World Rowing Junior Championships 2016

The World Rowing Championships took place on the recently opened 6 lane Willem-Alexander Baan course in Rotterdam between August 21st and 28th, with Hope Cessford of Durham ARC and Lauren Irwin of Chester-le-Street ARC selected for Great Britain in the Junior Women’s Pair (for athletes under 19), the only representatives from the Northern region in[…]

GB call up for Hope

Congratulations to Hope Cessford of Durham ARC on being selected for the Great Britain Junior squad to take part in the World Rowing Junior Championships in Rotterdam in August. Hope will be rowing in the Women’s Pair with Lauren Irwin of Chester-le-Street ARC, one of 9 Junior crews selected for the Championships. The 36 Junior[…]

British Rowing Junior Regatta 2016

The Juniors rounded off the season by taking part in the British Rowing Junior Regatta staged at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham on July 15th to 17th. This year’s event was extended to three days rather than the usual two to allow J14s to enhance their competition experience by taking part in a fun[…]

Henley Masters Regatta 2016

Durham ARC returned from the 2016 Henley Masters Regatta last weekend with 2 gold medals. Held over a 1000 metre course at Henley-on-Thames on July 8th and 9th the regatta has taken place annually since 1994 on the week following Henley Royal Regatta. Eagerly anticipated by the Masters rowing community (those aged over 27) it[…]

Juniors at Bradford Sprint Regatta

The younger juniors went to Bradford Sprint Regatta on Saturday June 25th. With 18 different combinations of girls in doubles and quads taking part in a total of 8 events Mark, Debbie and Ray had an extremely busy day getting crews on and off the water. The older girls worked well organising themselves in rigging,[…]

Explore Series visits Berwick

The Northern Explore Series, now in its fifth year, broke new ground on June 5th, visiting England’s northernmost rowing club at Berwick-on-Tweed for the first time. Berwick acquired 2 stable boats last year, aptly named Royal Tweed and Royal Border, enabling them to host an event. One of the features of the competition, for novice[…]

Success at Durham Regatta 2016

Durham ARC’s Juniors squad had a successful weekend at Durham Regatta on June 11th and 12th, with wins in 4 events at the prestigious annual event. On Saturday Aidan Rushforth continued his outstanding form, winning through 3 rounds to take victory in the J18 single sculls. After their win the previous week at the Metropolitan[…]

British Rowing Masters Championships 2016

Durham ARC achieved notable success at this year’s British Rowing Masters Championships Regatta last weekend. The Regatta takes place at the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham and is for competitors in the older age ranges with events categorised according to age bands to ensure fair competition. Around 1500 competitors with ages ranging[…]

National Schools Regatta 2016

Durham ARC’s Juniors squad took part in the National Schools Regatta, held last weekend on the 8-lane 2012 Olympic rowing lake at Eton Dorney, gaining valuable experience and bringing credit to the club. Three crews from the J14, J15 and J16s entered their age group events while two scullers entered for Championship events. Coached by[…]

Juniors shine at Durham City Regatta

After the disapointment of a cancelled Chester-le-Street Regatta three weeks earlier the rain stayed away allowing both days of Durham City Regatta to go ahead as planned. A large entry combined with an army of volunteers contributed to one of DARC’s most profitable and successful regattas to date, warm sunshine attracting a healthy crowd of[…]

Durham Small Boats Head 2016

After an enforced break due to winter floods rowers were able to take to the River Wear in Durham on February 6th for Durham Small Boats Head, a time trial over 1800 metres, hosted by Durham Amateur Rowing Club on an iconic stretch of water in the city centre passing under Elvet Bridge at the[…]

DARC strikes gold at BRIC 2015

Durham ARC had a successful day at the 2015 British Rowing Indoor Championships held at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London on December 12th, bringing home 3 gold medals, with Joyce Collett winning in the Lightweight Women’s category for ages 60-64 over both the 2km and 500 metres distances, and Roger Stainforth securing victory in[…]

Veteran Fours Head win

There was a great win in the Women’s Masters D category at the Veteran Fours Head of the River Race on Sunday November 8th for Durham ARC’s Gill Prescott and Helen McMillan in a coxless quad composite crew with Joy Skipper of Upper Thames and Lisa Kalal from Mortlake Anglian and Alpha Boat Club. The[…]

LDS Victor Ludorum

The sixth and final round of the 2015 Long Distance Sculling Series took place at South Hylton on November 7th and produced wins for DARC crews in the J16 coxless quad and women’s IM3 coxed quad. Two more wins saw Andy Jaggard take the Masters F single and John Lund the Masters G single sculls.[…]

