THE Isle of Ely Rowing Club WJ17 quad team defied the odds to seized victory at the Bedford Spring Head event on Sunday. Despite catching a crab and losing vital seconds just as the crew crossed the start line, the Ely girls showed true determination to

THE Isle of Ely Rowing Club WJ17 quad team defied the odds to seized victory at the Bedford Spring Head event on Sunday.

Despite catching a crab and losing vital seconds just as the crew crossed the start line, the Ely girls showed true determination to pick up speed again and give the row of their lives to clinch victory in the Women's Novice Coxed Quad event.

They beat their nearest rivals from Newark by three seconds, completing the course in a time of 8 mins 38 secs.

The quad of Anna Towriss (stroke), Emma Pencheon, Stef Boughey and Jenny Kingsmill (bow), and Ellen Bridges, were forced to competed in the adult women's novice category as there was no appropriate junior category available. Undaunted by this, the girls proved they were more than capable of racing at this level.

Meanwhile the club's WJ14 coxed quad was also forced to move up a category, racing crews a year older in the WJ15 quad event. Racing as a composite Isle of Ely and King's School Ely crew, again coxed by Ellen Bridges, the girls this time came third, losing out to crews from Star Club, Bedford and Peterborough Rowing Club. They completed the time in 8 mins and 23 secs, so notched up a good time, but were still 24 seconds off the pace.

The Isle of Ely Rowing Club enjoyed two other victories at the Bedford Head at the weekend. Ben Hicks and Josh Tonnar, who are part of the World Class Start group based at Ely, won the Intermediate single sculls and Intermediate sculls respectively. Both Hicks and Tonnar completed the course several times, racing in different categories as part of their on-going training in the World Class Start team. Young promising athletes are selected to join the World Class Start programme as part of British Rowing's recruitment drive for the GB squad.