NOT even thunder, lightning and torrential rain could dampen rowers’ spirits at the two-day Monmouth Regatta as 700 racers took to the Wye.

Torrential rain hit on Sunday as Monmouth School for Girls’ top boat fought out the Blue Riband women’s eights final, but they didn’t mind the soaking as they stormed home to take the Alec Woods Invitation Plate.

Racing was then suspended for two hours to allow the storm to pass, and within an hour of the 1.30pm restart racers were battling it out in glorious sunshine until the end of the day.  

Monmouth RC’s men also celebrated landing the top men’s eights event, the Phil Mathew Memorial Cup, while Wye raiders Ross RC landed an amazing 17 titles over the weekend.

There were also four wins for Monmouth Comprehensive School BC as 338 boats from 33 clubs launched out at the 87-year-old regatta.

More than 350 head-to-head races took place over 1500m on Saturday and 750m on Sunday, and Monmouth RC’s Mattie Webb got his money’s worth, dead-heating with 2017 British U14 Ross Rc medallist Ben Clatworthy in the U15 sprint final, before breaking clear in the closing stages of the re-row to win by 2/3L.

Monmouth RC’s men are targeting a first eights’ appearance in nine years at Henley Royal Regatta this summer, and Mark Sweeney, Aaron Pascovitch, Ed Griffiths, David George, Mark Lewis, Alex Butler, Tom Jose, James Hobhouse and cox Ashley Butler showed they mean business by grabbing an early lead against Cardiff University in the 1500m Blue Riband invitation final, before racing clear to win by 3 1/2L.

Monmouth School for Girls’ Zara Blackstock, Nina Hunter, Olivia Bainbridge, Catrin Werrett, Lucy Davies, Pip Thomas, Hannah Lincoln, Fay Bainbridge and cox Abbie Potter beat Staines and Swansea University to make the final of the Alec Woods Plate, named after Monmouth RC’s former club president and benefactor.

And as the heavens opened and the thunder rumbled, they battled home 1/2L ahead of a Llandaff crew containing three senior Wales Home Countries champions to take the title.

Ross RC’s juniors were on fire, with British Championship medallist Heidi Brodholt taking four titles and Cameron Roberts, Ella Bardsley-Taylor and Grace Tacey landing three apiece.

On day one, Brodholt and Lara Banks-Martin beat Oxford’s Falcon to U16 doubles, while U15 girls Tacey and Katie Smith were too good for Dart-Totnes and Clatworthy and Roberts won the boys’ class by 3 1/2L from Staines.

Bardsley-Taylor and Emily Hermon beat AB Severn to U14 doubles before Elsa Sykes edged Monmouth Comprehensive’s Sophie Richards by 1 1/2L to U18 singles.

Cameron Roberts took U15 singles by 5L from Swansea, as Brodholt won the girls’ equivalent easily from Dart, Banks-Martin cruised to the U16 title from Gloucester and U14 girls’ quad Ellie Humphryes, Bardsley-Taylor, Niamh Gabb, Yasmin Howe and cox Tom Gianessi saw off Monmouth Comprehensive.

On day two, Ellie Lown, Lucy Burden, Katie Smith, Grace Tacey and cox Abbie Price won sprint U15 girls’ quads by 2 1/2L from Swansea, Lucy Billington, Ellie Humphryes, Niamh Gabb, Niamh Hickey and cox Gianessi added U14 quads from Monmouth School for Girls and Clatworthy and Roberts took U15 doubles by 3L from Monmouth.

Brodholt saw off her Taunton opponent to take U16 singles, Tacey beat Dart by 1L to the U15 title and Bardsley-Taylor squeezed home by 1/3L to the U14 title from Llandaff. Brodholt also landed U15 doubles with Ellie Lown by 2L from Cardiff and Vale and Josh Quan-Buchanan and Yasmin Howe took U14 doubles from Monmouth.

Monmouth Comprehensive BC’s Oliver Chilcott, David Johnston and Finlay Waters helped give German exchange student Immanuel Dorneich a great send off by taking open quads together on the Saturday, beating Thames outfit Staines before downing Swansea in the final by 3L.

Waters also took U16 singles by the same margin from Ross’ Clatworthy, while U18 girl doublers Martha Waterstone and Sophie Richards beat Swansea en-route to a tight 1 1/4L final win over Gloucester.

And not to be outdone, U15 girls quad scullers Millie Thomson, Alice Gandy, Amelie Baddley, Emma Kay and cox Tamsin Dennant were also winners, rowing down Llandaff to win by 1L.

But there were near misses for some boats, Monmouth School for Girls’ women’s open four clashing 10 strokes from the line with Llan-daff and coming off second best, and Monmouth RC’s men’s quad missing out by a canvas to Swansea. 

Regatta spokesman Eric Froggatt said: “Despite the storm and all the challenges that threw at us, we still finished close to schedule, which was a testament to the strength in depth of ability and experience throughout the club and a great team effort.”   

Club chairwoman Helen Tilley added: “I’m really proud to be at the helm of a club full of committed, hard working, friendly people with such a can do attitude.

“A bit of thunder was no match for our efficiency at getting the event back on track.” 

For more information see www.monmouthrc.org.uk and for photos see www.oarstruck.co.uk