We hosted our 5th regatta at North Berwick on 23rd August and we were blessed with pretty much perfect conditions to provide a real challenge to both rowers and coxes around the 2 mile course.
We were delighted to welcome new clubs Islay, St Andrews and Eskmuthe, as well as familiar friends from all over Scotland, with 12 clubs in total competing in the races.
The racing was tough following the usual 2 mile course around Craigleith. The conditions were challenging for both crews and coxes, an incoming tide in the morning being countered by an at times stiff Westerly breeze made the back of Craigleith interesting. The sea bouncing off the rock required a tough call on the coxes as to how close they could go to the rock.
In the afternoon with the tide going out and the wind still coming from the West the coxes were challenged to steer a course taking into account the significant Leeway.
The Men's 40+ kicked off the day with Coigach, Crail and North Berwick in a dogfight the whole way around the course before Coigach surged at the last to take the win.
A pod of dolphins joined in the Mens 50+ and swam in front of Crail just as they were finishing their race.
The U19 race was run as a handicapped event to allow different mixes of boys and girls to compete. The Newburgh young lads were fastest around the course, but the mixed crew of North Berwick won on handicap.
Islay's open men were heroic in winning Bronze despite breaking an oar, they improvised by putting two men on one oar! (see photo).
Closest finish of the day, although they didn't know it because they were in different waves, was North Berwick open ladies pipping Portobello by 1 second.
Full results are available here.
Many thanks to all those visiting clubs who came, and to all the members of NBRC who helped host the day.