Eight octogenarian members of Durham Amateur Rowing Club enjoyed a gentle paddle down the River Wear in the city to commemorate the landmark anniversary marking the end of the Second World War, in Europe.
All eight still participating rowers were in their infancy when the conflict ended.
The crew, from bow to stroke, of Colin Jubb, Maureen Miller, Steve Farrow, Roger Stainforth, Barry Hudson, Ian Shepherd, Derek Gordon, Chris Rose and cox Nigel van Zwanenberg, are aged up to 89 and regularly meet on a Thursday at the rowing club, in Green Lane, but usually row in two fours.
Club official Colin Lawson said it was fitting that they rowed together on the special anniversary.
“It was followed by the special forties’ themed menu of homemade corned beef and potato hash, followed by bread and butter pudding, at the café at the clubhouse.”
The event attracted a good turn out of other members who tucked into their war-time rations with gusto while reminiscing their decades in the sport.
The club’s own rowing festival is the first of the regattas held in Durham in the forthcoming season.
It usually sees around 250 entries on the Saturday, with a more “relaxed” feel to the Sunday programme.
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Rowing ‘vets’ to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day in Durham
Racing on Saturday is from a stakeboat start over the same 700m short course used by the event’s “big sister”, The Durham Regatta.
Mr Lawson said the city regatta proves popular with local university college crews as it gives them a chance to race competitively “on the doorstep”, without the need to arrange long distance travel, as experienced with many other events on the rowing calendar.
Further details are available via durham-arc.org.uk/durham-city-regatta, on the club’s website.
