RACING conditions were almost perfect for the 190 crews in Worcester Rowing Club’s annual spring regatta.

Large crowds were entertained by exciting racing over a 1,000-metre stretch of the River Severn.

Ross, Stourport, Bewdley, Cheltenham College, Wallingford, City of Bristol and Jesus College Oxford were among the clubs represented.

Worcester bagged four wins with the first being the girls’ junior 15 coxed quad, who had represented the West Midlands in the Junior Inter-regional Championships.

Grace Baker, Jess Price, Becky Hodson, Thea Green and cox Izzy Jones beat an accomplished City of Bristol crew by a quarter-of-a-length to gain revenge for a defeat at Evesham Regatta.

There was victory for Eleanor Arnot in the junior 15 single sculls, seeing off her Bristol opponent by one length.

Izzy Friedlander triumphed in the junior 14 single sculls, beating her rival from Ross comfortably.

Worcester’s final win of the day came in the masters ‘F’ double sculls.

Ashley Roberts and Martin Rhodes, celebrating his 63rd birthday, outpaced George Strang and Ron Pattinson from Upton to win by two lengths.

The University of Worcester triumphed in the intermediate three eights over Bewdley, while their women won the intermediate three coxed fours.

Worcester’s next event will be the autumn sprint regatta in September.

Meanwhile, lightweight Worcester rowers Steve Hemsworth and Tim Porter enjoyed a successful Ghent International Regatta over a 2,000m multi-lane course.

The first day ended with a bronze medal in the pairs and a silver in the quads with Chris Callow from Star Club and Paul Hamblet from Henley RC.

They were narrowly beaten into second by London’s Tideway Scullers.

The second day saw the Worcester pair improve on their bronze by winning the gold in a straight final over a Belgian club crew.