ROWERS fought hard to the line to bring home trophies for the first time in the Great River Race.

Stour Sailing Club and Sudbury Rowing Club joined forces to compete in the London river marathon for traditional fixed seat rowing boats.

Two boats from Manningtree and 12 crew members joined more than 320 other boats to tackle the 21.6 mile race on Saturday.

The rowers formed Lt Washington's over 60s men's crew to take on rivals Langstone, clinching victory 37 seconds ahead of the Langstone crew in a time of two hours and 51 minutes and 55 seconds.

The veteran women’s crew put in a strong performance with a time of three hours eight minutes and 11 seconds. They came home seventh in the women’s veteran (over 40’s) category and beat one hundred and sixty four crews to the finish line, including one hundred and forty men’s and mixed teams.

Stour Sailing Club’s Rear Commodore and Rowing Secretary Caroline Cunningham said: "It was a great day and both crews gave it their all.

"It was fantastic that the men’s crew brought home both the Claydon Skiff trophy and the Super Veterans trophy.

"For one of the crew it was his tenth Great River Race and he hasn’t stopped smiling yet along with the rest of the crew.

"Both the men’s and women’s crews featured members of both Stour Sailing Club and Sudbury Rowing Club and although we normally row twenty miles apart on the same river in very different styles and boats it all came together brilliantly for the race.

"We will be back in the GRR next September to defend the trophies and back rowing at both ends of the Stour this week."

To find out more about Stour Sailing Club email rowing@stoursailingclub.co.uk”