Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club regatta was a momentous event this year, as in 2015 the club celebrated 150 years since the foundation of the club (NARC). The traditional 750m sprint race on the river Nith in Dumfries took place on 11 April, coinciding with Oxford v Cambridge 2015 races date.
On the morning of the Nithsdale rowing regatta I joined a large crowd of participants from all Scotland and the North of England, their fans and a television crew at the NARC headquarters and boat house The latter, despite various alterations, still remains at the same location on the north bank of the Nith near Greensands as in 1866 when the first boat house was completed.
There was a festive buzz in the air. Multiple sculling oars were brightening the river bank, their blades bearing their clubs’ colours. Shells were busily carried to and from the river by their crews. Observers of all ages gathered on the cycle bridge that served as a finishing line and cheered their favourites on. There were lots of youngsters taking part, and, surprisingly, local ducks were completely unperturbed by either humans or the races. Ha-ha!
