CREWS from across the South West were in action last Saturday when Wimbleball Rowing Club hosted the first round of the ten-race West of England Championship season.

Conditions were almost perfect along the straight, multi-lane 1000 metre course and there was some tight and exciting racing for both senior and junior crews.

The focus for the host club was on the junior races and skills competition, and back from injury and in fine form, Charlotte Enright won both the WJ15 and WJ16 single sculls emphatically.

Becky Ansell gained a personal best with her third place in the WJ15x1, and Ansell and Enright once again dominated the WJ15 double sculls, winning by at least five lengths over their nearest rivals.

Later in the day, the girls were in fierce competition in the skills competition, which involved rigger dips, 360s, figure of eight, backing down and various other skills, and the judges decided the two could not be separated and awarded them joint first place.

Also in action for Wimbleball were Tom Enright, who successfully won through the heats of the men’s novice single then came fourth in the final and also came second in the J17x1.

And Tom Goldsworthy, competing for the first time for well over a year following injury and using an unfamiliar boat, rowed strongly to come fourth in the J16x1.