Tees Rowing Club members set off through the snow to the Durham Small Boats Head of the River last Saturday.

The event had been rearranged after it was abandoned three weeks ago because of dangerous conditions.

On a crisp, sunny day, the water conditions were near perfect this time, despite the wintry conditions which included steady snowfalls throughout the day.

There were two wins for Rebekah Warburton and one each for Laura Hunter-Smith, Ester Takacs and Tees veteran ladies at this popular event rowed upstream on the River Wear in the picturesque centre of Durham City.

From a huge entry of 345 boats, 176 crews completed the course.

Division One. - Suzi Francis and Ester Takacs competed in women's senior four double sculls, completing the course in a time of 7:55.1 and being pipped into second place by Durham ARC by just 0.5sec. They finished 51st overall.

Rebekah Warburton, competing in women's junior 15 single sculls, completed the course in 9:09.9 to win her event. Her time placed her 130th overall.

Laura Hunter-Smith, who has only recently taken up rowing since returning from Saudi Arabia, made her racing debut in a single scull in the women's junior event.

She completed the course in 9:31.5 to finish a very creditable 147th overall.

Division Two. - David Inman and Neil Hunter-Smith, also making his debut, competed in the men's junior 16 double sculls event.

They finished in 7:50.8, the fastest time by a Tees club crew throughout the day, to be 45th overall.

Alice Runnicles turned in a very creditable performance in the women's junior 14 single sculls, finishing the course in 11:05.7 for 173rd overall.

Division Three. - Laura Hunter-Smith and Rebekah Warburton combined forces to win the women's novice single sculls event, completing the course in 8:34.8 and finishing 87th overall.

Ester Takacs won the women's novice single sculls, completing the course in 9:05.5 to finish 125th overall.

The men's novice coxed four of cox Sarah Harker, Brian Ventress, Brian Baldwin, Dean Bowman and Richard Harrison completed the course in 8:41.6 to finish 93rd overall.

Division Four. - David Inman and Neil Hunter-Smith competed in the men's novice double scull, their second event of the day, completing the course in 8:00.9 to finish 61st overall.

The women's veteran coxless quad of Pauline Park, Victoria Laing, Deborah Ashurst and Sue Wareing completed the course in 8:58.2 to win their event and finish 121st overall.

The women's novice four of cox Sarah Harker, Louise Harvey, Claire Fletcher and Adrienne Bradbury completed the course in 9:48.6 to finish 155th overall.

Alice Runnicles joined forces with Jodie Mark of Talkin Tarn in the women's novice double sculls to finish 160th overall in 9:54.3.

Suzi Francis competed in her second event of the day, the gruelling women's J16 single sculls, finishing 111th in 8:53.8.