Gold medals for Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club at the Head of the Mersey Race

Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club gold medal winners

Katie Hargreaves and Laura Aspinall, members of Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club (HLRC), won gold at the Head of the Mersey Race staged by Warrington Rowing Club on Sunday 9 February. It was a first time race outing for the women's J16 double in Division Four.

Alastair Holbrough in a single scull, racing for the first time in Hollingworth Lake colours, put in an excellent performance and won in style, achieving a time that was faster than many J15 and J16 contestants, to win gold.

Alastair Holbrough and Tom Bullock raced in a boys double in Division One, in the Junior 14 years old category. It was only the second time they had been in a boat together and they finished a very respectable second place. An excellent result against some strong opposition.

Also in Division Four were two women's Junior 14 double scull crews from HLRC, Hannah Lowe and Molly Archbold, both J13, were rowing up a year. They put in a strong performance against older opposition but suffered an infringement when an opposition crew drove them in the river bank - twice. Jess Pilkington and Harriet Jackson (J14) rowed in the same race and put in a great display of hard work and co-ordination. They too suffered an infringement so their time did not reflect the effort they made. This was a big disappointment for both doubles but they carried on and finished the race with determination and pride.

As the day drew to a close and the moon made an appearance in the blue skies, the Club was represented in Division Six by a single Sculler, Emily Carter (J16), and a womens J14 Coxed Quad. Emily was up against some very strong opposition but put in a performance to be proud of with a great finish. The Quad, consisting of Gabriella Fennell, Amy Aspinall, Sophie Webb and Sally Tidsall, coxed by Amy Bullock, rowed in a difficult field of hard-rowing crews, all determined to win the coveted gold medals – but they looked as strong and focused as any of the teams. The results for the final Division had not been posted due to some technical difficulties by the time crews and supporters started making their way home in the dark and bitter cold.

The Head of the Mersey Race is a timed event consisting of two legs of 1,800 metres up and down the River Mersey; the two times being added together to give an overall score.

A club spokesman said: "The juniors of Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club did themselves and their club proud. They were all a great credit to their coach, Ian John, their co-ordinator and surrogate mother, Rachel Harris, and the devoted woman supporter with the strange hat, Denise John. Exhausted, cold and hungry, the team left to rest, train and prepare for the next race meeting at Trafford Rowing Club on 22 February."