THE York City Rowing Club men’s senior quadruple scull crew suffered an agonising defeat in the York Small Boats Head on the River Ouse.

The home crew – of Charlie Wagstaff, Pat Evans, Ben Bollans and Chris Wright – finished only a tenth of a second behind the victorious Derby Rowing Club quadruple scull, who covered the 3,000-metre course from Fulford Ings to King’s Staith in ten minutes 39.8 seconds.

The three divisions of the time trial event, hosted by York City Rowing Club, were run in excellent conditions.

The 406 competing crews and scullers made the York Small Boats Head the second largest event of its type in the UK.

The host club recorded 21 category wins from their 66 entries.

Andy Wilkinson was the fastest overall single sculler, winning the senior event by nearly half a minute ahead of his closest rival.

The York masters men’s quadruple scull of Oliver Gillard, Dave Heffernan, Phil Press and Paul Richardson won the Masters ‘B’ event.

Martin Howe and Fernando Goulart won the Masters ‘B’ double sculls and then teamed up with Martin Clark and Paul Baron to also win the Masters ‘C’ quad sculls.

Ian Edmondson, recently returned to the York club from many years in London, won the Masters ‘C’ single sculls, and Phil Stubley and Bob Jones won Masters ‘G’ double sculls.

The masters women’s coxed four of Karen Williams, Philippa Press, Liz Porte and Anne Homa, with cox Rachel Cubitt, followed their World Masters Championships gold medal-winning performance with victory in the Masters ‘D’ women’s event.

Paula Widdowson, who has been sculling for only 18 months, won the Masters ‘B’ women’s single sculls.

York City juniors were successful across the board, with a total of 13 wins.

The J18 quadruple scull of Ed Etheridge, Edward Press, Ciaran Longmore and Eddie Hunter were fifth overall and the fastest winning crew from York.

Etheridge and Hunter also won the J18 double sculls and clocked the fastest time over the course for any double scull.

Press and Chris Burgess won J17 double sculls, while Will King was victorious in the J16 single sculls.

The J16 girls’ quad of Sally Downing, Sophie Heldt, Charlotte Holford and Becky O’Keefe won their event and were the quickest female crew from York.

Downing also joined Olivia Howe, Emily Roberts and Alice Beardmore to win the J17 quadruple sculls.

Jessie Downing won the women’s Intermediate One single sculls.

Other junior successes included the men’s Intermediate Three quad, the Novice coxed quad, the women’s J15 coxed quad, the women’s J14 coxed quad, the women’s Novice coxed quad and the women’s J14 double scull.