CREWS from the North-East and beyond took part in a day of racing at the region’s only multi-lane regatta.

Hexham’s biggest success at the Tees Regatta came early for the open men’s 4x- crew of Chris Burn, Andrew Bainbridge, Sam Earnshaw and Stuart Heslop.

Their final against St Peter’s School Boat Club and Teesside University proved a cracker. Hexham eased past Teesside but were tested all the way to the line.

Hexham had an F crew in the Open Masters F/H 4x- category in each of the heats.

The first, made up of George Doody, Ben Haywood Smith, Barney Hawkins and Stuart Mullen, won their heat by three lengths.

The second crew, of Rob Patterson, Graham Marples, John Young and Jonno Ewen, came second in theirs and went through to the final.

Both Hexham crews lined up in the final against their Tees opponents, former British champions who also had a ten second head start, due to the age handicapping system.

The Hexham Doody crew came second to the host club by just two lengths. The Hexham Young crew came in third.

Elizabeth Waterman and Claire Rowlson put in an impressive performance in winning the women’s doubles B2 category, seeing off challengers from Queen Elizabeth HS and two Leeds crews in the final.

They later competed against their own Hexham clubmates in the Mixed Masters B/E 4x- final.

The pair joined Graeme Wilson and Simon Aitkenhead to form a B crew pitted against a Hexham E crew of Fi Stephenson, Ben Haywood Smith, Andrew Cordner and Beverley Beattie, and another crew from Talkin Tarn.

Hexham took first and second, with the E crew hanging on to their time advantage and winning by two lengths.

John Young and Jonno Ewen competed in Open Masters G/H doubles, but lost out to strong competition.

Hexham Women’s Masters CDE 4x- crew of Deborah Aubrook, Karen Spurr, Jill Young and Gill Patterson, lost out to Durham and Talkin Tarn.

Hexham’s juniors were out in force too - their WJ13 4x- girls of Laura Goldsmith, Martha Wells-Johnson, Amelia Jewitt, and Katie Littler, coxed by Aidan Wright, lost their final to Chester-le-Street.

The WJ14 doubles crew of Jessica Smyth and Elethea Stoker won their heat, but were pipped in the final by a York RC crew who came back at them in the last 50 metres.

Hayley Hannant lost out to a strong York sculler in her first singles race in the WJ15 Band 1 event, while Eliza Nicholson was third in the Band 2 event.

The J15 2x boys, Gabe Wells-Johnson and James Turnbull, won their heat and final against crews from York, Durham School and St Leonard’s. Archie Stewart and Ben Watts also had a heat win to reach the final, and came third.

Aidan Wright was involved in a final in the J15 singles, and took second place against two competitors from York. Tom Shovlin and Robert Gold put up a challenge in the J14 doubles.

Tom then coxed the J14 4x+ boys Matt Smith, Gabe Wells-Johnson, James Turnbull and Archie Stewart, who qualified for the final by coming second in their heat. In the WJ15 doubles, Hayley Hannant and Eliza Nicholson had to settle for second place. It was a good day for Hexham.