THE sun shone all weekend at Stourport’s annual regatta and sprint, and with 40 clubs in attendance, racing was at the highest level of competitive rowing over the 1100-metre River Severn course.

Over 500 crews descended into the town, representing some of the top clubs in the UK including Liverpool Victoria, Grosvenor RC, Loughborough and Thames-based Qunitin RC to name a few.

Local rivals Bewdley enjoyed great success at the event, winning the Victor Ludorum trophy after recording 16 wins.

There were notable wins for Stourport in their home regatta with Dan Glover and Molly Clarke seeing off Derwent and Burton Leander in winning their J13 single scull events.

The WJ13 quad of Annabelle Murphy, Christina Butcher, Sophie DiMambro, Harriet Murphy, coxed by Julia Miller continued their unbeaten season, beating with a win against Burton Leander in the final.

Stourport’s Masters D crew of Jane Ryman, Annie Conway, Liz Danby, Sara Peace continued their winning streak, beating Hereford and Upton in the heats and final.

On Sunday, Stourport’s WJ14 quad of Katie Sweeney, Amy Firminger-Burrows, Lauren Rhodes, Julia Miller, coxed by Annabelle Murphy beat Worcester in re-row after the original final had been a dead heat.

Winning crews were received by Ken Henderson, Mayor of Stourport, and presented with a special edition pot, the traditional prize for a rowing event win.

Club president Pete Lashford said: “Stourport regatta is considered to be among the best regattas in the country and this year was no exception.

“Racing has been exceptional, and the visiting clubs have made it a very special weekend for us and the town.”

Bewdley’s masters section were in great form notably the novice win for the Masters E coxless quad of Richard Gunn, Tony Clay, Peter Simpson and Doug Jackson.

The club’s women’s Masters C coxed four of Helen Hugo, Jane Chiswell, Jean Main, Kim Martyn Smith and Cox Kat Carlyle prepared for the World Masters Regatta with a victory, while in the Masters E coxed category, there was victory for Gerry Glenister, Elaine Collier, Yvonne Ogilvie-Hardy, Lin Beech and Cox Mel Gunn.

There was also a stirring win for the mixed IM3 8 of Sophie Osborne, Holly Clifford, Adie Rogers, Kiah Bradley, Ben Charlton, Jimmy Watson, Sam Clifford, Matt Hocking and Cox Kat Carlyle who pipped Quintin in a nail-biting IM 1 race.

Junior Charlie Cartwright won the novice category in the single scull.