Rowing is all about rhythm, drive and recovery, power and patience, writes Rupert Kempley.

No venue shows this double nature more beautifully than Caradon’s does, their clubhouse sits beneath two bridges: The Tamar and the Brunel. It is wonderful synchronicity that the annual Mixed Championships, combining three men and three women in one crew should be held by this imposing duality.

Even better, the event forms part of the weekend-long festival of Saltash Regatta which guarantees chill musical vibes ashore to match the hurley-burley afloat. Caradon are Gig royalty with so many groups, stretching from Bristol to Land’s End, attending their invitation for Saturday July 13 - and for once the weather complied, though thunderheads graced the horizon conditions remained benign with only a slight breeze and chop.

Dart arrived mob-handed with two open, a vet, a super vet and of course a juniors’ U16 crew. Like the semi-industrial, setting itself the pace of the event was businesslike with heats pinging off continually in fast rotation. In totality, the maroons raced fifteen times in an action-packed day.

Previously they have had seconds and thirds overall in different categories, could that elusive Gold be grasped? No, unfortunately, is the answer but not without a deal of stalwart endeavour trying to get it.

The senior crews opened the club’s account in the heats, the contents of which showed the quality of the competitors that had to be raced, the “A” s faced, amongst others, Caradon and Looe, whilst the “B” s confronted the might of Bristol and Helford. Both managed fourth place taking them through to the Repechage where again the quality of rival did not diminish, the “B” boat in borrowed Dagger having to line up against the potent force of the Royal Marines, whom they in fact vanquished.

Meanwhile, the veterans ultimately came fifth overall having faced Helford, Falmouth and Boscastle in their first race - honed outfits indeed. The Super-vets had a slightly easier task in their path going head-to-head with Mount’s Bay and local rivals Brixham, who sported a much remarked on “languid” style.

As always, hope for victory rested on the U16s, who performed magnificently but were bested by that club again – Brixham. Inspired by the teens, the SVs in their final showed that “languid” could not beat “strong and determined” and pushed those “Fishers” into third place themselves being just pipped by the hosts.

All participants tidied away serenaded by the live festival music and surely headed back home tired but delighted with a fantastic day of sport.