Regatta reports from the Western Region press

South Coast Championships Regatta -  'Darts fourth in Plym final'

Dartmouth just missed out on a top three finish after flying the South Devon flag at the South Coast Championship Regatta on Saturday 13th September.

Conditions were ideal for the 52nd South Coast regatta held on the River Plym at Plymouth. But Dartmouth were hindered by a slow start in the championship final of the men's junior/senior coxed fours.

The crew of Matthew Isaac, John Hart, Phil Langman, Terry Wallis and cox Louise Bellamy were half-a-length down on the leading crews after 20 strokes. Early leaders Christchurch and Itchen Imperial were soon joined by Exeter, but Christchurch soon started to take command of the race and at 1,000m they led by two lengths from Exeter.

At this stage Dartmouth were locked in a battle with two Herne Bay crews for the minor placings. Christchurch went on to win by a length-and-a-half from Exeter with Itchen Imperial a further two lengths down in third place. Dartmouth overcame the two Herne Bay crews to take fourth place with Herne Bay A fifth and Herne Bay B sixth.

Read the full regatta report from This is South Devon

South Coast Championships Junior Regatta - 'Darts triumph is greatest yet' 

Dartmouth Rowing Club's successes at the South Coast Junior Regatta must rank amongst the club's greatest achievements during their 140-year history.

The South Devon club's youngsters were top dogs with four wins in the first South Coast Junior Regatta at Dartmouth in 2006, and they went one better with five wins last year at Eton's Dorney Lake – the rowing venue for the 2012 Olympic Games.

But at Plymouth the club surpassed even those achievements by winning six of the 18 events alongside a clutch of second and third places to lift the newly-installed points trophy by a handsome margin.

Exeter were Dartmouth's main rival on the day but home club Plymouth pulled off a couple of surprise wins and Dart Totnes, with a reduced squad, also picked up a trophy in superb conditions on the River Plym.

Read the full Regatta report from This is South Devon.