Inverness Rowing Club again achieved success and many good performances at the two day Aberdeen North East Regatta last weekend on the River Dee in occasionally stormy conditions in winning five events, - Mixed Novice Eights, Womens Restricted 2 Coxed Fours, Womens Veteran Coxed Fours, Womens Veteran Coxless Pairs and Mens Novice Coxed Fours.

On Saturday, the Mixed Novice Eight of Hazel Geddes, (bow) Carole Wells, Joe Wright, Duncan Alexander, Ken Sinclair, Neil Wallace, Doreen Waterson, Bea Wallace, (stroke) and Carolyn Ward (cox) had an excellent win by one and half lengths over Aberdeen BC. Three members of this crew (Waterson, Bea Wallace, Hazel Smith and Ward with Susan McAskill as cox later contested the Womens Restricted 2 Coxed Fours final and had a resounding one and a half lengths win over Aberdeen BC after having comfortably disposed of another Aberdeen University BC crew in their semi-final.
The Inverness Mens Novice Coxed Four of Wright (bow), Alexander, Ken Sinclair, Neil Wallace (stroke), Bea Wallace (cox) enjoyed sound wins in their two preliminary rounds against Aberdeen BC and ASRA crews but lost out by a mere two feet to Aberdeen BC in a most exciting final of this event.
Similar disappointment befell the Womens Restricted 2 Eight of Hazel Geddes (bow), Carole Wells, Caroline Peeling, Mary Clouston, Hazel Smith, Carolyn Ward, Doreen Waterson, Bea Wallace (stroke), Aideen Lyons (cox) in a close race won by 1/3rd of a length by the host club.Hazel Geddes and Carole Wells raced well in the difficult conditions in the Veteran Double Sculls but were beaten by a faster crew from Aberdeen BC. In horrendous hailstorm conditions, Colin Sinclair raced well in the final of the Mens Junior 16 Single Sculls but was beaten by Dixon from George Watsons College, whilst in the Mens Novice Single Sculls, he was edged out of the winning position by Chalmers of ASRA. Club captain Roy Sinclair contested the Veteran Single Sculls event but lost out to the faster finishing event winner Davidson of the host club.

On Sunday, the Inverness Mens Novice Coxed Four of Joe Wright (bow), Duncan Alexander, Ken Sinclair, Neil Wallace (stroke) and Bea Wallace (cox) won their first race beating Aberdeen BC by one length, their semi final by 1/2 length from Aberdeen University BC and then sealed the event by winning their final by one length against another Aberdeen BC crew, a fine performance.
Claire Smith and Hazel Smith convincingly won Womens Veteran Coxless Pairs by three lengths from Aberdeen BC but although winning the Womens Restricted 1 event by a similar margin, were disqualified for faulty steering in the difficult windy conditions.
Bea Wallace and Doreen Waterson just missed out in the final of Womens Restricted 2 Double Sculls against a faster crew from Aberdeen University BC but later combined with Claire and Hazel Smith to clinch the Womens Veteran Coxed Four invitation event with a fine two length win over the host club.

Without doubt, a most satisfactory performance from the Inverness Club which earned them 3rd equal place in the Championship of the Dee.

At the Ghent International Regatta in Belgium, Alan Sinclair (now rowing for Aberdeen University) stroked the Aberdeen BC/Aberdeen University BC crew to first place in their semi-final of the Mens Open Coxed Fours event and later to a bronze medal in the final, chasing crews from Leander BC and Imperial College in an exciting close finish for the line.
The next main season regatta at which Inverness athletes will be competing will be the Castle Semple Regatta which takes place at Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire on 21st May when some of the Inverness club's youngest members will start their competitive rowing careers.