WYE rower Iwan Hadfield followed his former Monmouth School crew mate Robbie Prosser into the record books by landing World U23 gold in Bulgaria.

The duo were part of the successful 2019 Monmouth crew, and both now have world titles after Hadfield stroked the men’s coxless four to world glory, just a year after Prosser’s starring role in the coxed four.

Coming into the age-group championships in Plovdiv, Iwan already had world junior and U23 bronze medals from 2019 in Tokyo and 2021 in the Czech Republic.

But after stroking the California Berkeley varsity eight to the US IRA college crown for the second year running, he was determined to make the top of the podium this time with GB crew mates James Forward, Theo Bell and Jake Wincomb.

After winning their semi-final though, it was Australia who were first to show in the six-boat medal race, leading the Brits by just two feet at the 500m mark.

But GB had nudged in front to lead by a canvas at half-way, with Romania and France also in close attendance.

Hadfield and his boat then took control, racing out to lead by clear water at the 1500m mark and crossing the line a length to the good in 5mins 47.08secs to take gold, with the Aussies hanging on to silver by 1/2L from the French, who pipped Romania by six feet followed by Germany and Italy.

But while Hadfield was celebrating, fellow Old Monmothian Jack Tottem missed out by just six-hundreds of a second on a podium spot, as the 2022 Boat Race-winning cox steered the GB women’s 8 to fourth.

GB, with fellow Welsh rower Evelyn Davies in the seven seat, went through half-way in third behind frontrunners the US and Germany, but Canada were only feet behind and pressing hard.

And by the time they hit the three-quarter way 1500m mark, the north Americans had moved a third of a length ahead and seemed set for bronze at the Brits’ expense.

Tottem, who was involved in the closest final at this year’s Henley Royal Regatta when his Leander men’s 8 almost rowed Oxford Brookes down with just 3ft in it on the line, then called his charges up for one more push for the line.

And 10 strokes out it looked as if they could burst through, only to run out of water with just inches in it.

Fellow Wales rower Toby Lassen helped the GB men’s 8 to gold, while Katherine George – daughter of Old Monmothian Julian George – turned last year’s double sculls bronze into silver behind Romania with the same partner Vwaire Obukohwo.

But there was also fourth-placed agony for Llandaff RC’s Angharad Broughton as her GB coxless four finished 3/4L down on bronze medallists Australia.

Meanwhile, other Wye rowers were racing on Ireland’s Lough Rinn in County Leitrim at the Home Countries Regatta, with former Monmouth Comprehensive rower Katie Kearsey from Coleford representing the England senior women’s team for the second year running.

In the four, the Nottingham University student’s crew pipped the Irish to victory by 1/3L over 2000m, before chasing Scotland home in second in the 8, where England again narrowly pipped the Irish, matched by another second to the Scots in the 500m sprint.

Fellow MCS alumni Sarah Lewis finished fourth for Wales in the women’s lightweight single and women’s quad sculls.

Monmouth School for Girls’ Sophie Morrison also had to settle for fourth in the Wales girls’ four and eight over 2km, but then helped the bigger boat spring a big shock in the sprints to beat England into second by a canvas.

Former MSG pupil and Monmouth RC member Taryn Birkett, who has just returned from racing for Sydney Rc in Australia, steered the women’s four and eight to fourth in both 2km races, while sister Darcey coxed the men’s 8 and four to third and fourth respectively, the bigger boat just 3/4L off second.

And in the sprints, Taryn coxed the women’s eight to third, while Darcey’s men’s boat raced home second, just 3/4L back on winners England.

Monmouth School students George Whittal-Williams, Alex Warner and Ben Jennery also helped the Wales boy’s four and eight to three third places.

Full results at https://worldrowing.com/event/2023-world-rowing-under-23-championships/ and www.homeinternationalrowing.org