Talkin Tarn Amateur Rowing Club have brought the curtain down on yet another successful season which saw the rowing club compete at regattas and long distance head races, not just in the usual North East of England rowing region, but as far afield as Strathclyde Park (Glasgow), Nottingham, York, Lancaster, Derwentwater and Henley on Thames.

The travelling paid off as the club racked up 68 wins at events throughout the year, improving on the results of 2017 and 2018, making the miles both on the road, and the water, well worth the effort.

Most of the success was achieved by the club’s Masters rowers (aged 27 and above) but the Junior members were not to be out done, and chipped in with 19 wins.

The most notable achievements belonged to ex-Nelson Thomlinson schoolboy Ben Norman who amassed several successes over the year.

And he topped it off with a silver medal in the Junior Under-16 single sculls event at the British Junior Rowing Championships held at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham.

Ben has now moved on to study and row at Durham School.

The club’s thriving Masters squad has been growing and improving in recent years.

At the end of last year, the club was awarded the Senior Victor Ludorum at the North of England sculling series and this success continued into 2019.

Several Masters members tasted victory for the first time this season, some having only started the sport in the last 12 months.

Four women, who train and compete in a Masters quad sculling crew, had an exceptional season winning 19 events including a win at the first-ever head race held on Derwentwater hosted by the newly formed Lakeland Rowing Club.

The crew, consisting of Gill Houston, Katie Robinson, Linda Watson and Hannah Rigby have been competing together for three seasons now, and showed what they are capable of when they competed at the British Masters Championships held at Strathclyde Park, racing against some of the best Master rowers in the British Isles.

They were entered in four events over the two-day regatta and came home with a remarkable haul of three gold medals and a bronze medal in the Women’s Masters ‘C’ category quad sculls, coxed fours and double sculls.

TTARC lead coach, Graeme Mark said: “This was a fantastic achievement; to win one gold against the best in the country takes a great effort but to win three and a bronze is unheard of.”

The club holds several in-house sculling events in the Autumn and the winners, alongside other members were presented with their trophies at the club’s annual Presentation and Dinner, this year held last weekend at the Auctioneer, in Carlisle.

Club captain, Linda Watson said: “Small clubs like ours have peaks and troughs regarding membership numbers and competition results over the years but this year has proven that the club is moving in the right direction.

“We’ve had several ‘new to the sport’ members both junior and senior competing and winning this season which is fantastic.

“The results have improved again this year which I put down to the efforts and dedication of club members and our dedicated volunteer coaching team.”

Club Trophy Winners

Championship of the Tarn: Dave Harte

Women`s Championship: Georgina Rowntree

Boys Championship: Dylan Rees

Girls Championship: Alice Surtees

Junior Handicap: Dylan Rees

Masters Handicap: Dave Harte

Vice Presidents Handicap: Katie Robinson

Most improved male: Dylan Rees and Sam Britton

Most improved female: Alice Surtees

Club Performance Bowl: Hannah Rigby, Linda Watson, Katie Robinson & Gill Houston

Captain`s Commendation: Peter Thompson and Kevin Dixon