SYDNEY Rowing Club claimed a 12 point win over current pointscore leaders Leichhardt in the Manning Summer Regatta.
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The three day regatta attracted 22 clubs.
The windy conditions on the opening day suited crews used to rowing in rough water, while all crews and scullers completed the course with a strong tail wind, making the start line and then turning around proved difficult for all competitors.
Manning's Ray Beeton, Roy Halliday and John Corbett combined with members from Sydney, Mosman, Swan River and Port Macquarie clubs to win the men's masters eight.
Graham Nix claimed victory in the men's masters' single scull, then combined with Roy Halliday in the men's masters' double scull. Getting away to a good start over Sydney Rowing Club Manning River was able to establish a handy lead early. Settling down to a comfortable rate Nix and Halliday set about maintaining their position at head of the field.
With 100 metres to travel to the line, the fast finishing Lake Macquarie moved to put pressure on the Manning crew, but Manning with a clean finish was able to push to the line to greet the judges in first place.
Nix made it three from three with Ray Beeton, Warren Steedman and John Cross in the men's masters' quad scull, pegging back a 14 second handicap to make a good start in 2014.
A new combination of Brielle Weirsma, Ashley Harry in their first regatta joined with Megan Saxby and Kate Rankin in the women's D-grade quad scull. Despite having just one training row together, the focus was on timing and acceleration. With the excitement of being up with the leaders at halfway put in check the crew set about tackling the remaining 500 metres. The Manning girls the had the home crowd on the edge of the bank cheering as they moved into first place and despite early celebrations kept it together to claim the first place medal in their initial race together.
In the women's D grade single scull Kate Arnold and Danielle Jeffreys were first in each of their divisions.
Tom Steedman and Zac Calvin won the men's C-grade double scull, while Mandy Cavill and Ann Campbell from Lake Macquarie won their division of the women's masters' double scull.
