A ROWING club will host a highly anticipated fourth race in a winter series this weekend which will see Essex teams fight to the finish.

Maldon Gig Rowing Club is holding the next race at Maldon’s Hythe Quay on Sunday.

The event will see clubs from the Harker’s Yard Gig Association gather from across Essex to race against the clock in time trials.

With 11 Essex clubs and a total of up to 17 boats competing in each of the races for ladies, men’s and mixed teams, rowers gather to compete on the Colne, Crouch, Stour and Blackwater rivers.

A spokesman said: “Some of the club locations – Brightlingsea, Burnham, Mersea, Stone, Steeple and Manningtree – have wide river access and can run a mass start race.

“Other club locations – Maldon, Rowhedge and Wivenhoe with restricted river width – run time trials when the rowers have to wait until the very end when all the timings are verified, and the winners can then be announced.

“The competition on the water is extremely tight with the gigs finishing the races within four to five minutes of each other over course distances of between 1.5 to 2.5 miles.”

Time trials start at noon from the Hythe Quay.