A bumper entry list and some tough competition did not prevent Avon County rowers from claiming a haul of trophies at last weekend's Llandaff Sprint Regatta.
The annual event – staged on the River Taff in Cardiff – is one of the most popular on the rowing calendar and Avon sent a range of competitors, from masters crews with an average age of 55 to juniors as young as 12.
They returned home with 13 status wins and a selection of prizes and, despite only racing for half of the two day competition, Avon crews gained enough points to finish third overall in the Victor Ludorum behind Evesham and AB Severn.
The highlight was a popular novice win for women's squad members Vicki Perry, Suze Eyles, Angela Ellis and Charlotte Hook, coxed by Patsy Lamb.
This was complemented by an IM3 coxed four win for team-mates Parveen Jones, Joanna Hardy, Fiona Lambert and Laura Deakin, coxed by Debbie Blackmore.
Avon's juniors provided the majority of the club's wins, with J18 boys Owen Baker and Alex Prescott leading the way.
They negotiated two hard-fought rounds before beating Swansea by two lengths in their final. Baker then returned to the water to win the single sculls event and bring his sprint season to a successful end.
It was a case of first and last for Avon's Livvy Moorey, who switched to the single scull for the Llandaff event and promptly took her first regatta win in this boat type.
Her superior fitness proved to be the key as, following a dead heat in the final, she dominated the re-row to storm to victory by three lengths over her Monmouth opponent.
It was her last race both of the season and also as an Avon junior as she turns to university rowing next season.
Avon's girls also won the WJ15 and WJ13 quads thanks to final wins over Swansea and Ross respectively, while the WJ13 double scull beat the host club in their final.
Nick Selman took the boys J15 trophy following strong performances against Cardiff and Hereford.
Olivier Sharples proved too strong for his J13 single scull opponents from Ross and Llandaff to claim his first open win.
The Avon girls J15 double sculls met in the semi-final of their event but, after a dead heat, Ellie McCormack and Ellie Hills took a close-fought victory over Carla May and Emily Martin in the re-row.
Both crews are looking forward to their last major event of the season – the British Junior Championships at Nottingham, raced over the championship distance of 2,000m.
Also Nottingham-bound are Bria Keen and Molly Churchman, who dominated their J14 double sculls event with powerful wins over Cardiff, Swansea and AB Severn.
Churchman also entered the single scull event and was rewarded with wins over two Llandaff scullers before cruising to a five-length victory over AB Severn in the final.
