x+ at Hexham
In division 3 the J15 girls 2x won band 1 of their event by overcoming Cambois and Lambton, and the J15 boys beat Hexham and QEHS to win in J15 2x band 1.
The J14 girls 4x+ band 1 crew lost to QEHS in the semi-final.
Two Women’s pairs reached semi-finals only to go out against Lambton and Hexham by 2 lengths and 2 feet respectively.
Race results can be found on Easyregatta here.
Photos from SI Events are available here.
Thanks go to the host club for providing an excellent day and to the numerous volunteers who made it possible.
We can now look forward to Durham Regatta next Saturday and Sunday.
Convoy ready to go