SPORTING glory of 1966 was recreated over the weekend, but it had nothing to do with England’s national football team.

A group of men, mere schoolboys in the year Bobby Moore lifted the World Cup, who won the region’s most prestigious rowing race, pulled together once again.

The pupils from Durham School overcame the odds to beat a senior Swedish side and win The Grand Challenge Cup at Durham Regatta.

The men: Tony Bailes, now 65, of Oxford; John Appleby, 68, of Lanchester; Gareth Powley, 68, of Preston; George Nicholson, 67, of Shadforth, Durham, and Geoff Potts, 68, of London met up on Saturday and relived their triumph on the waters of the River Wear.

Mr Powley said: “We had started the season as just schoolboy no-hopers, but we were guided by our amazing stand-in coach ‘Bicky’, Commander David Bickmore.

“When our preparations for Durham were fully underway, I recall we were hailed from the riverbank by a university rower who took great pleasure in shouting that we had no chance for The Grand because there was an elite crew entered from Sweden.”

Despite their tender years, aged 15 to 18, they were victorious over the stronger Scandinavian side in the premier event, raced over a mile and a quarter through the narrow arches of Elvet Bridge.

Mr Bailes said: “We were well supported down the whole course, but I have a clear image in my mind’s eye, as if it were yesterday, of the amazing huge posse of supporters running with us immediately below Elvet Bridge, shouting ‘school, school, school’.”

The crew were introduced to the sound of cheering as they made their way along the course at the 183rd regatta on Saturday.

George Nicholson said: “It was quite a magic feeling for us all to be back in the same boat after a 50 year gap. We all just fell back into place and it all came back to us.

“We found we were almost still able to go through the arches at race speed, which used to give us the home advantage over those who did not know the course quite so well.

“Only by winning the Grand Challenge Cup at Durham were we able to claim to be 'the best coxed four in the North of England'.

“For me as a young schoolboy at the time, that trophy had developed near mythical status because of the prestige it represented.

“It had been the jewel in the crown for over 100 years in Northern Rowing.”

Durham Regatta, dubbed the Henley of the North, is the second oldest in the country after Chester.

Crews from schools, colleges and clubs across the country compete, with races every three minutes between Pelaw Wood and Prebends Bridge.

There was also displays of classic cars, bands and other entertainment for visitors and rowing enthusiasts on the Racecourse in Durham.

The regatta regularly attracts more than 2,000 oarsmen and women, including international entries, and many Olympians, including Jess Eddie and Kat Copeland have raced at Durham.

Regatta spokesman Andy Jaggard, cox of the Grand winning 1971, Durham university Boat Club crew said: “The Grand Challenge is the premier event at the Regatta. It is the top cox four for an elite crew and is over the long course through Elvet Bridge.

“It is a very bendy course and very difficult and it has been running since 1851.

“What was remarkable about this crew is they were schoolboys racing against an elite team of men.

“They were very much the underdogs at the time. It really was something special.”