With the 185th Durham Regatta less than 6 weeks away plans are gathering pace and the schedule of racing will soon be released.
As well as elite racing one of the most eagerly anticipated events is the competition between Durham University colleges in the Open and Women’s College fours, and the Maiden Fours races for students in their first year of competition.
Hild Bede put their boat away
Durham Regatta aims to promote the development of the sport of rowing on the River Wear in Durham City, a congested 2.5km stretch of water supporting 14 Boat Clubs representing the Colleges of Durham University, 3 School Boat Clubs, Durham University Boat Club (DUBC) and Durham Amateur Rowing Club (DARC). Despite DUBC crews now having relocated to the River Tyne for training purposes numbers will be further boosted from this autumn when the two River Tees-based Boat Clubs from Stephenson College and John Snow College relocate to Durham from Queens Campus at Stockton.
DARC landing stage
With up to 16 colleges entering the Regatta competition is fierce, last year’s Open College fours going to St Hild & St Bede and Maiden fours going to St Aidan’s, while in the Women’s competition honours went to St Aidan’s and St Cuthbert’s.
Although some clubs share facilities many have their own boathouse and landing stage, and until last year each boated from its own club landing on Regatta weekend. However, following the extension to the DARC landing stage in 2016, with work partly funded by Durham Regatta, it was decided that every club should now boat from DARC, thus greatly simplifying circulation and marshalling and enabling umpires to have increased control over proceedings. Embarking and disembarking from a single location, rather than from 13 different ones, has greatly improved efficiency and enabled the Regatta to adhere more closely to the prescribed schedule of racing. With around 150 metres of landing area now available, following completion of the initial phases of DARC’s Access to Water project in 2016, this is set to continue.
Raising funds for equipment is a constant challenge. Collingwood College BC currently have a project to raise money towards the purchase of new boats that will free up existing boats for use by developing crews.