Rowing tour of North Holland

Members of Durham ARC and Hexham RC joined the 7th British Rowing European Tour which this year took place in North Holland. Paddy Deans was DARC’s only representative, joining around 30 participants using 6 boats on the 3-day tour of the canals and lakes around Steenwijk between May 7th and 10th. The itinerary involved rowing[…]

Learn to Row in 2025

Dates of Learn to Row courses for 2025 are now available on the Thinking of Rowing page. The courses are aimed at beginners, and no experience of rowing is necessary. On the course qualified coaches and a team of helpers will teach you the basics of rowing, sculling, coxing and indoor rowing. Adult Learn to[…]

DARC Ladies Night a great success

Organizers Shirley and Debbie report on cocktails, mocktails, fun and games enjoyed at the recent Ladies Night. DARC held a Ladies Night on Friday 28 February 2025 at the club, with Cocktails, Mocktails, Chips, Brownies and Sweets. Turnout was excellent with 41 attendees and only 3 no-shows (they don’t know what they missed!) They say[…]

Bronze for Roger at World Indoor Championships 2025

The 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships, presented by Concept2, reached its climax with two weekends of finals on February 15th & 16th, and February 22nd & 23rd, and was contested as a wholly virtual competion with competitors taking part online from venues around the world. There was a bronze medal success for Roger Stainforth, who[…]

2024 in review

Like its predecessor 2024 was a year in which competitions were interrupted significantly by the weather, although the North got off lightly compared with some other regions. It has been an eventful year. The following is a monthly synopsis. January The year started in exciting fashion with the launch of George Clooney’s film version of[…]

British Rowing Indoor Championships double success

Octogenarian oarsman Roger Stainforth celebrated double success at the 2024 British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC) on December 7th with victory in the 80-84 age group Open 2000 metres and 500 metres events. The Championships staged for the second year at Birmingham NEC as part of Fitfest 2024, the UK’s leading functional fitness competition, attracted over[…]

Small Grant brings SkiErg World Record

Roger Stainforth’s final preparations for the British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC) this weekend included an attempt last Friday on the 80-84 age group World Record for 2000 metres on the Concept2 SkiErg. Durham ARC acquired a new SkiErg machine and two BikeErgs in October thanks to a successful funding application through the Culture & Sport[…]

Records for Roger at 80

While the attention of the Rowing community in the North of England was focused on Durham Long Distance Sculls (LDS) and Autumn Small Boats Head (ASBH) last Saturday, November 2nd, Roger Stainforth was otherwise occupied representing Durham ARC at the North East Indoor Rowing Championships (NEIRC), organised by Durham University Boat Club (DUBC) and held[…]

October scratch regatta thwarted

Following the success of the scratch regatta in August the daytime members planned to stage an internal scratch eights event with a social slant on Thursday, October 17th but the onset of autumnal weather and a fast flowing river meant the abandonment of the rowing part of the plan. Around 25 rowers and friends did[…]

Durham Long Distance Sculling and Autumn Small Boats Head – November 2nd 2024

Durham ARC will host the final round of the 2024 Northern Rowing Long Distance Sculling (LDS) Series and its own Autumn Small Boats Head (ASBH) on Saturday, November 2nd. The poster for both of the above is here. Further information will be added to the ASBH and LDS Series pages when available. The LDS race[…]

Tour of the Upper Thames

Members of Durham ARC joined over 80 participants for the 30th anniversary British Rowing Tour between August 29th and September 1st, rowing along the upper reaches of the River Thames from Bablock Hythe to Mapledurham in a repeat of the 2018 tour, covering 71 kilometres in 3 days and passing through 14 locks along the[…]