THE SHOWPIECE senior fours final turned into a twilight struggle against a full flood ebb tide at Coalporters' Northam Bridge Regatta on Saturday.

The final is normally staged twice around the course but this time it had to be just the once.

A late start and too many two-boat heats in a 64-race programme ate into the time available.

Despite race officials starting more than six races - lasting on average seven minutes to complete - every hour, the senior fours final did not get under way until nearly 9pm.

It meant the expected duel between Ryde and Coalporters, in the absence of resting champions BTC, turned out to be nothing more than a procession after Ryde had beaten Coalporters to the turns and the crews battled against the six-knot tide on the way back to the line.

But it wasn't all doom and gloom.

Christchurch, coming from behind to beat Southsea by a length in an exciting veteran fours final gives them hope for a South Coast Championship start. Added to wins in the junior-senior fours and junior fours as well as the ladies' senior sculls, it made their late journey home a happy one.

Home club Coalporters also managed a smile after their long day of drama, with wins at senior ladies, junior ladies, ladies' novice sculls and men's junior pairs.

And, as expected, Southampton Ladies added another senior pairs trophy to their already impressive total.

The race of the day was without doubt the ladies' novice fours final.

Lymington were the early leaders, half a length up as they settled after the start. At the turn, Poole had their bows in front, with just over half a length on Lymington and BTC a further half down in third place.

Halfway back and Lymington were back in front again, bringing BTC with them but, as Lymington's effort faded, BTC's Lou Hunter, Jayne Newman, Jenni Skinner, Alison Gibson (stroke) and Catherine Hume (cox) could sense victory.

With 200 metres to go, they lifted their rate again and came through to win with clear water between the boats as they crossed the line. RESULTS:

MEN

Senior fours: 1 Ryde, 2 Coalporters C. 3 Lymington.

Veteran fours: 1 Christchurch A, 2 Southsea, 3 Christchurch B.

Junior-senior fours: 1 Chrsichurch A, 2 BTC, 3 Ryde.

Junior fours: 1 Christchurch, 2 Itchen.

Novice fours: 1 Poole A, 2 Coalporters B, 3 Itchen B.

Senior pairs: 1 Lymington A, 2 Lymington B.

Junior pairs: 1 Coalporters, 2 Westover.

Senior sculls: 1 Ryde (Pike), 2 Southsea (Tout), 3 BTC (Hume).

Junior sculls: 1 Ryde (Allsopp), 2 Westover (Green), 3 Itchen (Foad).

Novice sculls: 1 Lymington (Lock), 2 Ryde (Churchill), 3 Itchen (Williams).

LADIES

Senior fours: 1 Coalporters, 2 Poole, 3 BTC.

Junior fours: 1 Coalporters A, 2 Southsea, 3 Poole.

Novice fours: 1 BTC, 2 Lymington, 3 Poole.

Senior pairs: 1 Southampton, 2 Southsea, 3 Poole A.

Senior sculls: 1 Christchurch (Bagnell), 2 Christchurch Cresswell.

Novice sculls: 1 Coalporters (Glazzard).