UPTON crews were among 33 crews from eight countries who gathered on the River Amstel at Holland's oldest and most prestigious rowing club, the Royal De Hoop last Saturday.

A De Hoop crew, who rowed at this summer's Stourport Regatta, had invited Upton rowers to take part in the 36th annual Amsterdam Masters Regatta.

Upton's first race of the day was the 4,000m Head for Women's Veteran C coxed eights. The four Upton women formed a composite crew with four women from De Hoop. Despite an unfamiliar boat and appalling weather, Upton held off strong competition from Irish and Dutch crews to win by four seconds. In the afternoon race, the same crew beat Belfast Rowing Club to come first in the 1,000m race. The Upton women rowers were Freya Biggs, Pat Cox, Pauline Mason and Deirdre Thompson.

The Men's Veteran D crew also faced stiff competition from Dutch and Irish crews and finished fifth in the 4,000m Head.

The same crew: Terry Mason, Peter Barker, Colin Biggs, Stewart Robinson, A Hollander, Patrick Adams, Richard Lee, Johnny Birks and cox Andrea Oliver, were hoping for better things in the 1,000m race, but a mix up by the starter meant that they never really got going and finished third.

Upton rowers' next outing will be a little nearer home on Sunday at the Worcester Small Boats Head.