Under-19 victory for Hope at Britchamps

After winning the gold medal in the J16 girls single sculls at this year’s National Junior Championships one of Durham ARC’s most promising young scullers Hope Cessford continued her excellent form, this time competing in a coxless quad at the British Rowing Senior Championships, held at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham over the weekend[…]

Long Distance Sculling Series 2015

This year’s Long Distance Sculling Series is into full swing with rounds at Cambois, Berwick and Tees already completed and the Durham round due to take place on October 31st. The series, which opens the winter heads season, is organised by the Northern Rowing Council and takes place over 6 consecutive weekends at venues across[…]

Boston Marathon 2015 winners

Durham Amateur Rowing Club had great success at the gruelling Boston Marathon held this year on September 20th. The Marathon route goes over 31 miles, or 50 kilometres, from Lincoln to Boston, initially along a canal and then on to the River Witham, the main problem apart from the distance being the amount of weed[…]

Reflections on a successful World Masters

An eyewitness view from Martin Judson… The World Rowing Masters Regatta 2015 was held at the FISA category A standard course of Hazewinkel, Belgium on September 10-13th. Three and a half thousand rowers from around the world aged 27 to 89 gathered for the event. DARC had 31 entries targeting the D to G (50-70[…]

Medals at British Junior Championships

Durham ARC achieved notable successes at the 2015 British Rowing National Junior Championships which took place on the 2km 6-lane course at Strathclyde Park over the weekend of July 18th/19th. The Championships are the climax to the season for under-18 rowers with successful competitors having to qualify through a time trial followed by semi-finals and[…]

Wins at Henley Masters Regatta 2015

There was a win at Henley Masters Regatta on July 11th for Durham ARC scullers Helen McMillan and Gill Prescott in the Women’s Masters D 4x- in a composite crew with Eva Rankin of Loch Lomond and Joy Skipper of Upper Thames. Gill also had success in the Women’s Masters E 4x- with Eva, Ailie[…]

Record entry for Hexham Sunday League

The third round of the Northern Rowing Sunday League attracted a record entry of 20 teams to Hexham at the weekend, including 5 from Lakeland RC, their first venture into the competition. Aided by some expert coxing from John Lyons the DARC crews came away with 7 wins between them, 3 for DARC Demons (Margaret[…]

Talkin Tarn Regatta

The final regatta of the Northern season took place on Saturday at Talkin Tarn. The club juniors continued their winning form with a number of new combinations. Hope Cessford won WJ16 singles, and women’s novice doubles went to Laura Phillips and Georgia McMillan. Mixed Elite 4x- went to Jessica Harris, Katy McDaid Richard Matthewson and[…]

Unbeaten year for Masters (s)quad

Members of DARC’s Men’s Masters quad recently passed the milestone of going over 12 months unbeaten, having won at Durham Regatta in both 2014 and 2015 and at all the events they have entered in between! The squad is: John Watkinson, John Lyons, Julian Ringer, Paul Sowerby, Paul Rutter, Richard Court … plus Tim Morris[…]

Juniors take the honours at Durham Regatta

Held over the weekend of June 13th/14th Durham Regatta was a high point in the season for the club’s Juniors, winning five events on Saturday and following up with a further three on Sunday. Saturday saw early wins in Long course events for MJ18 double Richard Matthewson and Robbie Lyons and WJ18 quad Jessica Harris,[…]

10 medals for DARC at British Rowing Masters

Durham ARC enjoyed considerable success at the British Rowing Masters Championships, which took place on a 1km 6-lane course at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham over 2 days on June 13th/14th, the same weekend as Durham Regatta. It rained steadily all day on Saturday making for miserable outdoor conditions. Sunday was much drier but[…]

Chester-le-Street Sunday League

Following the postponement of 2 of the 3 previously scheduled rounds due to unsuitable weather the Sunday League resumed at Chester-le-Street on June 7th with a good turnout of 15 teams from Tyne, Durham, Tees, Hexham, Talkin Tarn and Chester-le-Street Rowing Clubs. As Chester-le-Street don’t have stable boats it was the turn of DARC, along[…]

Hexham Regatta

Saturday June 6th saw the roadshow off to Hexham for the latest round of the local regatta season for what is one of the largest events in the northern calendar. Falling near the end of term and the week before Durham Regatta Hexham Regatta attracts a large entry from both club and college rowers, with[…]