Inverness rowers strike gold in regatta at Hamilton

Published: 22 June, 2007

AN impressive haul of nine gold medals was achieved by Inverness Rowing Club at the two-day Scottish Championship Regatta, which took place at Strathclyde Park, Hamilton.

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Despite the variable weather conditions, Inverness began the competition in fine style as Hazel Geddes (bow) and Hazel Smith joined forces with Strathclyde Park rowers Ailie Ord and Clare Petrie, along with cox Catie Gordon-Philips, of Clydesdale ARC, to record a five-length win over the Castle Semple/Victoria Bridge crew in the women's veteran coxed four.

Both Geddes and Smith then went on to win the women's veteran coxless pairs.

Meanwhile, Adam Geddes and Shaun Hunter took first place in the open junior coxed quadruple sculls alongside Graham Ord and Peter Byrne, both members of Strathclyde Park.

Alan Sinclair rounded off a memorable first day of competition for Inverness when he was part of the Aberdeen crew which won the men's quadruple sculls.

The following day there was yet more success for the Highland Capital club as Smith teamed up with Ord to triumph in the women's veteran double scull, holding off a strong challenge from Hazel Geddes and Susanne Standish-Hunter to take the prize.

Alastair Duff enjoyed a fine victory in the men's veteran C single sculls, while Tom Baker did likewise in the men's veteran E category of the same event.

Inverness women's cadet crews proved the future of the club is bright after Rachael Wells and Meghan Hunter convincingly won the junior 12 double sculls, before going on to finish first in the coxed quadruple sculls along with fellow Inverness members Sarah Cameron and Emma MacDonald, with some help from Castle Semple cox Emma Brander.

Nairn's Anne-Marie Bexley completed the Highland Capital club's gold medal collection when she was part of the Heriot Watt University crew that won the women's novice coxed quadruple scull.

Along with their nine golds, Inverness also had several other notable performances with Imogen Walsh, Meghan Hunter and Mary Clouston both winning silver in the women's novice single sculls, women's junior 12 single sculls and women's veteran C single sculls respectively.

Colin Sinclair finished third in the junior 18 single sculls, while John Sharkey was fourth in the men's veteran C/D single sculls.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Telford Water Festival gets underway on the Caledonian Canal tomorrow with a number of events taking place at the Muirtown Basin between noon and 5pm.

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