York City Rowing Club won nine events in the South Yorkshire Head of the River Races over the 5,000 metre course on the River Don at Doncaster.

The University of York Boat Club also took honours when they clocked the fastest time by a four during the meet.

Despite having to borrow a boat from Doncaster Rowing Club, the university's undefeated men's senior 2 four not only won their category with some ease, but also claimed poll position as the fastest four of the event, pipping York City Rowing Club's own senior 1 two.

The student crew of Simon Weston, Tom Carter, Mark Nicholson, Rich Gibson and Ann Smith are confident of further successes throughout this season.

York City RC's women's junior coxless quad of Freya Porteous, Morven Porteous, Helen Broadbridge and Caroline Jones won their event convincingly and were the fastest women's four with 14-year-old Freya Porteous, in her first year, showing rowing maturity beyond her years to stroke the girls home.

The girls split into two doubles with Morven Porteous and Jones winning women's junior 18 double sculls and Freya Porteous and Broadbridge winning women's novice sculls.

The women's junior 16 coxed quad of Sarah Whitwell, Charlotte Richer, Jenny Addison, Sarah Barker and Rob Whitwell, coached by Dave Whitwell, won their event. It was their first competitive event having been together for only three weeks.

Anne Homa won women's S1 single sculls and Anna Mahlamaki won women's novice sculls in her first race in a sculling boat despite clipping the bank a few times.

Dick Gradley, the club's oldest active member, won the over 65s' event in single sculls.

The first eight won the open eights race in 11 minutes 21 seconds. Four members of the crew then went on to win S1 coxed fours in 12mins 33secs.

With the River Ouse at York again in flood the crews will be missing valuable water training for further Head racing over the next few weeks, but the first eight have an extra incentive to work - their new state of the art boat arrives next week.

The naming of the boat will be on Sunday, February 25 at noon. A name has yet to be chosen but two put forward are Constantine The Great and Viking Warrior. Club members are invited to submit their ideas before February 21.

Updated: 13:40 Friday, February 16, 2001