The eighth and final round of the 2016 Explore Series took place at Durham ARC on October 2nd with 12 crews in competition for points in 24 side by side sweep-oar races over a 300 metre course. The weather stayed fine and three crews, two from Durham ARC and one from Tyne ARC, finished with a maximum haul of 4 wins each.
This season, the fifth of the competition that began life as the
Sunday League, proved to be the most successful yet for DARC crews, who took first and second places in the Women’s league and second in the Open league. In winning the Women’s competition DARC Green claimed the Club’s first ever overall series victory. Second placed Wear Here have been strong challengers throughout the season, emphasising the consistent performance of the club’s women’s squad at this level.
Not to be outdone Wear Past It also claimed second spot in the Open league, 2 points behind the winning entry Fog on the Tyne from Tyne ARC. Colin Percy presented trophies and prizes on behalf of organisers the Northern Rowing Council to the winners and runners-up.
Teams are allowed to draw on a maximum of 6 members per season, who have to hold novice status at the time of entry. Representing DARC Green (pictured top) were Jan Halford, Linda Forwood, Kate Wicks, Julie Kitson, Aisling Dutton and Paddy Deans. Wear Here included Kalpana Ganatra, Sue Lyons, Jane Auster, Lesley Wilkinson, Margaret Richardson and Leigh Bowron, with Dave Green, Chris Merchant, Vaughan Gordon, Colin Lawson and Stephen Auster making up Wear Past It.
The competition was introduced in 2012 to offer competition for novice, recreational, and returning rowers and retired racers. Before the start of racing there was a special presentation to James Andrews of British Rowing who has overseen the competition since its inception but is now moving on to take up a new position.
With ever-evolving rules this year saw a record number of 28 open teams and 18 women’s contesting the series. The
league table, background information about the competition and archives for each year can be found on the
Northern Rowing website.
Photos from Durham are on the DARC facebook page.
