NORTHAMPTON Head of the Nene proved itself to be a successful event for a small group of Evesham crews, who, despite the biting wind, choppy 1,800-metre upstream course and bitter cold, managed to clock up seven wins.

The girls kick started the winning, with Holly Longley and Charlotte Pullee earning a trophy in Women’s Junior 15 double sculls.

They were closely followed by their male counterparts in the J15 doubles, although both Wil Taylor and Ross McIlldowie were racing up an age group they still managed to claim the top spot, albeit by one second. The boys then split up to race in J14 and J15 Singles.

Taylor took first place in the J15 event, again racing up a year, while McIlldowie had to be content with a well-earned second place having come up against tough opposition, and well-known local rival Ollie Edkins, of Stratford BC.

Also proving himself as a force to be reckoned with in a single was J13 sculler Joe Taylor, who not only dominated J13 sculling, but then teamed up with Rupert Malein to race up a year in the J14 doubles, where they proved themselves yet again, beating their nearest opposition Oundle Town by over one minute 20 seconds.

Malein then took his place alongside Jack Towers, James Waterhouse, and Alex Russell, in the J14 coxed quadruple sculls event, coxed by the very competent Olivia Walklett.

The crew had a very strong row, and came in 12 seconds ahead of their closest opposition from Stowe Sculling School despite windy conditions, and rough water making it a very technical row.

The only senior win of the day went to single sculler Chris Sumner in the Senior III/Senior IV Handicap event. This was a heavily Evesham weighted event, with several other Evesham scullers vying for the top spot, which Sumner, the only senior III sculler in the event, meaning an eight-second handicap managed to claim, two seconds ahead of a senior IV sculler from Guildford Rowing Club.