STOURPORT Boat Club grabbed a share of the glory at a highly succesful Bewdley Regatta at the weekend.

The town club chalked up 15 victories over the two days and shared the Victor Ludorum for the top club with Worcester who recorded the same number of triumphs.

A total of 600 crews took part in 128 events and hosts Bewdley Rowing Club were delighted with the standard of competition.

Club captain Ross Haynes paid tribute to the hard work of members, sponsors, and other helpers, who made the regatta possible.

Heavy rain on Friday night meant the River Severn rose by about a foot during Saturday afternoon and evening, putting the Sunday events in jeopardy.

However, overnight the water level dropped sufficiently to allow safe racing on the second day.

But the fast stream and loss of extra landing stages, meant a long day for officials as racing did not finish until after 8pm.

The host club also had an excellent weekend on the river, winning 11 events, including the men's eights on Saturday.

Bewdley's women's Senior 3 eight won their event on Saturday but were beaten in Sunday's final.

Brothers Chris and Lewis Beech were twice winners, teaming up to take first place in the double sculls on Saturday and Sunday, and Lewis went on to complete a hat-trick by triumphing in the J15 sculls on Sunday.

Another set of brothers - Chris and John Hinton - partnered each other to success in the Veteran B pairs on Sunday.

Saturday brought Stourport victories for the juniors in J14 coxed quad, J16 single and Women's J14 single whilst the seniors triumphed in Women's Senior 2 coxed four composite with Bewdley, Women's Senior 2 coxless pair, Men's Senior 4 double sculls, Vet B and Vet C singles.

After heavy overnight rain river conditions changed dramatically, making Sunday racing over the already shortened course very quick, leaving no margin for error in tactics or technique.

Stourport's junior squad once again proved their mettle and took the top slot in the Women's J14 coxed quad, Men's J16 double, Women's J14 double and Women's J14 single.

The seniors won at Men's Senior 1 double, Vet B and Vet C singles. The win of the day was for the Novice Ladies 8 who, after losing by inches on Saturday in the final, put together a determined series of rows to take the event from Reading in the final.

Over the two days there were three wins for Laura Ray, Rupert Conway and Don Taylor; two for Jackie Philips, Jenny Corbet, Stacey Gwillam, Beck Saunders, Ashley Price, Jess Danby and Smokey Hart; and one each for Deb Taylor, Duncan Gwillam, Sharon Healing, Jackie Thompson, Jamie Morris, Hazel Rogers, Laura Gauntlet, Dianne Ford, Katherine Bradley, Livvy Gavin, Beck Perkins and coxes Nicky Price, Harriet Conway and Mark Betson.

Winning crews received engraved pewter tankards and prizes for Saturday's racing were presented by the Mayor of Bewdley, Jeremy Ferguson.

l Stourport Regatta will be held on Saturday and Sunday, August 9 and 10.