York City Rowing Club's quadruple scullers had to settle for second place despite breaking their fastest time for the event on the Ouse.

They finished behind Nottingham and Union at the York Chambers Small Boats Head Of The River Race.

The home crew surged along the 3,000 metre course from Fulford to Kings Staith but finished three seconds behind Nottingham, who clocked 10 minutes eight seconds to smash the record by eight seconds.

With the river running slowly for the time of year and with little wind, times were fast as 334 crews and scullers raced upstream.

York City Rowing Club were the top club, with 20 crews and scullers gaining trophies in what is thought to be the club's best 'Head' success.

The men's elite coxed four of Carl Abram, Owen Gillard, James Wolley, Charlie Heise and cox Helena Smallman Smith won their event, but were bettered on time by the Senior class 2 four of Will Todd, Simon Smith, Andy Wilkinson and George Scott also coxed by Smallman Smith.

Their performances and that of the top quad makes this year's men's captain Dave Heffernan confident of landing two crews in the top hundred in next spring's Head of the River eights on the Thames.

Heffernan won the Senior 2 sculls, with quad crew mates Richard Smallman Smith and Dan Beaumont winning senior class 1 and 3 respectively. Beaumont went on the win the senior class 4 doubles with Heise.

Women's captain Ruth Eastebrook led her coxless four to victory. With crew members Helen Banks, Rebecca Raines and Rachel Furnell they finished a convincing 30 seconds ahead of their nearest rivals, from Nottingham University.

Raines also won novice double sculls with Cath Smith.

The Women's Senior class 2 four of Nicola Carn, Emily Hulley, Loretta Williams and Amanda Baker plus cox Katie Sparrow won their event, with Hully also taking the novice singles and Baker the coxless pairs event with Raines. Williams and Jill Salvin won the senior two doubles.

Jamie Mcleod took the veteran class D sculls, with his son helping St Peter's School to win Under-16 Quads.

The women's veteran doubles was won by Louise Worsman and Gill Porte in their first competition for several years.

Dave Grabaskey and Dick Gradley won the veteran F doubles following their success at the national veterans' earlier in the year. Pete De Boer and John Whitmore won the 'F' coxless pairs.

The York junior U16 quad of Sarah Pitcher, Daniells Lewis, Emily Shaw and Katherine Fowler, coxed by Anna Skilbeck, won by a convincing margin, as did Shaw and Fowler later in the day in the U15 doubles.

Skilbeck and Lewis teamed up with Zoe Ditch and Sarah Chase to take the under 18 coxless quads, with the latter recording their first wins for York City.

Recruiting coxes

YORK CITY Rowing Club are keen to recruit coxes interested in steering and possibly helping with coaching crews. There will also be courses for new starters in the spring.

See www.york-city-rowing-club.co.uk for details.

Updated: 11:03 Friday, November 26, 2004