GRANGE School’s rising stars outshone everybody at neighbours Northwich Rowing Club’s biggest – and wettest – Autumn Head yet.

The Hartford-based club topped the medals table after seven of their 17 crews set the fastest time in their respective race classes.

More than 300 boats entered the race.

“We were surprised to come away as overall victors,” said head coach Graham Jump.

“All of our rowers have put in a lot of time both on and off the water and on the rowing machines and it’s great that their hard work paid off.”

The Bradburns Lane school’s WJ18 quartet of Kate Heiner, Maddie Philips, Alice Dewhurst and stroke Florence Pickup were awarded the inaugural Susan Benyon Trophy for the fastest time set by an all-female crew.

They competed the 2,000m-plus River Weaver course in 9:12.70.

Single scullers Katy Jacquest (WJ16) Luke Ozsanlav-Harris (WJ14) were victors for Grange School, as were Calum McRoberts, Josh Briegal, James Hall and Lewis Morgan in an MJ16 quad.

Two other all-girls quartets – a WJ16 coxed four of Nicole Frith, Fiona McRoberts, Jennie Thompson, Ellie Crowther and cox Ellie Perchard plus a WJ16 quad of Janet Davies, Katy Jacques, Olivia Dunscombem and Laura Worthington – won too.

Emma Bartley and Abi Watson (WJ17 pair) completed the set.

Hosts Northwich shared second spot in the winners’ table with Royal Chester, winning in six categories.

All but one of those were single scullers.

Rower-turned canoeist Matthew Jump competed in the club’s distinctive green and yellow colours for the first time in more than two years.

He was quickest in the Senior One category, clocking a sub-nine minutes time for the first time in his life.

“I’m well happy with that,” he said afterwards.

“I was a bit worried about how it would go, so to win on my return to the sport is a huge boost to my confidence.”

Mike Francis (Vet F), Ed Grisedale (MJ16), Andy Mains (IM3) and Melanie Wakefield (Novice Women) were Northwich’s other individual race winners.

The London-Road club’s Vet E coxed quad of stroke Brian Roberts, Nev Hand, Simon Bannister and bow Tom Kilkenny completed their half dozen wins.

All that despite the weather’s best efforts to dampen spirits, although the relentless downpour did persuade race organisers to prevent the youngest rowers competing in the afternoon session.

“The rain tried to ruin things but the event was a great success,” said Northwich spokesman Carolyn Macritchie.

“We were delighted to have so many crews enter from clubs across the north west to make it our biggest Autumn Head yet.”

Chester’s Queen’s Park High School’s coxless quad of stroke Arian Ghobadi, Tom Young, Scott Wallace and Chris Thomas won the Tim Hooper Trophy for the fastest time of the day, clocking 7:46.30.

Theirs was the only boat to set a sub-seven minutes time.