The last weekend of November saw the first major chill of the year, and coincided with the annual Rutherford Head of the River Race. Rowed over a 5000metre course on the Tyne, this is the final head race in the North East this side of Christmas. With competitors from as far a field as Aberdeen, Bradford and Agecroft the results would give a good illustration of how the top end of the club is performing.
The women’s squad at Tees RC has been rejuvenated in recent months, and with athletes from the World Class Start (WCS) scheme leading the way, an eight with high aspirations has started training together. The crew (racing as Tees RC/Yarm School) of Katherine Copeland, Jo Pittaway, Nikki Bartlett, Rachel Gamble-Flint, Fiona Ventress, Beth Bryan, Ange Warbuton, Bethan Walters and cox Hannah York raced together for the first time, and suffered from a timing error on the official results sheet. However, subject to an appeal, they would appear to have won the Senior 3 category comfortably, only three seconds behind the Senior 2 winners from Agecroft, and fifteen adrift of the Elite women from Durham University, the closest a Tees women’s eight has finished to the University’s first boat in recent times. With further detailed preparation before the Women’s Head of the River Race in London in March, this will be by far the most successful year for the Tees women’s squad.
The men’s Senior 3 eight has also taken a step forward in recent weeks with the inclusion of World Class Start athletes pushing other club members to new heights. Although still early in the season the crew produced a promising performance to finish 3rd fastest eight overall, winning the Senior 3 category in style. The crew of Chris Boddy, Bob Hewitt, Chris Black, Lee Fisher, Ben Rowe, Dan Graham, Bobby Cree, James Farley and cox Hannah York know that the next few months can see the crew progress to being highly competitive at the Head of the River Race in London in March. With other squad members pushing for seats the next few months promise to be very exciting for the squad and the club.
Also in the second division was the women’s Junior Quadruple scull, representing Tees RC/Yarm School. Junior internationals Katherine Copeland and Rachel Gamble-Flint were joined by Bethan Walters and Beth Bryan in sculling to an impressive victory in their category, only 20 seconds behind the older athletes from the Durham University first crew. The talent in the junior girls’ ranks has been bolstered by the presence of Katherine and Rachel, but it cannot be underestimated how well the rest of the squad have seized the opportunity to train and compete with these more experienced athletes.
The men’s Veteran D eight of Kevin Brophy, Dick Wilkinson, Richard Harandon, Steve Leigh, Paul Stiller, Tony Stocking, Richard Harrison, Paul Reevell and cox John Heron, won the Vet C/D event, rowing away from their main opposition, another Tees crew who finished second in the same event.
Later in the week saw two of Tees Rowing Club’s juniors attend the North East Indoor Rowing Championships at Durham University. Will Mace came a very impressive first in the Junior 18 category and his brother Ed came 6th in the same category out of 25 athletes. Well done to both.