Cheering crowds braved soggy conditions on Maldon Quay for the annual sponsored row in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
Torrential rain yesterday meant a lower turnout than usual for the Maldon Little Ships Club event, but hundreds of people still showed up for what race commentator Robin Franklin described as "the biggest collective hangover cure in Essex".
The downpour made it tough going for competitors, who had to battle against a surge of freshwater rushing from the full-to-brimming Chelmer into the Blackwater.
But they all successfully made it round the five kilometre course, including the youngest racer, ten-year-old Daniel Saltmars
Club members Steve Cottis and Liz Finn took first place.
The real winner on the day though was the RNLI, which benefited to the tune of well over £7,000 in sponsorship money and donations.
Published Thursday, January 2, 2003
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