On what was a glorious December morning, King’s School rowers took to the water to fight it out in its traditional Pudding Races.

The contests took place over 400 metres on the historical course from the corner to the school’s boathouse.

After 14 titanic battles had been fought, Mistletoe were crowned the winning crew.

They had fought hard through four rounds of racing to be crowned champions, including a final dual against Rudolph where the crew had to row through the opposition to win by one length.

As is tradition, the Lord Mayor of Chester Jill Houlbrook awarded the prize puddings to the victorious crew who represented the Energy Innovation Centre, one of two sponsors to support the pudding races, with Rudolph, the losing finalists, representing the Clear Black Wine Company.

In the junior races, it was team Whitlam versus  team Peel in the final, with Hamish Strudwick, 13, of Ashton Hayes, Charlotte Lewis, 13, of Farndon, Joshua Burke, 13, of Northwich and Kingsley Roden, 14, of Marford running out victorious.

After the excitement of the racing had concluded the club was then able to name its five new boats.

The John Griffiths, officially launched by John himself, is a new lightweight single scull.

Alastair Stables, chair of this year’s KSRCPA, officially launched the Peter Rudge II, a new coxed four for the senior boy’s squad. The Stephen Peel, a new senior boys coxless four, was officially launched by the Lord Mayor.

Finally the two new first VIIIs in the club, both Hudsons, were launched. The headmaster officially launched the boys first VIII, the boat named after Alfred Sydney Turner, captain of boats in 1930.

Olivia Whitlam kindly returned to the club to name her second boat, the new girls first VIII.