NORTHWICH Rowing Club crews celebrated wins on home water during their Spring Head last weekend.

Three of them were single scullers in the morning session.

Andy Malins (men’s masters C) led the way, completing a 2,350m course on the River Weaver in 9.44.9.

His closest rival, Paul Baron of York City Rowing Club, was more than 10 seconds adrift.

There were victories too for Greg Murphy (under 18s boys) and Kevin Dudley (under 17s boys) after they timed 9.06.6 and 9.10.0 respectively.

Northwich member Beth Willford-Dutton, racing in Sir John Deane’s College colours, won in an under 17s girls’ single.

In Division Two, an under 18s boys’ quad of Murphy, Dudley, Lawrence Williams and Matthew Radford beat opposition from York to first place after clocking 7.41.6.

Meanwhile Willford-Dutton teamed up with Lucy Gillbanks to comfortably see off a Warrington crew in an under 18s girls’ double, timing 8.53.9.

In the afternoon, a novice women’s eight of Fiona Wilson, Rebecca White, Kaija Houghton, Cherry Livesey, Samantha Butler, Delyth Clement, Amanda Simpson, Kathy Lowe and cox Lydia Dickinson claimed first prize in their boat class in 11.02.7.

Tom Swithenbank, in tandem with a crewmate from Queen’s Park High School in Chester, was fastest in an under 15s boys’ double scull in 9.02.4 ahead of second-placed North Staffordshire.

A masters D double of Malins and Simon Crouchley completed the list of Northwich winners on the day in 9.05.1.

Grange School Rowing Club crews were also fastest in five boat classes.

A women’s IM3 quad of Milly Glendinning, Helen Owen, Libby Prescott and Poppy Howe beat rivals from Trentham by half a minute over.

Another female crew, this time an under 15s coxed quad of Neve Bradshaw, Bree Livesey, Jo Ravenscroft, Alice Barnett and Olly Andrew edged Liverpool Victoria by just over a second in a close-fought category.

Andrew also coxed an under 14s boys’ quad of Seb Paisley, Jack McGinn, Brad Strickland-Baker and Harry Barker to a convincing victory, timing nine minutes exactly.

A men’s IM3 quad of Alex Hackett, Tom Daly, Ben Barker and Paul Mainwaring were 15 seconds faster than opponents North Staffordshire in their category.

And Grange’s collection of wins was completed by a men’s IM3 eight that had Andrew Middleton, George Hull, Dan Luke, Nat Antrobus, Sam Hawes, Paul Mainwaring, Tom Daly, Stephen Owen and cox Hana Patel on board.

To finish, an invitation girls’ coxed four of Imi Stubbs, Lucy Cornellison, Abi Tighe, Lizzie Blakeman and cox Katy Glynn received a prize too.

The students turn their attention next to this year’s Junior Inter-Regional Regatta at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham.

This year’s edition will take place on Saturday, April 23.