ROWING: IT was history in the making for 110-year-old Runcorn Rowing Club.

For the first time, the Clifton Village outfit had a women's quad in the National Rowing Championship finals.

Becky Hoose, 13, Emily Bennett, 14, Jenny Shaw, 13, and Kirsty McKenzie, 14 - coxed by 14-year-old Kirsty Newton - fought their way into fourth place in the J14 event at Nottingham.

The winners were Maidenhead, followed by runners-up Evesham and Henley in third.

Vivien Shaw, from the club, said: 'This makes our crew the fastest in the north.'

The Runcorn quad, all living in Frodsham and pupils at Frodsham College or Helsby High, covered the 2,000m course at Holme Pierrepont National Water Sports Centre in 8 minutes 56 seconds.

The club won through to two other finals at the three-day championships with Leanne Ratcliffe finishing fourth in the J14 single skulls and Fiona Kay sixth in the corresponding J16 event.