Champs of the day for fourth time in a row
Conditions were near perfect with flat water, an overcast sky and no wind. The course varied from previous regattas held on the lake as a precursor for the South Coast Championships to be held at Wimbleball in 2010.
A 2000 metre course had been arranged starting from the dam and finishing beyond the boating area. This course was used for the major events with a shortened 1000 metre course utilised for the minor events.
Dartmouth, Dart Totnes, Exeter and Plymouth all had representatives at the National Rowing Championships of Great Britain and were not at full strength for this regatta.
However, Dart Totnes continued their impetus of the previous three regattas by winning nine events and making four regattas this season at which they have won the Championship of the Day.
Dartmouth chalked up a couple of wins but it was another blank day for Torquay and Paignton despite some good efforts.
With no Men's Senior A coxed fours event the major Championship event was the Men's Senior B coxed fours, an all Dart affair with the Dart Totnes crew of Paul Henshaw, Simon Henshaw, Robbie Tucker, Steve Clarke and cox, Steph Brown, running out easy winners from Dartmouth's David Langmead, Liam Boyd, Vaughan Bowden, David Hart and cox, Marie Dayment.
The Men's Senior C coxed fours was won by Exeter A by three lengths from Falmouth who just edged Exmouth by a foot and at Men's Novice coxed fours Falmouth beat Bideford Reds easily with Exmouth a distance down in third place.
The Men's Under 18 coxed fours brought an end to the one hundred per cent run for the Dart Totnes crew of Sam Richardson, Tim Whittet, Elliot Legg, Steve Clarke and cox, Steph Brown, who were disqualified for poor steering brought about by a confusing marker buoy. Exmouth ran out eventual winners easily beating the Dartmouth crew of Richie Jeffs, Michael Tilley, Liam Boyd, David Langmead and cox, Marie Dayment.
Plymouth were successful in both of the Men's Championship coxed quadruple sculls events. At Under 16 they beat Bideford Reds by a distance who were a distance ahead of Exmouth and in the Under 14 Plymouth beat Paignton's Tom May, Poppy Disney, Ella Collins, Lewis Bayley and cox, Sam Hallett, by a distance who were a further distance ahead of third placed Bideford Reds.
In the Ladies Championship coxed fours there was not a Senior A race and Exeter beat Bideford Reds by half a length at Senior B. At Senior C the Dart Totnes crew of Janet Richardson, Mandy Larcome, Nikki Pettitt, Zoe Butcher and cox, Chelsie Cleal, won by a length from Exeter with Bideford Blues a distance back in third place and at Novice Bideford Reds beat Plymouth by a distance.
The Ladies Under 18 coxed fours saw the Dart Totnes crew of Claire Gardner, Jess Phillips, Isabel Rundle, Jade Knight and cox, Maggie Hawkyard, beaten by a length by Exeter.
In the Ladies Championship coxed quadruple sculls the Dart Totnes crew of Louise Hawkyard, Emily Bibby, Jess Larcombe, Emma Reiser and cox, Chelsie Cleal, were one length winners at Under 16 from Exeter with Bideford Blues a further three lengths down in third place.
And at Under 14 Exeter were distance winners from Bideford Reds with the Dart Totnes crew of Katie Prior, Verity Phillips, Lucy Chudley, Harriett and cox, Phoebe, a further length behind in third place.
The Championship single sculls produced wins for Martin Burridge of Dart Totnes at Men's Senior C; Ed Burnett of Dart Totnes at Men's Novice; Steve Clarke of Dart Totnes at Men's Under 18; Elliott Legg of Dart Totnes at Men's Under 16; Lewis of Falmouth at Ladies Senior C; Reinso-Maset of Plymouth at Ladies Novice; and Hutchings of Exeter at Ladies Under 16.
In the supporting events there were South Devon wins for a Dartmouth/Falmouth composite crew including Dartmouth's Yorkie Lomas, David Langmead, Liam Boyd, Vaughan Bowden, David Hart, Terry Wallis and cox, Chrissy Rugg, in the Men's Open eights; Martin Burridge and Ed Burnett of Dart Totnes at Men's Senior C double sculls; Richie Jeffs and Michael Tilley of Dartmouth at Men's Under 16 double sculls; and Emily Bibby of Dart Totnes at Ladies Under 14 single sculls.
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