Although entries for the local rowing were slightly down this year, crews from 10 LVA establishments and six other local enterprises gave the crowds three excellent days of rowing.

The Sunday heats of whaler and blue boat races were rowed in brilliant weather; the Monday semi-finals were a different story, but the good weather returned for Friday finals.

The whaler race finals produced some very close and exciting races, with honours spread across the LVA establishments.

The Mick O'Flaherty Trophy for the LVA establishment gaining the most points in the whaler finals was won by the Steam Packet from Kingswear.

The blue boat results were slightly more predictable, but it was pleasing to see younger rowers like Chris China take third in the men's championship of the Dart.

Similarly the 'younger' Dartmouth Arms B crew of Freddie Prettyjohns, Shaun Hutchings, Will Lockerbie and Tom Pierce-Holloway, coxed by the 'Golden Oldie' Barry Woodgate, impressed in their first Regatta. For his efforts, Barry won the Friendship Cup for best coxswain.

If the local rowing is to continue to flourish, then it is important to encourage younger rowers to enter the junior pair oared and youth whaler races.

Kingswear nurtures its young rowers, so come on Dartmouth and take a leaf out of their book!

Results:

Ladies' Long Distance Whaler Race – 1 Steam Packet, 2 Dolphin, 3 RibEye.

Men's Long Distance Whaler Race – 1 Steam Packet, 2 Seale Arms, 3 Dolphin.

Men's Over 45 Whaler Race – 1 Dolphin, 2 Market House, 3 Compass Marine.

Invitation Whaler Race – 1 Regatta Chairman's Crew, 2 Children's Hospice S W, 3 Dartmouth Academy.

Double Sculls – 1 Athletics Club, 2 Rugby Club, 3 Bowling Club.

Ladies' Over 45 Whaler Race – 1 Steam Packet, 2 Seale Arms, 3 Café Alf Resco A.

Ladies' Championship of the Dart – 1 Alison Bland, 2 Lizzie Sharp, 3 Robyn Pyne.

LVA Men's Whaler Plate Race – 1 Steam Packet A, 2 Ship Inn, 3 Dartmouth Arms B.

Mixed Over 35 Whaler Race –1 Café Alf Resco A, 2 Ship in Dock, 3 Café Alf Resco B.

Mixed Pair Oared Race – 1 Alison and Richard Bland, 2 Alan O'Flaherty and Amy Mann, 3 Shaun Barker and Cindy John.

LVA Ladies' Whaler Plate Race – 1 Crab and Bucket B, 2 Crab and Bucket A, 3 Steam Packet B.

Gents Pair Oared Race –1 Paul Hodge and Dan Squire, 2 Alan O'Flaherty and Richard Bland, 3 Steve and Terry Wallis.

Ladies' Open Whaler Race – 1 Steam Packet A, 2 RibEye Z, 3 Café Alf Resco A.

Happy Families Pair Oared Race – 1 Sharam Family, 2 John Family, 3 Brabner Family.

Men's Open Whaler Race – 1 Dolphin A, 2 Dartmouth Arms B, 3 Dartmouth Arms A.

Junior Pair Oared Race – Boys 1 Sharam and John.

-- Girls 1 A Felton and E Hodge, 2 K Bradley and M Felton, 3 L Payne and R Wilson.

Men's Over 55 Whaler Race – 1 Compass Marine, 2 Royal Castle Hotel, 3 Crab and Bucket.

LVA Ladies Whaler Race 1 Royal Castle Hotel, 2 Dartmouth Arms, 3 Steam Packet A.

Men's Champion of the Dart – 1 Alan O'Flaherty, 2 Dave Hart, 3 Chris China.

Ladies' Over 55 Whaler Race – 1 RibEye, 2 Market House.

Youth Whaler Race – 1 Bill Lucas Fan Club (Boys).

Ladies' Pair Oared Race – 1 Alison Bland and Tracy Sharam,2 Karen Bumby and Sue Clayton-Smith, 3 Cindy John and SJ Chick.

LVA Men's Whaler Race – 1 Royal Castle Hotel B, 2 Seale Arms, 3 Ship in Dock A, 4 Dartmouth Arms A.

l More regatta on pages 54 & 55