Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club WJ14 Relay Team gold medallists in the English Indoor Rowing Championships

Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club WJ14 Relay Team: Hannah Lowe, Molly Archbold, Maggie Page, Sally Tisdall - Gold Medallists

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Molly Archbold, Sally Tisdall, Maggie Page and Hannah Lowe, the Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club WJ14 Relay Team, were gold medallists at the English Indoor Rowing Championships (EIRC).

Athletes from Germany, Malta, the Faroe Islands, and all over the United Kingdom and Ireland converged on the Manchester Velodrome on Sunday 29 March to compete in the competition, organised by Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club (HLRC).

Indoor rowing is an ever growing sport throughout rowing clubs, schools, sports centres, and even on-line with virtual clubs such as Sub 7. It is a sport that attracts and accommodates athletes of all ages, sizes and abilities and this event attracted the largest number of entries, 700, in its 17 year history.

The age difference at the EIRC was very much evident between the youngest and oldest competitors. Emie Hewitt, aged 8, and Charles Morley, aged 83, had something important in common – the desire to compete and achieve their best. Just a few years younger than Charles, at the tender age of 80, Geoffrey Knight of Gambaru Fitness in Harrogate, attended the event with the aim of setting a new World Record in the Mens 80-84 Hwt 2000m category. The existing record was broken in style with a time of 7 minutes 40.4 seconds.

As the event and sport grows in popularity each year, so does the preparation time and effort to make the day the great success it is. Rebecca Caygill and Ian John of HLRC are at the forefront of organisation and administration, ensuring that entries, races and results are all co-ordinated, happening smoothly and efficiently. Although the responsibility lies with Rebecca and Ian, it is a small army of helpers from HLRC who also facilitate the setting up of the event and the running of it throughout the day.

There were several athletes from HLRC competing at the event with mixed results. George Roe and Joshua Gordon raced in the Mens J16 event. Maurice Barber, in the Mens J14 category put in an excellent effort in a field of 30 competitors. George Kershaw, in the Mens Open Lwt 2000m finished missed out on a Bronze medal by just 3.5 seconds.

The closest and hardest fought race of the day for HLRC was the Mens J15. Tom Swithenbank, climbed through the 16 man field to take Bronze medal with only seconds to go of the 5 minute race.

In the Womens J14 event there were 3 HLRC members competing, Hannah Lowe, Sally Tisdall and Molly Archbold. Lucy Lonergan competed in the WJ15 event, Rosie Pickles in the WJ12, and Holly Taylor in the WJ11, all putting in excellent performances.

Maggie Page, in the Womens J13 race, competing to achieve the greatest number of metres rowed in a 3 minute period, gave a great performance to take Silver medal, making herself, her family and the club proud.

The final event for HLRC members was the team events. A WJ15 team of Amy Aspinall, Jess Pilkington, Harriet Jackson and Lucy Lonergan had to compete up a year in the WJ16 category. Despite this they put in a fantastic performance against older girls.

In the WJ14 team event, the first to race down from 3000m, Molly Archbold, Sally Tisdall, Maggie Page and Hannah Lowe took the lead soon after the start of the race and held on to the end for a Gold medal.

The level of commitment and training that had gone in to the preparation to compete was evident at every level. The team from the Royal Navy, the two competitors who had flown in from the Faroe Isles, the many juniors in individual and team events, all had the desire to achieve their best and win. The hundreds of supporters who cheered and shouted throughout the day were a great driving force and provided a charged atmosphere throughout every race.

A spokesman for HLRC said: "The event was a great success, reflecting the hard work of the organisers, and the wonderfully friendly and competitive spirit of the athletes and supporters alike."