Rowers perform in Shrewsbury

8:00am Thursday 15th May 2008

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ROWING: Bewdley RC members enjoyed a successful weekend at the Shrewsbury Regatta by recording four wins and a host of strong performances.

The club took a full trailer of boats, with some of the younger members racing in their first regatta.

In perfect conditions for rowing, competitors battled it out over 1000 metres on Saturday and 600m on Sunday.

The club's novice coxed four, consisting of junior members Will Keen-Tomlinson, Sam Smith, Mark Jinks and Yaroslav Hamblett, coxed by Sophie McGrath, overcame a draw of 13 crews from as far afield as Chester, Leicester and Guildford to win their race on the longer course.

Bewdley had to battle through four races before eventually beating Guildford RC in the final by one length and then, as tradition dictates, they were thrown into the River Severn by their fellow competitors.

On the shorter course the following day the novice men's senior squad also had success.

The eight-man crew made up of Scott Mitchell, Doz Hughes, Richard Crowther, Jack Barker, Duncan Pratchett, Steve Price, Jon Brookes, Matt Thomas and cox Lorna Pritchard beat local rivals Bridgnorth in their first race and then went onto defeat University of Chester RC by half a length in the final on Sunday.

The women's squad also had successes in the senior three pairs events on Saturday and Sunday.

Laura Ray, whose mother Sarah won at Evesham Regatta last weekend, and Jenny Merchant were successful in both their finals, beating King's School Worcester BC on the Saturday and University of London Women's BC the next day.