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Four Down, Two to Go
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By Bob Manning
During the last four weeks members of Hexham Rowing Club have been participating in a unique Northern rowing event.
The Autumn Sculling Series consists of six long distance races on rivers throughout the North East.
There is, surprisingly, no equivalent event anywhere else in the country.
Beginning on the Tweed at Berwick the series continues to take in the Wear at Durham and later South Hylton, as well as the Tyne and Tees.
Distances can be 1.8 km to 5.5 km: most are rowed at the muscle-breaking, heart-thumping longer distance.
Hexham Rowing Club are proud of the fact that they have managed to boat a squad at all of the events so far, and even managed a few pots into the bargain.
Wins to date include: Manning/Le Tissier at Berwick; Evan Moore at Durham as well as former Hexham rower Sam Doody rowing for Collingwood College.
Tees Long Distance Sculls last Saturday saw an impressive turnout from Hexham with no fewer than two coxed quads, a men’s and women’s double, two veteran single sculls and young Jack Wilkinson as a J14 single scull.
The Tees course, over 5.5 km, is demanding because of the substantial number of tight, twisting bends, so good steering is a significant factor.
Success came for the senior 4 quad of Kevin Oates Lyndsey Brady, Andy Beattie and Andrea Burn, with Andrea’s daughter Gemma coxing to make it a family victory, in a time of 19 min 18 secs.
To their complete surprise the women’s double of Jane Upstill-Goddard and Laura Reed also came first in their class.
In the afternoon the separate Tees Small Boats Head was run with further success for Hexham when the mixed quad of Roly Beevor, Geoff Wilkinson, Martin Le Tissier and Maurice Searle coxed by Bob Manning, rowed to another victory for the local rowers.
It was particularly pleasing to see QEHS Rowing Club boating a substantial squad at Tees and demonstrating strength in depth.
Now the rowing circus moves on to South Hylton and the long course on the Wear at Sunderland next week, the final event being the Wansbeck Long Distance Sculls in mid November.
Previously published by Hexham Courant
05 Nov 2004
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