IT is a big weekend for York City Rowing Club - home and away.

While it hosts the Yorkshire Head of the River Races on the Ouse on Saturday, the club's women's first eight will be going for glory in the London Women's Head of the River Races.

They will be up against 277 other club and university boats from across the country, racing over seven kiometres on the Thames from Mortlake to Putney.

The York crew and their Jennyfield Dental Practice-sponsored boat 'Eboracum' have a seeded start position of 44th overall and 17th out of the senior three category crews against which they will be competing.

The crew, coached by Caroline Sherlock and coxed by Sean Stephenson, includes bow Jill McClure, Suzy Grindley, Ruth Easterbrook, Amanda Lockley, Becky Raines, Rachael Furnell, Becky Harland and stroke Kate Flemming.

Back at York, the downstream 5,000 metre course from Rawcliffe to just above Lendal Bridge has attracted 150 crews from 34 clubs from all over the region ranging from novice single sculls to senior men's eights.

The Yorkshire Head is a significant event in the Britishrowing calendar and consistently attracts some of the best rowers in the country .

There are two entries from Belfast this year for the first time.

Andrew Cawood, chairman of the Yorkshire and Humberside Rowing Council, said: "The Yorkshire Head always attracts some top quality rowers and this year is no exception.

"Interest in the sport has grown hugely over the past couple of years as more and more people who have enjoyed getting fit on indoor rowing machines in the gym want to experience the real thing on the water."

There are two races, starting at 11.45am and 2.45pm from the Rawcliffe Landing near the A127 and finishing more than three miles down river at Lendal Bridge near York Minster which is the best vantage point for spectators.

Cawood said: "Rowing is one of the few sports in the world where the UK leads the world and with the Olympics this year in Athens we expect interest in the sport to grow further.

"The Yorkshire and Humberside Rowing Council is always keen to supportindividuals and schools keen to try their hand at the sport and they should contact us through our website at www.yorkshirerowing.co.uk."

YCRC junior rowers Matt Noble and Joel Lancaster won the J17 and novice single sculls at Durham last Saturday.

Updated: 10:29 Thursday, March 04, 2004