SKITTLES, rowing and cribbage were the diverse activities this week as the Beccles v Bungay Challenge really got into top gear - with Beccles having the edge.

SKITTLES, rowing and cribbage were the diverse activities this week as the Beccles v Bungay Challenge really got into top gear - with Beccles having the edge.

The Beccles v Bungay boat races went ahead on Sunday almost as planned, despite the snow showers, with both races taking place in near perfect conditions between the wintry flurries.

The first race for double sculls was a closely contested affair. The Beccles crew of Nick Beck and Ben Turner got off to a storming start and soon developed a lead of one length. But just after the first bend the Bungay crew of Matt Lawes and Mark Banham took advantage of a mistake from the Beccles crew and surged into a lead which they increased throughout the rest of the race to win in three lengths in a time of 4mins 22 secs.

There was a delay before the coxed four race to enable Matt to jump into the Beccles four as a last minute replacement due to illness. This race eventually got going at the second attempt after some wayward steering from the Bungay cox, Beccles took an early lead and in spite of a spirited effort Bungay were unable to match the power of the Beccles four who won by five lengths in a time of 4mins 15 secs. The Beccles crew were Rebecca Haste, Jake Beale, Mark Adcock and Matt Lawes coxed by Imogen Beedham. The Bungay crew were Vicky Collins, Chris Humphreys, Nick Davies, and John Collins coxed by Stuart Lamb.

Club captain Jon Benest-Bartram was pleased with how the morning went and felt it was good for the rowers to be put under pressure in a racing environment shortly before the regatta season starts and would to thank all the competitors and helpers for their efforts. Bungay and Beccles each put half a point from the event on the challenge scoreboard.