Glorious early spring weather spurred on rowers at the North of England Head of the River Race on the Dee last Saturday.  Over 135 crews from all over the North of England raced over the 5000m course from Eccleston Ferry to the Groves, with local clubs picking up many of the status medals

The morning division saw the Royal Chester Women’s first eight build on their recent success on the Thames to take the Women’s IM2 medals in storming fashion, they were also awarded tankards as the fastest women’s eight on the day.  This is the first time in the 77 years of the event that a Royal Chester Women’s eight has taken this prize.

Grosvenor RC collected the Masters D medals and Queens Park High School the Junior 17 quad scull.  King’s School won Women’s Novice and Women’s Junior18 eights and REX Boat Club the Masters D Novice eight.

The high midday tide made for a later than usual start to the afternoon division, but contributed to a faster stream.  The first eights from both Royal Chester and Grosvenor showed good form ahead of next weekends major race over the Boat Race course on the Thames.  The Royals IM1 8 came third overall followed by Grosvenor in fourth place and winners of the Senior 8 medals.  Outright winners for a second year running were the on form Shrewsbury School IM2 eight, with Durham University IM1 eight in second place.

King’s school continued to build on their successes in Division one with eights wins at Junior 14, Junior 15, Junior 16 and also women’s Junior 15 Octuple.

The Royal Chester Junior development eight overwhelmed opposition from Yarm School to pick up the Junior 17 medals, a huge leap forward for a young squad.

Conditions were not too bad at the notoriously breezy Runcorn Head.  WMasD 8+ and an IM3 8+ put up a good show in division 1.  Division 2 saw 3 Royals crews race each other on handicap so someone had to get the medals and it was the MasE of John Boothman with a few subs from the IM3 morning crew.   The Womens IM2 eight seriously trounced all opposition to collect more medals.

It was Boston (Lincs)  so of course there were very windy conditions on Saturday with strong crosswinds at start and in latter stages of the race.  Sunday was less windy, bright and much colder.

Alex Bain was the Royals representative, supported by his family and coach Chris Jackman.  J16 singles comprised a field (or is that river?) of over 30 athletes from around the country.

On the Sunday Alex teamed up with Joel Langmead of QPHS in a double.  In the singles Alex came a creditable 6^th and Joel 9^th, in the double they excelled themselves coming 3^rd J16 2x.

Royals beat the elements
The traditional final Head Race in the North West rowing calendar is raced on the West Float Dock at Wallasey and organised by Liverpool Victoria Rowing Club.  Always a battle with the elements as well as the course of two sprints up and down the 1200m dock.
Saturday saw the first win by the Royals Junior 13 Coxed quad, they emerged drenched, windswept but unbowed having battled the dreadful conditions on a shortened 600m course. Ewan Bulkeley, Dylan Westoby, Harry Hawksford, Gregory Jones (Stroke)  and Will Napper Cox were elated with the resulted and only slightly more excited than their parents who cheered on all the Royals crews AND loaded the boat trailer.
The Women’s Junior 15 coxed quad of Ellie Webber, Olivia Wellings, Brit Smenck, Laura Forsyth and cox Liam Aierstock also contributed to the medal haul.  The two inexperienced Womens Junior 14 coxed quads in their first race suffered badly in the conditions with wind forcing one crew onto the dock walls and second crew suffering broken oars.
The weather really tested all competitors but the experience of the Masters D eight of Mike Stephens, Simon Dickie, Mike Palamarczuk, Stuart McCormack, Simon Quarmby, Nigel Price, Peter English, Eric Caldwell and cox Liam Aeirstock enabled them to overwhelm their opposition and win their category, coming 12th overall.