LRGS rowers win medals at Runcorn

A group of 10 LRGS J17 scullers and sweep oarsmen travelled to Runcorn recently, where despite difficult rowing conditions, they performed well in their first competition in the Head Race season.

It was an early start for some, who had to get up before dawn.  Travelling on the motorway with the mist burning off the ponds and fields, as the sun creeps up from behind the Trough of Bowland hills  is part of being a rower.  The horse boxes and delivery lorries on the motorway were the only others to share this pleasure and a certain camaraderie exists on the road at that time, the dawn-till-dusk haulage missions being their common bond.

Conditions at Runcorn were pleasantly sunny and dry, but the stiffening head wind was to make its mark and the bouncy conditions on the River Weaver were to add to the challenge. The Weaver is a canalised river running through the Cheshire countryside with sharp banks in places so that the water bounces off the sides and any swell rebounds off the sides. The single scullers really suffered with these conditions and times were slow, ranging between 22 and 25 minutes on the 4500m race course.

In the first division, Luke Hodgson scored the highest placing out of the J17 single scullers.  The double scull of Robert Whitley and George Highley were the only entrants in their category.

The afternoon shift then took over. LRGSBC fielded a J17 coxed four crew who, despite some contact with the banks in places, were awarded their first Head Race medal even though they were the only entrants in their category.  They were delighted with the result!

Division 1 Results:
J17 2x R Whitley & G.Highley 1st place in category
J17 1x L Hodgson 5th place in category
J17 1x O Uttley 6th place in category
J17 1x V Kammath 7th place in category

Divison 2 Results:
 J17 4+ Medal winners - Tom Gray, Harry Baxter, Kyle Wong, Will Gray and Alex Douglas-Atkinson (cox).