Darlington Schools

THE first Darlington primary schools' festival takes place at the Dolphin Centre tomorrow, the winners going through to the Durham County final in June hoping to win the Sportsmatch Trophy.

The event has been organised by Darlington Borough Council and the Darlington British League club with assistance from students at the town's technical college.

Schoolchildren have been given introductory lessons and tomorrow teams consisting of three boys and three girls will take part in a series of fun-based skill tests.

Following the festival, a ten-week coaching course begins for the new young players and hopes are high that many more will join the ever improving Darlington junior squad.

On Sunday, the Darlington club will hold a strong hand in all six events in the third round of the Jarvis Sports Durham Junior Grand Prix series of tournaments. Only Sunderland's Kevin Wilson prevents a clean sweep of top seeding places. Former England No 1 Nick Jarvis will be on hand to present medals to Sunday's winners.

Darlington had more success at last week's North Yorkshire Junior Open in Selby. The girls dominated the event with Claire Wilson winning the Under-15 title. Joanne Meads won the Under-17 and both combined to take the junior girls' doubles. Andrew Leighton added more impressive scalps as he took the Under-15 boys singles, his final victim being England No 10 Richard Moss.

Tees Rowing Club

Rowing like other sports has been affected by the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease. The field at the Yorkshire Head of the River Race on Saturday was depleted by clubs from affected areas who, on the advice of the Amateur Rowing Association, stayed away. Alongside the three-mile River Ouse course at York the marshalls kept downstream of a defined location.

On a frosty Spring day more success was earned by Stockton-based Tees rowers adding to an already impressive start to the season.

Veteran B (Over- 36) double scullers Paul Buckworth and David Cooper scored another fine win in a time of 18 mins. 50 secs. Not to be outdone, the combined Tees RC/University of Teesside RC Senior 2 coxless pair of

Matin Leech and Stuart Taylor won their category in 20 mins 19 secs. A hat-trick of small boat wins was completed by the Tees RC/ Durham ARC Womens Veteran D (Over-50) double scull composite of Janet Wilkinson and Gillian Gilbert.

In the fours' events a Tees RC/Yarm School composite novice quadruple scull achieved an encouraging first win but it was runners-up once more for the Tees RC/Univ Teesside RC/ Univ Durham Stockton Campus BC Novice 4 who were beaten to the prize by York University. The Tees RC Veteran E (Over-55) four although fastest in their category also had to settle for being runners up as they lost out on handicap to their older Veteran F (over 60) rivals from Nottingham.The Tees RC Veteran D Eight again finished second Royal Chester RC .

Further details on rowing in the Teesside area can be found on the Tees Rowing Club web site on www.communigate.co.uk/ne/teesrc

Saunders Cup

The draw for the Alan Muse Insurance Saunders Cup first round to be played on or before May 27 is: A Shotley Bridge v Eppleton; B Easington v South Hetton; C Felling v Seaham Park; D Murton v Horden; E Darlington v Whitburn; F Crook v Durham City; G Philadelphia v Boldon; H Houghton v Mainsforth; I Langley Park v Burnmoor; J Sunderland v Tudhoe; K South Shields v Ryhope; L Bishop Auckland v Willington; M Blackhall v bye; N Darlington RA v bye; O Hetton Lyons v bye; P Hartlepool v bye.

Second round to be played on or before June 10: 1 Winners of A v winners of F; 2 Winners of J v winners of H; 3 winners of G v winners of I; 4 Darlington RA v winners of L; 5 winners of E v winners of C; 6 Hetton Lyons v Hartlepool; 7 winners of D v winners of B; 8 winners of K v Blackhall.

Third round to be played on or before June 24: A winners of 1 v winners of 2; B winners of 8 v winners of 7; C winners of 3 v winners of 6; D winners of 5 v winners of 4.

Semi-finals to be played on or before July 15: 1 winners of D v winners of C; 2 winners of B v winners of A.

Romanby Golf

Romanby Golf Club presented a cheque for £710 and not £70 to the Friarage Hospital hydrotherapy pool charity as reported in last week's Local Heroes.