Tom de Kooker (centre) has moved position in the Julius Baer four to the team’s benefit.(0632255)

FLAT seas provided perfect rowing conditions and several records over the annual 12km Worlds Challenge course.

Designed originally for the 2006 Worlds Challenge event, it is now a favourite among Guernsey Rowing Club regulars due to the normally varying conditions found when crossing the Little Russel.

The latest event, though, was run on a falling tide which along with the perfect weather presented rowers with no tidal challenges but a flurry of new record times.

The first boats to leave the start line were the singles and women’s pairs classes.

Settling into an early lead was veteran singles rower Tim Prout and the women’s pairing of Cat Peet and Paula Van Katwyk.

Prout arrived at the first turn buoy south of Fermain Bay ahead of the women, but with a lower back injury that plagued him throughout and hampered his performance during the middle part of the race.

Ultimately, he was lucky to finish ahead of the women’s pairs class winners by just six seconds, but both boats broke their respective class record times. Fellow singles rowers Neil Brennan finished second in the sliding singles class with lone fixed seat rower Karl Guille third in a new record fixed seat time.