THE Worthing Regatta was completed for the first time in three years at the weekend.

The early season standard of Novice racing was a credit to clubs and coaches with 13 crews contesting two heats, the first three of each going through to a six boat final.

In the first heat Itchen just got the better of Poole with Christchurch in third place.

Coalporters were more than a match for Southsea's two crews who managed to hold off Southampton in heat two.

Itchen were disqualified in the final after a buoy slipped under their boat, leaving Poole - J Pickard, A Eddy, J Patrick, W Thornton (stroke) and Lyn Diffy (Cox) - to win.

Southsea - W Saunders, K Hughes, T McDougall, A McDougall and (stroke) - won the Ladies Novice race.

The Senior race attracted only five crews with Ryde's Mark Jenner, Matt Allsopp, Ian Hayden, Nick Pike (stroke) Tom Clarke (cox) taking the first point of the season, pulling away from BTC to win by four lengths with Lymington third.

The Ladies Sculling events which were amalgamated to give a non status final of just two scullers.

The experienced Becky Cresswell of Christchurch won from Lisa McGregor Ritchie of Southampton.

Southampton's Nick Johnson staked his claim to a Championship title with an eight-length win over Westover's Matt Green and Gary Cure in the Men's Junior Sculls.

Coalporters Ladies dominated the Senior Pairs Final, with the 'C' crew Sil Wallach and Josie Robinson taking the trophy ahead of their 'B' crew. The 'A' team were left red faced after turning their buoy the wrong way round and being disqualified.

The old firm of Alistair Keir and Paul Lock of Lymington look a good bet for a repeat of last year's Senior Pairs Championship success.

Mike Gisborne of Southsea gave notice that he's still the man to beat for the Senior Sculls Title, winning by a length from Nick Pike of Ryde.

Southsea won the Ladies Junior Fours with S Glover, J Conyers, A Steward, K Simmons (stroke) and Dee Lawrence (cox) earning them the aggregate trophy.

WORTHING RESULTS:

MEN'S

Senior Fours 1 Ryde, 2 BTC, 3 Lymington.

Veteran Fours 1 Southsea, 2 Worthing, 3 Southampton

Junior Senior Fours 1 Christchurch, 2 Worthing.

Novice Fours 1 Poole A, 2 Coalporters A, 3 Southsea A.

Senior Pair 1 Lymington A, 2 Lymington B, 3 Southampton.

Junior Pairs 1 Coalporters, 2 Worthing A, 3 Worthing B

Senior Sculls 1 Southsea (Gisborne), 2 Ryde (Pike), 3 Lymington (Bull)

Junior Sculls 1 Southampton (Johnson), 2 Westover (Green), 3 Westover (Cure).

LADIES

Junior Fours Fours 1 Southsea A, 2 Southampton A, 3 Worthing A.

Novice Fours 1 Southsea A, 2 BTC, 3 Worthing.

Senior Pairs 1 Coalporters C, 2 Coalporters C, 3 Itchen Imperial.

Open Sculls 1 Christchurch (Cresswell), 2 Southampton (McGregor-Ritchie)