Bedford Eights Fours Head

It wasn't quite a Valentine's Day Massacre, but the fortunes did vary for local rowing clubs, Bedford and Star at the 4th Annual Bedford Head of the River Race. Bedford Rowing Club were successful with their smaller squads in the coxed fours events, while Star Club club dominated in mens eights.

The first winners of the day were the Senior 1 coxed four of Blaine Castle, Michael Hardy, Mark Waddington, Patrick Doyle and cox Richard Townsend, although they had to play a waiting game throughout the day to see if crews in later divisions could beat their time.

A second win for the mens squad was the Senior 3 coxed four of Willem van Beele, Roger Griffiths, Simon Hargraves, Steve Feord and cox Richard Townsend. Both of the mens crews were over ten seconds clear of their nearest rivals.

Bedford's most impressive win of the day was the womens crew who outpaced three crews from Oxford University Womens Boat Club to win Senior 1 coxed fours. Starting directly behind the top Oxford boat, the crew of Nicky Halse, Sharon Noble, Aine O'Conner, Madeline Brodie and cox Lydia Swift raced hard to win by one second.

Equally hard fought was the battle between Oxford and Cambridge University women's crews, who entered two eights each, as they prepared for their annual challenge in April. In what was a preview to the real 'Boat Race', the Oxford Dark Blues beat the Light Blues to win Womens Elite eights by three seconds.

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