The Royal Navy women’s rowing squad has had an impressive winter’s racing.

Early in the season the Senior 3 pair, Karen Allsford and Louise Thatcher, put in a good performance to finish third out of eight at the pairs Head of the River, only losing to two strong Oxford University crews.

In the Fours Head three rowers – Karen, Louise and Bryony Carpenter – teamed up with an Army sculler to finish in the top 100 out of 500 crews, beating the RAF in the process.

And in the Eights Head, a Combined Services crew with five Navy women on board – Karen, Louise and Bryony, plus Louise Gavin and Danelle McKenna – stormed down the course to finish 42nd out of 120 crews in their division, narrowly missing a place in the top 100.

Off the water the squad took part in a number of endurance events to broaden their training.

Two members completed a gruelling 31-mile rowing marathon in under five hours, which put the traditional four-and-a-quarter mile winter distance course into perspective.

More recently Karen Allsford ran the 20-mile ‘grizzly’ in Devon in less than four hours.

Summer racing began with a vengeance on May 19 when the men’s and women’s squads were out in force against the Army and RAF in a Joint Services regatta.

On a day of strong winds and sheeting rain, sheer determination was a crucial factor – and the Navy squads took more than their fair share of silverware.

The Dark Blues won six of the 12 events entered (winning competitors included Adam Mayes, Mark Walker, Al Rose, Danelle McKenna, Karen Allsford, Bryony Carpenter, Anna Jordan and Louise Thatcher) and in most other events convincingly beat the RAF into third place.

Peter Harford-Cross won his singles sculls race in fine fashion to become Inter-Services Sculling Champion for 2003.

Both squads are planning to row at home regattas this summer and are always on the lookout for new rowers. Anyone interested should contact Men’s Captain OM Adam Mayes (HMS Middleton) or Lt Louise Thatcher (HMS St Albans).