River set for annual regatta

Hundreds of people will take to the water of the River Severn in Ironbridge this weekend for the annual historic regatta.

The event, organised by the Ironbridge Rowing club, will see about 500 crews racing over the weekend, with a dash along a 1,000-metre stretch of the river on Saturday and a 500-metre sprint course on Sunday.

To celebrate the regatta, club chiefs will be serving up locally-brewed Regatta Special ale.

Brewers at the Ironbridge Brewery, an award-winning microbrewery, have formulated the special ale based on their popular Ironbridge Gold ale.

The brewery's ales have probably been sampled by top politicians after it was put on tap at the Houses of Parliament.

Organisers of the regatta said Ironbridge Rowing Club had been in existence since 1870 and for many of those years the club had held its popular regatta on the River Severn at the end of Dale End Park.

Members of the public are welcome to watch the racing from the riverbank, where there will be refreshments and a barbecue, as well as a bar with the local brew.

As an incentive to the thirsty rowers, Dave Goldingay, owner of Ironbridge Brewery, has offered a cask of ale for the highest status winning coxed eight over the 1,000-metre course.

Mr Goldingay said: "This special ale is unique to this event and we're really looking forward to supporting the regatta with it.

"We know our ales will go down well with rowers and spectators alike."

The racing starts around 8.30am each day and will go on until around 6pm.

It is the second event in the boating calender with the annual coracle regatta due to take place in August.

Fans turn out in their droves and even try taking to the water themselves during the event which is also based at the club's headquarters in Dale End Park.

For more details about the brewery visit www.ironbridgebrewery.co.uk or to find out more about the rowing club visit www.ironbridgerowingclub.co.uk

By Kirsty Smallman