Bedford Small Boats Head of the River Race LAST Sunday the St Neots Rowing Club junior section made the short journey to Bedford to compete in their Small Boats Head of the River Race. They had a very successful day returning with wins in seven of the ca

Bedford Small Boats Head of the River Race

LAST Sunday the St Neots Rowing Club junior section made the short journey to Bedford to compete in their Small Boats Head of the River Race.

They had a very successful day returning with wins in seven of the categories. Natalie Bream and Polly Hetherington both won three events each with Jo Fitzsimons, Bethany Astell and Sam Howell each winning two events.

Sam Howell won the men's junior 16 sculls in a very fast time of 7m.25s - this was good enough to give him an overall event place of equal first.

This was a much improved performance over his race a week earlier at St Neots where he beat local rival James Hadleigh from St Ives by three seconds - at Bedford the margin was 14 seconds.

In the women's junior sculls it was a one-two with Natalie Bream beating her club mate Jo Fitzsimons into second place by just one second with the Saint's Rachael Crockford in fifth from a field of 17. Bream and Fitzsimons then joined forces to race in the women's junior double sculls where turned on the style with a massive 28 seconds win over the local Star Club.

The St Neots girls showed their strength in depth when they produced another first and second in the women's junior 16 sculls with Polly Hetherington taking the pole position three seconds ahead of Bethany Astell. Like their older club mates Hetherington and Astell then got together in the women's junior 16 double sculls.

The Saints pair are reining national champions and showed their class by adding this prize to their growing collection.