Winter comes to an end and Exmouth Rowing Club unruffles its feathers, gives itself a shake, and readies itself for the coming season amongst the sweat and glory of the Coastal League.

Hence the busy scene last Saturday as five quads took the water for the 22-kilometre haul to Topsham and back. Five quads is twenty rowers, plus the all-important cox at the back.

”This year, I was determined to get novices to really test themselves,” said event-organiser Les Norcliffe. “To be competitive, you need stamina as well as technique.”

Normally, this spring fixture tempts crews south from Exeter Rowing Club for the traditional ‘Townsman’s Challenge’ but in the absence of the fine-boaters it was left to ERC Chairman Richard Robinson to field four ERC crews, plus local rivals Jurassica, to pit themselves against themselves, each other, and the clock.

In a strengthening easterly breeze, the scattered fleet powered towards the mouth of the river. Exmouth Ladies threw down the gauntlet to Jurassica, taking an early lead of three lengths, holding off the more experienced men’s quad in their lightweight Jersey boat for a creditable nine kilometres.

Then came Exmouth’s mixed crew in a race-capable Rushworth, followed by two post-novice crews in their heavier Safrans. Land-based competition arrived in the shape of Mark, hopefully another prospective ERC recruit, who picked up the gauntlet and battled to match the returning fleet by running the coastal path from Topsham to Exmouth.

The furnace stoked for the coming season of Coastal League races, the fleet made it back to the ERC boathouse. The fastest time of one hour 57 minutes went to Jurassica, with Exmouth Ladies and Exmouth Mixed a well-earned second and third.

Jon Houghton, Club Vice Captain and the all-important fitness coach, had nothing but praise for every contender. “The application, effort and concentration shown was magnificent,” he said. “If we really want to be competitive, then buoy to buoy, Topsham and back, is the way to go.”

Crews nursing blisters and sore bums could only agree. “That was an outing and a half,” said one near-novice rower. “Thank God for Sheila’s hamburgers.”