HEREFORD Rowing Club made a very successful trip to Nottingham for the combined National Veterans Championship and Loughborough Regattas held at the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont.

The women's veteran A coxed four of Clare Fenton, Alex Look, Veronica Preedy and Helen Phillips, coxed by Sue Bissell, beat a York City/Grosvenor composite crew to take the first gold medal of the day.

The same Hereford crew then competed in the women's veteran B coxed fours and had a tough race in the first 750 metres, finally pulling clear to triumph by a length over Cambridge 99, followed by crews from York, Lea and Belfast.

The Hereford men's veteran C coxed four of Rod Phillips, Chris Jones, Richard Bissell and Phil Hart, coxed by Sue Bissell, retained the title they won last year.

They comfortably won their qualifying race to reach the final where they beat second-placed University of London Tyrian Club by length, followed by Monmouth, Stourport, Worcester and Belfast.

The Hereford crews are now in training for Henley Veteran Regatta on July 13-14.

Holly Airbright won the women's junior 16 single sculls, beating Pengwern in her final.

Ed Deutsch was a close second in the junior 15 single sculls. After leading the race, he was overtaken by his opponent on the last few strokes.

Deutsch teamed up with Tomos Jones in the junior 15 double sculls and they came fourth in a very tight finishing race.

Chris Honey made it through the qualifiers of the men's senior 4 single sculls and also came fourth in his final.

Another Hereford sculler had a much longer journey at the weekend.

Sean Blake is vying for a place in the Scottish Home Countries squad and travelled to Strathclyde Park for the Scottish National Championships. He took silver in his age group of junior 16 and in the older junior 18 category he finished fourth.