Silver for Roger at World Rowing Indoor Championships

Roger Stainforth of Durham ARC rounded off another successful indoor rowing season with a magnificent silver medal-winning performance in the finals of the 2021 World Rowing Indoor Championships held between February 23rd and 27th. The Championships attracted 935 finalists from 63 countries who over the preceding three months had come through five Continental Qualifiers to[…]

Roger wins at Canadian Indoors

Without leaving home in Durham, Roger Stainforth continued his preparations for the 2021 World Rowing Indoor Championships by sealing victory at the Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships on Saturday, February 6th, recording a time of 7.35.9 for the 2km distance in the Masters 75-79 age group event on his Concept2 Model C ergometer. The Canadian Championships[…]

Durham SBH weathers the storm

Durham Small Boats Head went ahead on February 1st after some initial concerns about the weather forecast, Durham’s topography affording sufficient shelter from the elements to prevent an addition to the long list of cancellations over the past year. The decision to go ahead was vindicated, with the moderate south-westerly wind failing to trouble competitors,[…]

Victory for Roger at BRIC 2019

Roger Stainforth may have been Durham ARC’s only representative at the 2019 Mizuno British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC), officially the largest indoor rowing event in the world, but he returned triumphant with a gold medal and a British record in the Masters age 75-79 heavyweight 2km event! On Saturday December 7th over 1,800 competitors took[…]

Good conditions for Rutherford Head 2019

A large entry of 264 enjoyed some unusually good conditions for Rutherford Head on Saturday December 7th with a breeze in the afternoon providing the only real difficulty. Organised by Tyne ARC the head is the northern region’s premier race for large boats in the winter season and attracts some of the best rowers from[…]

Derwentwater Head trial

The weekend of November 23rd/24th was a frustrating one for rowers on the River Wear with high water levels causing the cancellation of Durham College Rowing’s Senate Cup competition scheduled for Sunday, but it was certainly a busy weekend for club members with plenty of action on offer elsewhere. Three DARC quads went to London[…]

Record for Roger at Scottish Indoors

Having moved up an age category in September Roger Stainforth added to his indoor rowing achievements on Saturday by setting a British record for the age 75-79 heavyweight 2km while competing in the over-70 event at the Scottish Rowing Indoor Championships at the Ravenscraig Sports Centre in Motherwell. His time of 7m 29.7s beat the[…]

Early finish for Sculling Series

The Long Distance Sculling Series (LDS) finished a week early after it was decided to cancel the final round at Durham along with Durham Autumn Small Boats Head (SBH), planned for November 9th, because elevated river levels made it impossible to provide safe and fair racing. 2019 has been a difficult year as regards unpredictable[…]

School Games Indoor Rowing Championships

Durham ARC Juniors put in some good performances at the Level 3 School Games County Durham Indoor Rowing Championships at the Graham Sports Centre, Maiden Castle on Thursday, Congratulations to the successful rowers in each year group – WJ13 – Sian Davison 1st in Year 8 girls J13 – Will Terry 3rd in Year 8[…]

Sculling Series nears climax

After the completion of 4 of the 6 rounds of the 2019 Northern Rowing Autumn Series uptake for both the Long Distance Sculling Series (LDS) and associated Small Boats Heads (SBH) has been enthusiastic, with entries for the competitions at Tees, Tyne, Wansbeck and Durham being suspended early when safety limits were reached soon after[…]

Sunday League season ends at TURC

The final round of the 2019 Sunday League took place in rather damp conditions at Tyne United RC on October 6th, with 13 teams taking part in a sculling splash & dash competition. Winners on the day with a maximum 4 wins each were It’s Chico Tyne from Tyne ARC in the open competition and[…]

Pairs Head 2019

The first of the Tideway Heads of the season was the Pairs Head on October 6th. Raced over 4.5km of the River Thames between Chiswick Bridge and Harrods Wall near Hammersmith Bridge the event for doubles and pairs reached capacity a week before the closing date at 450 entries. A forecast of blustery winds and[…]

Boston Marathon 2019

Durham ARC’s Seniors entered two crews for the Boston Marathon on September 15th. In good conditions eighty three finishers completed the 50km from Lincoln to Boston.   The men’s eight was second fastest overall, and the fastest Open 8+, finishing ahead of the Universities of Swansea, Manchester and East Anglia in 3hr 35 04.1sec. The[…]

World Rowing Masters 2019

Durham ARC Masters took 2 trailers and a team of 5 drivers to Lake Valence in Hungary to compete at the World Rowing Masters Regatta, entering 24 races over the 5 days of competition between September 11th and 15th. Located 50km from Budapest, Lake Valence is the second largest lake in Hungary, covering 26 square[…]

