A THRILLING race at Henley Royal Regatta saw York City Rowing Club's senior men's eight reach the last 16 of the Thames Challenge Cup for the first time in the club's history.

Coxed by 12-year-old Simon Woodfine, the team came from behind to beat crack American crew Marin Rowing Club, from San Diego, by just two feet in yesterday's heat, clocking a time of six minutes 50 seconds over the 2,112-metre course.

The eight - comprising Dan Clarke, Rob Drever-Smith, Carl Abram, Stuart Clarke, Jon Hipkin, Mick Homa, Ed Goodall and Ian Hazel - were racing again today in round two, against seeded German outfit Der Hamburger Und Germania Ruder Club, one of the favourites for the title.

Club press officer David Wilde said: "Marin RC are supposed to be one of the top youth rowing clubs in the US and have won a few national events there. They were sent over here because it was thought they had a good chance of reaching the final.

"But it was a thrilling win for York. As they went past the stewards enclosure at the finish, they had them all on their feet."

The two crews were neck and neck at the half-way stage before York started to pull ahead to give themselves a half-length lead with 500m to go. Within 300m, however, the Americans had fought back and went two feet ahead with the line coming into sight.

But York were not to be outdone. Wilde said: "They powered through and put everything into it to go back into the lead and win by two feet. It was a very exciting finish."

As reported in the Evening Press, the crew, rowing in their new "Viking Warrior", had already done well to come through the qualifying rounds.

Updated: 10:24 Thursday, July 05, 2001