GIVEN that huge swathes of the North-East were under water last weekend, it seems fitting that Tees Rowing Club chose one of the wettest days of the year for their annual Tees Regatta.

While parts of the region ground to a halt in the face of a torrential downpour last Saturday, more than a hundred volunteers battled against the elements on the banks of the Tees to ensure the 100-year old Regatta survived.

The day might have been rather soggier than planned, but it still marked a successful end to a 12-month period that has seen Tees RC achieve national and international honours.

Thanks to Kat Copeland's Olympic victory in the lightweight double sculls and Beth Bryan's medal-winning success at the Junior Olympics, the club has seen its profile soar.

Last weekend's Regatta, which saw more than 230 crews tackling an 850m-long course under Stockton's Infinity Bridge, helped cement the club's status as one of the leading rowing centres in the region, with local rowers enjoying considerable success.

"It was a great day, even though the weather was fairly challenging," said Steve Barker, a Tees RC committee member. "It's always a great event, but this year's Regatta was probably even more special given everything we had to battle against.

"There were some fine wins for the club, but the day's real heroes were the volunteers who braved Saturday morning's downpour to deliver another Regatta the whole region can be proud of."

Tees RC rowers enjoyed success from the off, with a large number of crews emerging victorious from their section.

The men's development coxed four of Peter Hallam, Liam Price, Mark Sarton and Dan Stainsby, coxed by Julie Cummins, were dealt a blow when they narrowly lost their heat, but they came through a repechage and beat John Snow College in the final by a length.

The masters novice quad crew of Brian McGarry, Grant Pearson, Peter McTiernan and Andy Hutchinson were victorious over Talking Tarn, triumphing by less than a half-a-length in a close finish.

Fiona Gee and Lucy Radley won the women's masters novice double event, while Megan Roberts and Katie Hall were successful in the novice double race.

In the women's IM3 four event, Wendy Capes, Jo Dora, Lucy Williamson and Liz Law, coxed by Roger Brisley, beat a highly-respected Ancholme crew, while Graham York lost his novice status in stroking the masters four to victory along with fellow crew members Ken Watson, Richard Olver and Sean Kenneally.

Calum Johnson came out on top in the novice single, with Greg Beswick beating a Cambois rower who had been unbeaten in the previous 12 months to claim the masters single crown.

On a busy weekend, Tees RC also sent crews to Holme Pierrepoint for the Nottingham City and National Masters Regattas.

The junior girls warmed up for this weekend's National Schools Championship by stepping up to open category and winning the IM2 coxless four section by five lengths.

In the National Masters Regatta, the men's D squad were unable to retain their crown as they were pipped by a strong crew from Broxborne.

David Cooper and Tony Stocking took silver in the masters double, losing out to a crew from Hollingworth Lake, while Tees' ladies quad also finished second.