Early rise pays off for on-form rowing club

The water was surprisingly calm and rowers could see the buoys in the distance where the course was marked out.

The course was slightly different from the usual set up in a triangular shape starting from the road bridge heading towards the rail bridge for the first buoy taking a 90 degrees starboard turn then heading to the next buoy which set those taking part up on the home straight for the finish line.

Some of the races were in two waves making the recorded times very important.

Anstruther got off to a great start with the women’s 60+ coming home in second place giving them silver.

Next up were the men’s 50 + team who, following their recent success winning a gold at North Berwick, did not disappoint coming home first.

The womens’ 50+ had a battle on their hands coming over the finish line third settling for a bronze medal.

The mens’ and womens’ open team continued their success with both teams bringing home the medals, men with a bronze and silver for the woman.

To round off the day, organisers had set up ‘Andy’s Race’.

Andy rowed with the host club, South Queensferry, and passed away earlier this year.

He loved nothing better than to grab an opportunity to fill a seat and row with other clubs when they were a rower short.

As a tribute to Andy, his race was made up of a mixed crew of four rowers from other clubs with the each club providing a boat and cox.

Not only was this the first time everyone had rowed together, they were rowing in another clubs boat with different oars, footplates and seating position so a lot of pressure was on the coxes.

The race was split into two waves and first home with the fastest overall time was the St Ayles from Anstruther coxed by Wendy.

The team were presented with some of Andy’s handmade gnomes and ornaments by his wife Ann.