Rowers from Dumfries travel to Inverness

Sep 3 2010 Dumfries Standard Friday

ROWERS from Dumfries travelled to the city of Inverness to take part in the annual regatta on the Caledonian canal.

Taking part in five events, they returned with four wins.

Nithsdale were represented at the event by scullers John Dunce, Callum Micheal and Gordon and Steven Kerr and supported by Rodney Dunce who towed the trailer and followed every race from start to finish.

Rowing conditions could not have been better with flat calm water and a temperature of 20°c. There was just a hint of a breeze.

The only down side to the day were the constant interruptions to allow the cruisers down the course, some of which were of considerable size.

First race for the scullers was the double scull of John Dunce and Callum Micheal in the Junior under 16s. They were against a crew from Bradford who had been attending a training camp in Inverness all week. The enthused double was not a sitting crew and had only been out twice together, this did not deter them as they started out as though they meant business and ran out easy winners.

John was one half of a double that won the Scottish under 16 championship earlier in the year.

The final of the event was 40 minutes later against another double from Bradford the outcome was as good as the heat and ran out comfortable winners.

Next for John was the open Junior under 16 single scull against a sculler from Castle Semple. Both had good starts and fought hard all the way with the Castle Semple sculler managing to find a little extra at the end to win by a length.

Callum sculled in the Junior under 14 single sculls and at 6ft 2ins is a formidable opponent.

He showed how much he has improved this year by beating two opponents from Castle Semple with a little ease.

It was now the turn of the veterans Gordon and Steven Kerr (father and son). In the first heat they were up against a Vet A double from Aberdeen who as it turns out were Under 23 internationals for New Zealand seven years ago. Because of the vast age difference – 29 against an average 53 – the Nithsdale crew were given eight seconds of a start under British Vet rules. As it turned out they did not need the start and won in style.

The final was a rerun of the Scottish Championships against a double who had ran them close previously, Steven stated he wanted to make a point at the start, the pair are renowned for fast start. This time he went for it with a vengeance and 100yds from home were winding down to win with ease.

The last event of the day was the Generation quads which involved having Vets and Juniors in the same boat but must have at least 25yrs of difference.

The juniors John and Callum, the experience came Gordon and Steven – Gordon won his first sculling pot in Senior ranks in 1962

The event also differed, in that you got no rest if you won it was straight back to the start for your next opponent.

The two boys combined very well with the experienced pair and again had only two previous outing before the event.

The opposition were three crews from Inverness who had combined with Bradford and two from Castle Semple and after three quick races Nithsdale ran out easy winners in the final to claim win No 4 on the day.