Celebrating its 157th year, Talkin Tarn Amateur Rowing Club recently held their Annual Dinner to cap 2016's success stories.

It was held at the Gilsland Hall Hotel in Brampton last Saturday.

The club has 105 members, of which 39 achieved 100 wins in official British or Scottish Rowing affiliated events over the last year. That’s 218 cups, plates, tankards or medals awarded to Tarn rowers in 2016.

James Smith, of Brampton, has had a particularly enjoyable year, with a stunning 21 wins overall.

The majority of the events are in the Northern Region, which entails weekly trips across the A69 to rivers from the Tweed at Berwick, down to the Ouse at York.

But the club does travel further afield to compete in larger National events.

Ten Junior rowers in the club competed in four events at the British National Championships, and helped the Northern region achieve sixth out of the 12 regions against some very stiff and well-funded opposition.

At the British Masters in Nottingham, Dave Harte partnered by Kevin Oates of Hexham RC, won Gold in the Masters C pair.

Ian Machin, Denis Burke, Keven Wilson and John Lewis were coxed by Tom Lewis to win Gold in the Novice Masters D coxed four.

The same crew (with Megan Lewis coxing) won the Great Tyne Row – 25km from Newburn to Tynemouth.

For the first time, a Tarn Women’s Eight entered a Masters Head race down the “Boat Race” course on the Thames through London, and two weeks later, a Men’s Eight did a similar race and won the Novice category.

Several crews entered the Boston Marathon, a 50km race along weedy rivers in eastern Lincolnshire, where James Martin won the fastest single and Jo Lewis won the Women’s Masters single.

Talkin Tarn has enjoyed another good year, despite all the normal challenges the wind, rain and weed brings!