Medals for Juniors at Nottingham

Twenty five Durham ARC Juniors were among over 1600 14 to 18 year-olds from around the country at the biggest ever British Rowing Junior Championships at the National Watersports Centre at Nottingham over the weekend of July 19th to 21st. Along with coaches, parents and supporters DARC was represented in the J14 girls singles, double[…]

Henley Women’s Regatta 2019

DARC’s senior squad was represented at Henley Women’s Regatta by Grace Stewart-Piercy and Gabrielle Maxfield in the Aspirational double sculls. The pair took part in the time trial over 1500 metres of the famous Henley reach on Friday June 21st. With only 16 to qualify for the knock-out phase of the competition they were unlucky[…]

Medals at British Rowing Masters

Durham ARC had 22 crews among the 444 from 81 clubs across the UK entered for the British Rowing Masters Championships on June 15th and 16th. The venue at Strathclyde Park was a departure from the usual Nottingham and although conditions were variable the Scottish welcome certainly met with the approval of competitors who attended,[…]

Victor Ludorum at Hexham

Traditionally held the weekend before Durham Regatta, Hexham Regatta proved very successful for DARC, returning with two Victor Ludorum awards for the best overall results and the best results in Masters races. George Watson’s College took the Victor Ludorum for Juniors. Ten hours of racing over three divisions on the River Tyne produced wins in[…]

Juniors shine at National Schools’ Regatta

Durham ARC had 4 entries in the National Schools’ Regatta (NSR) at Eton Dorney over the weekend of May 24th to 26th. The event is the biggest of the season for parents, coaches and Junior squads representing schools and clubs around the United Kingdom who have been training hard all year. Established in 1947 it[…]

Tees Regatta 2019

DARC had an excellent return of 9 wins from Tees Regatta on May 18th, plus 3 second place finishes on the 4-lane 850 metre  buoyed course, while other crews performed well in battling through semi-finals. The Juniors did very well as they build up towards the National Schools’ Regatta at Eton Dorney next weekend. For[…]

Glorious weekend for Durham City Regatta 2019

The month between Durham City Regatta and Durham Regatta marks one of the busiest periods of the year for Durham ARC. Durham City Regatta on May 11th and 12th attracted entries from schools, colleges and clubs around the northern region and from Yorkshire to the River Wear for the club’s annual home event, with Durham[…]

Sunday League goes to Berwick

On May 5th the third round of the Sunday League visited British Rowing’s northern outpost at Berwick-on-Tweed, taking in the small clubhouse with its particularly scenic location overlooking the Tweed estuary and the Royal Border Bridge. Eleven teams from the northern region joined one from Sheffield RC for a series of races in stable quads[…]

March comes in like a lion

It’s been a busy few weeks for squads as the Tideway season looms for some, while others concentrate on preparations for the coming regatta season in April. Conditions were good for Tyne Head of the River race on February 16th with 10 crews from DARC among the 150 entries joining crews from Lancaster, York and[…]

Durham Small Boats Head 2019

Snow and freezing conditions greeted rowers from around the northern region who converged on the River Wear for Durham Small Boats Head on Saturday February 2nd. They were joined by competitors from Bradford, Lancaster and George Watson’s College in Edinburgh who had also made the journey. The time trial over 1800 metres, passing through the[…]

Fifth title for Roger at BRIC

Durham ARC’s Roger Stainforth recorded a fifth consecutive victory in the Masters 70-74 category at the Mizuno British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC) held at the Lee Valley Velopark in London on December 8th 2018. This year’s Championships was the biggest ever, attracting over 1800 competitors of all ages from across the UK and overseas, including[…]

Five wins at Rutherford Head 2018

Arguably the biggest event in the British Rowing head racing calendar outside London Rutherford Head provided the last chance for the region’s rowers to race before the festive break. Traditionally associated with bad weather this year’s event on December 1st was no exception, with rain and low temperatures greeting the large turnout of nearly 260[…]

Durham hosts LDS and Autumn SBH

Rowers from across the north of England converged on the River Wear last Saturday for the exciting double header of the final round of the Long Distance Sculling Series (LDS) and Durham Autumn Small Boats Head (SBH), both time trials hosted by Durham Amateur Rowing Club. The Sculling Series, which is organized by the Northern[…]

Explore Series winds up on the Tyne

The 2018 Northern Explore Series reached its conclusion on October 7th with the final round, the last of 7, taking place in breezy conditions at Tyne Amateur Rowing Club. Completing its seventh year the competition is organized by the Northern Rowing Council and is aimed at novice and recreational rowers, those returning to rowing after[…]