WORCESTER Rowing Club’s autumn regatta introduced disability disciplines for the first time as 165 crews battled it out on the River Severn.

Susannah Barnett and Harrison Keasey each represented Worcester in para events for blind rowers at the hotly-contested competition.

Worcester entered many crews and came away with nine wins, while AB Severn from Tewkesbury topped the charts and secured the coveted Victor Ludorum.

Barnett came up against the City of Bristol’s Rosie Percy in the singles with both competitors guided by rower in front of them using a radio link. Percy took the honours.

Keasey competed in a guided doubles event, supported by an able-bodied rower, and finished second to a City of Bristol crew.

A host of local clubs took part in the regatta including King’s School Worcester, Bewdley, Stourport, Hereford and Warwick.

Crews also travelled from Cardiff and Vale, AB Severn and Minerva Bath.

Bewdley won the men’s masters eight final against Worcester, a repeat of the previous year’s final which had seen the host club take the top honour.

Worcester women’s IM3 eight took a win from Oxford Academicals, while two crews from Worcester battled for local bragging rights in the mixed senior double sculls final.

It was probably the closest fought race of the day with the winners coming from behind to take the title.

The Mixed IM2 Quad gave another win for Worcester, with vice-captain Anna Singleton and head coach Gabri - elle Peach joining forces with Dave Hopkins and Tim Woodman to defeat AB Severn.

Worcester rower Damien Bradley won the novice sculls, fending off competition from nine other crews with the club’s Luca Santese and Dan Boulter winning the J17 double sculls.

Worcester Rowing Club’s J15 boys Ashley Mace and Ryan Hall continued their winning streak in the double sculls despite facing very tough competition from Cardiff and Vale.

While AB Severn were the biggest winners of the day and deservedly awarded the Victor Ludorum, the most excited were the Minerva Bath novice ladies coxed 4.

The Bath crew defeated Worcester to record their maiden triumph.