The seventh race of the Seine Boat series was held on Saturday, August 18, over in Teignmouth.

The Noss ladies crew from Dartmouth were keen to gain a good result to keep up the momentum of their challenge for the overall title.

The weather was mostly dry but a little overcast and a stiff breeze had made the sea conditions quite choppy.

This week's course started a mile-and-a-quarter out to sea at the sewer marker and was a straight race into the river with the incoming tide, finishing in the usual place, off the back beach.

It was a long row out to the start line into the wind and waves, but the Noss crew refused to let the nerves build. Their aim for this race was to attack it with confidence.

The competitors took a little while to form a straight line but in due course the marshals were able to start the race. The Dartmouth crew, sponsored by Noss Marina hit the start with aggression, determined to get an early lead.

After about fifty strokes they had pulled a whole boat length ahead of the next crew, who were also their nearest rivals in the overall competition.

They put in some heavy strokes and pulled out the lead to a length of clear water, taking a commanding position.

Two-thirds of the way down the course the crew in second place went for a push and shortened the lead, but the Noss ladies responded and restored the gap.

As they rounded the point, moving swiftly with the incoming tide, the crew of Tracy Sharam, Alison Bland, Halina Brown and Cindy John, coxed by Will Burton, lifted the pace again to pull out another length by the time they crossed the line as winners.

This result now puts them in joint first place in the overall competition, with two races remaining.

The next in the series is next Sunday as part of Shaldon Regatta.

The Noss ladies crew will go over to take part in this, after first competing in the heats for Dartmouth Regatta on the Sunday afternoon.