Pune, Feb 1 (IANS): Rowers from the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) fought off a stiff fight from the Army Sports Control Board (ASCB) to win top honours in the men’s section of the 41st Senior National Rowing Championship at the Army Rowing Node situated in the College of Military Engineering (CME) campus, on Thursday.

In the end, Services finished with four gold and three silver medals as against three gold and four silver by Army. Chandigarh claimed the lone title that went to a state association from the eight-card race lined up for the day.

On the other hand, in the women’s section, Madhya Pradesh (4 gold, 1 silver) claimed the top spot while, Kerala (2 gold), and Manipur (1 gold, 1 silver) finished behind in the 7-race schedule.

The men’s section was exciting, with the first two finals going the Services and Army way respectively to begin the rivalry with a bang. In the double sculls event, Services' Kulwinder Singh and Karamjit Singh (06 minutes 48.9 seconds) pushed aside the Army duo of Gurtap Singh and Ravi (6:55.2). Army struck back, bagging the coxless pairs gold with the pair of Babulal Yadav and Lekh Ram pair (07.06.0) edging out Services lads Sanee Kumar and Iqbal Singh (07:09.2).

The next two races belong to Services. The coxless fours had the Services team of Jaswinder Singh, Bheem Singh, Punit Kumar, and Ashish (06:27.3) running away from the Army lads of Lakhveer Singh Harinder Singh, Ghurde Patil, Jasmail Singh; (06:29.5).

The next race also went the Services' way and took their tally to three as against one by the army. Services claimed their third gold when the lightweight double sculls duo of Nitin Deol and Ujjwal Kumar Singh (06:48.7) finished well ahead of Army’s Arwinder Singh and Rohit (06:51.2).

Army claimed their second title of the day bagging the quadruple sculls. Ravi, Jaspinder Singh, Gurpartap Singh, and Manjeet Kumar combined together to clock (06:19.3) as against the Services quartet of Ashish Phugat, Jakar Khan, Karamjit Singh, Kulwinder Singh (06:21.2).

The dominating Services team picked its fourth title with the coxed eights' title with an effort of 06:02.6 as against 06:04.9 of the Army.

However, the Army claimed their third title by bagging the fastest rower (2000 meters) when single sculler Balraj Panwar (07:18.7) was ahead of Services lad Salman Khan who ended with 07:22.5.

The women’s section had Madhya Pradesh rule the roost with Maharashtra failing to make an impact on the top two positions after single sculler Khushpreet Kaur (Madhya Pradesh; 08:42.4) was stronger for Mrunmayee Salgaonkar (08: 48.7).

On the waters of ARN, Madhya Pradesh claimed the quadruple sculls, coxless pairs, the double sculls apart from the single sculls.

Action now shifts to the shorter version of the championship with the 25th Open Sprint, run over 500 meters, unfolding on Friday.

RESULTS (2000 meters)

Men: Coxed Eights (M8+): 1- Services (Ankit Kasanya, Yogesh Kumar, Sanee Kumar, Iqbal Singh, Mhaske Omkar, Jaspreet Singh, Hardeep Singh, Kulbir Singh, Maimom Kiran Singh; 06:02.6); 2-Army (Babu Lal Yadav, Lekh Ram, Akshat, Parvinder Singh, Neeraj, Naresh Kalwaniya, Neetish Kumar, Charanjeet Singh, Mukul Kumar; 06:04.9)

Quadruple Sculls (M4X): 1-Army (Ravi, Jaspinder Singh, Gurpartap Singh, Manjeet Kumar; 06:19.3); 2- Services (Ashish Phugat, Jakar Khan, Karamjit Singh, Kulwinder Singh; 06:21.2)

Single Sculls (M1X): 1-Army (Balraj Panwar; 07:18.7); 2-Services (Salman Khan; 07:22.5)

Open Double Sculls (MCV2X): 1-Chandigarh (Ravinder, Lokesh; 06:58.2); 2-Haryana (Ajay Azad Singh, Lakshay Surender; 07:01.4)

Coxless Fours (M4-): 1-Services (Jaswinder Singh, Bheem Singh, Punit Kumar, Ashish; 06:27.3); 2- Army (Lakhveer Singh Harinder Singh, Ghurde Patil, Jasmail Singh; 06:29.5)

Double Sculls (M2X): 1- Services (Kulwinder Singh, Karamjit Singh; 06:48.9); 2-Army (Gurtap Singh, Ravi; 6:55.2)

Coxless Pairs (M2-): 1- Army (Babulal Yadav, Lekh Ram; 07.06.0); 2-Services (Sanee Kumar, Iqbal Singh; 07:09.2)

Light Weight Double Sculls (LM2X): 1-Services (Nitin Deol, Ujjwal Kumar Singh; 06:48.7); 2-Army (Arwinder Singh, Rohit; 06:51.2)

Coxless Fours (MCV4-): 1- Chandigarh (Sukhdeep Singh Gulsham Kumar, Ajeet Kumar, Aditya Singh; 06:41.4); 2- Kerala (Adinath TJ, Sachu Suresh, Navaneet GJ, Adwait JP Nambiar; 06:44.5)

Women (2000 meters): Coxed Eights (W8+): 1-Kerala (Adhithya, Arundathi VJ, VIjinamol B, Aleena Anto, Rose Mary Joshi, Varsha KB, Aswanthi PB, Meenakshy VS, Avani AM; 07:05.5); 2-Madhya Pradesh (Anjali Shivhare, Akansha Pingale, Suhani Meena, Jyoti Thakur, Manisha Dangi, Fulvanti Sirsam, Gurgani Kaur, Diljyot Kaur, Chotu Nath)

Quadruple Sculls (W4X): 1- Madhya Pradesh (Vindhya Sankath, Poonam, Kushpreet Kaur, Rukhmani; 07:19.7); 2- Manipur (Changamayum Priya Devi, Yumnam C, Devi, Thanhjam P Davi, Haobijam T. Devi

LightWeight Double Sculls (LW2X): 1-Madhya Pradesh (Poonam, Rukhmni; 07:55.4); 2- Orissa (Ashika Bhatati, Nikita Dnyeshwar Gavhane; 08:05.9)

Coxless Pairs (W2-): 1- Madhya Pradesh (Gurbani Kaur, Diljot Kaur; 8:17.6); 2-Orissa (Sonali Swain, Ritu Kaudi; 08:24.9)

Double Sculls (W2X): 1-Manipur (Thangjam Priya Devi, Haobijam T Devi; 07:59.5); 2-Haryana (Suman Devi, Kiran Rajesh; 08:08.9)

Single Sculls (W1X): 1- Madhya Pradesh (Khushpreet Kaur; 08:42.4); 2-Maharashtra; Mrunmayee Salgaonkar; 08: 48.7)

Coxless Fours (W4-): 1- Kerala (Rose Mariya Joshi, Varsha KB, Aswathi PB, Meenakshy VS; 07:40.5); 2-Tamil Nadu (S Tamilselvi, Rose Mastica, Meril A, Fati Siuba K, Bhagwathy R; 07:46.4).