Tyne RC dominates 2014 Sunday League

The eighth and final round of the Northern Sunday League took place earlier this month, on a lovely sunny day in Durham and hosted by Durham ARC.

Going into the final event, Tyne RC’s teams ‘Tyne Young Boys’ held first place in the Open category, with a marginal lead over Tees RC’s ‘Wreckology’ and Durham ARC’s ‘DARC Dynasaurs’. In the women’s league, ‘Tyney Temp-Oar’ in the women’s league was battling it out with Tees RC’s ‘Teeslicious’.

Proving their strength across both categories, Tyne’s crews won all four of their races to take overall Victory in the Open and Women’s Categories – Tyne’s first overall victory in either. 

“We are really pleased with winning the Sunday League for the first time, after not competing in the first year,” said Colin Percy of Tyne RC. “Our rowers now have it as a first step after taking part in the Learn to Row and they’ve really enjoyed it. We look forward to taking part in future years”. 

The Sunday League is the first of its kind in the country now, in its third year, and was the brainchild of British Rowing’s regional Participation Manager James Andrews. “I’m really pleased with how the event is continuing and how everyone is really getting into the spirit of the event.” He said. “We don’t focus on the winning so much, it’s more important that it’s a relaxed social experience, where people come to have fun on other rivers and catch up with friends from other clubs.”

The 2014 event had a total of 137 people taking part, not including coxes, from 26 different teams drawn from nine clubs from the Northern and Yorkshire regions. 

“It was a great end to the season,” said Gill Houston of Talkin Tarn ARC, “a really enjoyable event that has made a niche for itself in the development of rowers.” 

The Sunday League will be back in 2015 with dates coming out soon.