Autumn Sculling Series goes to Berwick and Tees

The 2024 Long Distance Sculling Series started on September 28th at Berwick where Durham ARC was represented by Masters single scullers Paolo Fortis and Gill Gilbert among a field of 46 in the time trial which took place in near ideal conditions over 4700 metres on the River Tweed. Berwick ARC was the most successful club with victories in three events. The results are available here.

Round 2 attracted a large entry of 361 to the River Tees for the first double header of the season with Tees Long Distance Sculls (sculling only) in the morning combining with Tees Small Boats Head (sculling and sweep-oar) in the afternoon. DARC contributed 9 entries to the total for each competition, both contested in bright and breezy conditions over the meandering course of 5000 metres.

Victories in the morning competition went to –

• Women’s Masters F coxless quad (Sam English, Gabrielle Moore, Helen McMillan and Christine Heppell)
• J14 coxed quad
• Michael Terry in the MasD single sculls

The Women’s coxless quad and Mixed Masters D coxed quad raced without opposition.

The WJ18 coxless quad was 2nd to George Heriot’s School, the MasH 4x- was 2nd to Tees RC MasI in the MasEHI 4x- handicap, the Women’s MasC 2x was 2nd to Talkin Tarn in the WMasCDF 2x, and Nick Baird was 4th in the Open single sculls. Full results can be found here.

The afternoon Small Boats Head brought further successes for –

• Masters E coxed four (Arthur Glasfeld, Tom Dower, John Liddell, Darren Wrack and cox Matthew Watson)
• Masters H coxless quad Appleby
• Women’s J18 coxed four
• Nick Baird in Open single sculls

The WJ15 4x+ was 2nd, and MasH 4x- Merchant was 3rd to DARC MasH Appleby in a MasHI 4x- handicap. Vickie Sincock and Gabby Maxfield-Kay raced for time-only in an Exeter RC/Durham ARC composite Women’s 2x, Ian Tidmarsh and John Carter in MasG 2x were 3rd to Tyne ARC in a MasDFG handicap, and Paddy Fletcher and Kalpana Ganatra in a WMasH 2x were 2nd to Talkin Tarn in a WMasBFH 2x handicap.

Full results for Tees SBH are here.

With several recent competitions around the country, including Wallingford LDS, Worcester SBH, Monmouth SBH and Reading SBH suffering weather cancellations and York Autumn Head (October 12th) cancelled because of a lack of entries DARC has 12 entries among the 277 for round 3 of the LDS Series at Tyne ARC and Tyne United Small Boats Head on Saturday, October 12th.

The Series continues at Cambois (Wansbeck LDS and SBH) on October 19th and South Hylton on October 26th, both of which are now open for entries.

Unlike elsewhere the region is very fortunate to be enjoying such a level of competition at this time of year. Following the cancellation of the Vesta Scullers Head on September 12th because of the inability to secure a river closure the second of the autumn Tideway Heads, the Pairs Head, scheduled for October 12th, is anxiously monitoring water conditions and may need to reduce entries further after already having rejected 150 crews due to an unprecedented demand for places.

Entries for the Durham round of the Long Distance Sculls and Autumn Small Boats Head on November 2nd will open this weekend.