A COMPOSITE rowing crew from the West Midlands has competed at the FISA World Veteran Regatta at Hazewinkel, Belgium.

Hazewinkel is a man-made 2000m straight laned course of which 1000m are used for the World Veteran Championships.

The veteran B crew, representing Upton, Evesham and Bewdley rowing clubs are unbeaten in the UK and travelled to Belgium to race some of the best veteran crews in the world. In a successful weekend of racing against very strong competition the crew gained third and fourth places in coxless fours and eights respectively.

The competition, for which the women had been training together all season, took place on the Saturday. The weather was dreadful with heavy rain, strong gusting winds and thunder and lightening. In their first race, the coxless fours, the West Midlands composite came third overall in a time of 3 mins 41 secs. This was six seconds behind a very strong German crew from Dresden who claimed the gold medal.

Later that day the crew teamed up with a four from Staines Rowing Club to compete in the veteran B eights. Their time of 3 mins 19secs for the 1000m course put them in fourth place, just five seconds behind the eventual winners.

The championships represent the end of a brilliant rowing season for the West Midlands women who have 12 domestic wins to their credit and have now beaten crews from as far away as Holland, Russia Czechoslovakia and America.

Not to be outdone by the women Bruce Elston and Mike Roberts from Upton and Evesham rowing clubs teamed up with rowe5rs from Bedford to compete in the men's Veteran B coxed fours. The crew raced well against top level competition and was in the lead at 500m. They were eventually overtaken by crews from Germany and France to finish only six seconds behind the final winners. Mike Roberts went on to achieve an excellent fourth place in the mixed double sculling event on the Sunday.

West Midlands Crews: Veteran B Coxless Fours - Jo Atkinson (Bewdley), Teresa Roberts (Evesham), Liz Killick (Steers) (Upton), Tina Bonham (Evesham). Veteran B Coxed Fours (With Bedford RC) - Bruce Elston (Upton), Mike Roberts (Evesham).