Several years of planning came to fruition on March 4th as the first rowing competition to take place on Derwentwater in over 150 years went ahead.
Fifty-four eights, fours and quads from sixteen clubs across the North of England took to the placid waters, launching from the beach at Keswick foreshore and paddling to the southern end of the lake for the 3km return surrounded by spectacular Lakeland scenery.
Durham ARC boated 4 eights and 7 coxless quads for the morning and afternoon divisions, taking victory in the Masters F 8+, Women’s 4x- and Masters F 4x- (composite with Cambois RC).
MasF 8+ Derwentwater
The J17 boys 8+ had to settle for second place to Butler College who recorded the fastest time of the day with 11.36.4 in the Open 8+, while three more DARC eights rowed as Masters E, F and G, with the MasF crew taking victory in the MasFG race and the MasG mixed crew finishing fourth in the same race. The MasE 8+ was second to Talkin Tarn in the MasDE 8+ race.
With a new line-up the Senior Women were the fastest Women’s quad of the day and won the Women’s 4x-. The J18 girls quad were a close second to Chester-le-Street ARC who were making their return to competition, and the J16 girls 4x- were also second to Chester-le-Street.
Women’s 4x- Derwentwater
The MasE 4x- was second in the MasDE race against Talkin Tarn, and the DARC MasF 4x- lost narrowly to the DARC/Cambois combination in the MasF 4x- event, both crews outpacing Sunderland and Tynemouth.
The Women’s MasE 4x- beat Bradford and Talkin Tarn opposition but finished second to Tees RC.
Results are available here and photos can be downloaded here.
DARC/Cambois MasF 4x- Derwentwater
Contingency plans in case of windy conditions weren’t needed and Plan A using the route along the western side of the lake was put into action.
The last major head race on Derwentwater took place in 1870, when competitors travelled from as far away as London by train and carried their boats through Keswick to the shore. DARC crews took part in a pilot of Derwentwater Head in 2019 but attempts at holding a full-scale event in subsequent years were thwarted by the weather or Covid restrictions.
This year’s Derwentwater Head, new to the British Rowing competition calendar and organized by Lakeland Rowing Club, was hailed a great success with numbers expected to increase next year.