Sunshine defies forecasters as 192nd Durham Regatta escapes any storms

A weekend in part marred by the unfortunate death of a cygnet, accidentally struck by one of the competing crews on Saturday (June 14), enjoyed an apparently incident-free second day.

The racing was just as fierce between the 500 competing crews in 400 back-to-back races over the 700m and 1,800m courses with the blue riband, the prestigious Grand Challenge Cup, remaining on home ground.

(Image: The Northern Echo) Durham University Boat Club’s coxed four enjoyed a half-length victory over rivals Tyne Amateur Rowing Club over the long course, to retain the trophy, which it won in its first three years after inception in 1854.

Regatta chair Michael Laing said with generally sunny conditions on the second day the crowd numbers were estimated to have at least matched last year’s 10,000 figure over the course of the weekend.

“Good weather always helps and we have had a good day today.

“The Grand Challenge Cup was a fantastic race with some really impressive racing.”

Mr Laing said he hopes “lessons were learned” from the cygnet fatality which marred Saturday’s schedule.

He confirmed it had been reported to Defra and to the police.

Mr Laing said the swans were gently coaxed upstream away from the Racecourse to ensure they were out of harms way ahead of Sunday’s programme.

(Image: The Northern Echo) Fears of forecasted thunderstorms on Saturday failed to surface as hundreds of crews competed head-to-head in a packed programme of races from 8am at the start of the 192nd festival of rowing.

But the unprecedented dry spring posed some problems, particularly for crews drawn on the unusually shallow Racecourse side of the river, with more than a few losing fins while trying to make a swift start to races.

There was the odd sight of a race official with trousers rolled up trudging down the Racecourse side shallows to pick up some of the detached fins.

But there was also the more familiar rowing sight of a competitor “catching a crab”, losing control of an oar, with one unfortunate Durham School single sculler capsizing, but fortunately into relatively shallow water.

Mr Laing said the problem of shallow stretches of the river, particularly near the starting point adjacent to Pelaw Wood, brought forward the need for dredging.

A crowdfunding appeal to raise the £125,000 needed is being launched, with the hope the work, complying to Environmental Agency standards, can be completed well ahead of the event’s 200th anniversary.

“We do have the issue of the deposition of sand and gravel on the Racecourse side of the river.

“The plan is to move sand, gravel and other material from 250 metres of the river and to move it and dispose of it safely and properly.

(Image: The Northern Echo)

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“Ownership of the river varies in different sections and we will be doing ourselves a favour if we can get to out 200th anniversary with the work done.

“It needs doing every 20 years or so to ensure we can get it into condition, not only for the benefit of rowers, but for fishermen and other river users.”

Mr Laing added that the task of keeping up with the racing schedule, at three minute intervals, was met with racing going on until 7pm on Saturday and slightly earlier on Sunday, prior to presentation of trophies in a marquee alongside Durham Amateur Rowing Clubhouse.