YORK City Rowing Club have been left counting the cost after the cancellation of their second regatta this year.

The events have been the key source of income for the club, but with their Sprint Regatta being hit by flooding - the same fate that beset the Spring Regatta earlier in the year - York have suffered financially.

"One time, our main source of income would be from over the bar as everyone used to live in York, but now with people travelling in from all over the region, they tend to just get in their cars and head off home," said club committee member and coach David Wilde.

"Regattas have become a really good source of income for us, but the loss of the two this year means we will just have to curtail our spending on new equipment."

This is easier said than done for the club though, with them in desperate need of new coaching launch engines - at a cost of more than £1,000 each.

"The engines are essential for us as we are out in them two or three times a week coaching," said Wilde.

"We took them to be fixed and the guy who looked at them said he had not seen any as old as these before, so we really need to replace them.

"Once upon a time, we used to cycle alongside on the bank, but this is not possible any more - plus we need to be closer to the crews so we can coach them properly."

The club are now appealing for people to sponsor some new engines or even donate money so they can replace them, with the name of any sponsors to be put down the side of their coaching launches.

Anyone wanting more information should contact Wilde on (01904) 797511.

Meanwhile, Caroline Jones, a member of the club's junior women's squad, managed to squeeze in a late entry for Chester Long Distance Sculls over a four-and-a-half-mile course on the River Dee.

Jones performed brilliantly to win the Women's Junior 18 single sculls in a time of 22 minutes 44 seconds, beating a number of senior women on the way.

Winter training both in the gym and out on the water is now in full swing to help prepare for the club's next event in York which will be the York Small Boats Head on November 18.

Updated: 10:47 Saturday, October 06, 2001