Rowing: Marlow take Thames' title

By Hugh Matheson

MARLOW Rowing Club, which happens to be the home club of the Great Britain women's team coach, Mike Spracklen, won the Women's Head of the River Race on Saturday with almost 15 seconds to spare over last year's winners, Thames RC.

Marlow, stroked by Cath Bishop, had three of last year's world championships four behind her and looked strong and confident at 33 strokes to the minute for most of the course. They had caught Thames at Hammersmith Bridge, but were unable to come through for nearly a mile until the Fulham Football ground.

Thames might have challenged better if they had not lost four of their chosen eight in the previous week. Dot Blackie and the stroke, Ali Gill, withdrew with injured backs and Tracy Langlands and Francesca Zino suffered stress fractures to ribs.

The overseas pennant went for the first time to Switzerland, with Belvoir RC finishing 10th. Nottingham and Union, who finished 14th, took the new "non-Tideway" pennant.