The boys' open eights winning combined crew (front from left) Alex Quigley, of Launceston College, Lachlan McCarron (St Patrick's College), Rohan Fenner (Launceston), Tom Barrett (St Patrick's), cox Hannah Kilpatrick (St Patrick's) and (back) Jesse Quon (Queechy), Lachie Prior, Joseph Chilvers and Jordan Ryan (St Patrick's).Picture: NEIL RICHARDSON
LAUNCESTON Church Grammar's open schoolgirls eights were impressive in recording a comfortable five-length victory on the first day of competition at the 174th annual Launceston and Henley Regatta on the Tamar River yesterday.
The open boys' eights was taken out by a composite St Patrick's College, Launceston College and Queechy crew, which claimed the Home Reach Trophy from Grammar and Scotch Oakburn.
North Esk's Judy Fenner had an easy victory in the women's rec-vet single scull while clubmate Jackson Kotter took out the men's senior single scull.
In other results, Hutchins dominated in under-14, under-15 and under-16 schoolboy age groups winning several races in coxed four, coxed quad sculls and double scull events.
Hutchins was also successful in the men's and women's rec-vet eights.
Friends School had wins in the under-15 schoolgirl coxed quad scull, single scull and under-13 boys' coxed quad scull while St Patrick's College took out the open schoolgirls double scull and single scull with Sarah Batchelor and a composite St Pats-Launceston College crew won the open schoolboys coxed four.
Grammar won the under-16 schoolgirl eight and single scull through Sarah Bassett, was also successful in the under-16 schoolboy double scull, under-14 girls coxed quad scull and Andre Biffa took out the under-14 boys' single scull.
Scotch Oakburn finished first and second in the open schoolboys coxed quad scull.
``We had about 250 competitors taking part and much the same tomorrow, ranging in age groups from under-13 to open,'' Launceston and Henley Association president Adam Winzenberg said.
Competition continues today from 9am with a full program of events and the open eights again doing battle in the final events on the program from about 1pm.
The Southern Cross Cup will be awarded at the end of the regatta to the winning school on aggregate points in underage events and The Examiner Shield for the best-performed open aggregate school.
