238 rowers hit the water in North Berwick gaining praise from accross the country.
Most of the medals from North Berwick 2012 Regatta were carried away up to Loch Broom at the end of the days racing, with considerable success for both Coigach and Ullapool Coastal Rowing Clubs. Coigach got off to a flyer, picking up golds in the first three events of the day: Men’s Open, Mixed Open and Men’s 50+. In the men’s open special mention must be made of the North Berwick crew who came in second, beaten by 20 seconds, with only one of that crew having a full years experience of rowing. In the 50+ new club Crail put in a great performance to win one of two bronze positions for the day. The mixed open was contested by a record 14 skiffs. Of the 15 skiffs on the beach only Newburgh sat it out.
Ullapool then stepped up to win the Ladies 40+ ahead of Cockenzie/ Port Seton and Anstruther, with Crail further showing their progress by taking fourth.
The organisers were delighted to see such a strong entry in the mixed Novice Category. This was for rowers who have never won a rowing race against other clubs before. Eleven skiffs lined up for the start and it was first year club Newburgh who won the closely fought race. After 24 minutes battling round Craigleith only 7 seconds seperated the winners from third place Crail, with Ullapool in second place being given the same time as the winners. Eyemouth, Pittenweem, North Berwick, Queensferry, Cockenzie/Port Seton, Portobello and Newhaven Rowers should all get a mention in this category for completing a lengthy course in fairly testing conditions. The organisers should be congratulated for including this category in their programme and ensuring that new rowers get the chance to shine.
There was another closely fought race in the mixed 60+ category, with Portobello and North Berwick’s skiff John B neck and neck all the way home from the Island. Portobello won by just one second.
Coigach got back to their winning ways in the Men 40+, finishing ahead of North Berwick and Newhaven. By late afternoon conditions were starting to get more testing, with the wind at around 25 knots from the West. This was what the redoubtable Ladies 50+ were sent out into, and the North Berwick crew secured a home victory ahead of Anstruther and Portobello. The wind remained strong for the last race of the day, Women’s open. Some rowers from the ladies 50+ remained on the water from the last race… a stirring way to finish off the day. Ullapool powered round the course to win on time ahead of Anstruther who started on the second of the two starts, with North Berwick taking third. Full results for the day can be found on the North Berwick Rowing Club website.
North Berwick Rowing Club extended a special thanks to East Lothian Yacht Club for the loan of facilities, equipment and personnel for the day and for cancelling their own racing, without which the event would not have been possible. The days racing was followed by some excellent Apres Skiff featuring DJ Sandy in da Kirk, and the massed pipes and drum of North Berwick Rowing Club for the Orcadian Strip the Willow.
