BLUE skies and a scorching sun greeted the re-launch of Worcester Rowing Club's annual regatta with red-hot competition to match the temperatures.

Crews from across the country including Cardiff, Nottingham and London raced on a high river which made conditions difficult to steer.

There was plenty to cheer from local crews however including national rower and Worcester member Claire Vincent who won the women's senior four singles sculls.

Vincent was reverting to singles after a successful doubles career with Jo Motte at national level.

Her efforts were matched in the junior 13 singles sculls by another Worcester rower Karl Nicholson.

For club chairman Colin Legge it was a splendid day for the re-launch of the regatta which fell victim to the foot-and-mouth outbreak last year when nearby regattas at Monmouth and Herefordshire -- traditionally linked to the Faithful City -- had to be cancelled.

"It's been a very successful re-launch with crews from all over the country taking part," he said.

"The standard of racing has been high but the river has been a little bit high which makes it more difficult for scullers and coxless boats to steer.

"However they all managed to get down to the finishing line safely."

For organiser and club secretary Peter Lord the 137 crews that took part illustrated the regatta will continue to flourish despite the competition from elite events at Dorney Lake this weekend which attracts the country's top rowers and scullers.

"It is a just a question of us finding our natural competitive base but I think crews will return because it is a much more relaxed environment and more enjoyable than going to a high level event," he said.

Among the winners from Saturday's racing across the 1,000m course was R. Jackson from Bewdley RC in the junior 15 singles sculls and RA Hart from Stourport RC in the veteran C single sculls.

In the junior 16 double sculls Ruth Greer and Claire Cameron from Worcester RC A beat Emily Stenson and Ruth Brown while in the junior 14 double sculls the Worcester RC B team of R. Redcliffe and Emily Greer beat Worcester A of Nicola Trevett and A. Hussell.

Stourport RC won the women's senior two doubles sculls while RGS took the junior 14 and 15 quadruple sculls.

Worcester beat Upton in the veteran E coxed four's with the winning team of Keith Tribe, Gerald Harris, Dave Birtwhistle and Stephen Harries.