WYE rower Stephen Griffiths was toasting Henley Royal Regatta glory after helping his rowing crew land the club 8s prize at the prestigious 179-year-old event.

Griffiths, the son of Monmouth School rowing master John, beat Norwegian outfit Norsk Oslo in the final to land the Thames Cup.

And the world’s most famous open regatta, held on a timber-built racecourse over 2,100m of the River Thames, also saw two Monmouth club crews make it through the first round together for the first time ever.

Monmouth Comprehensive School’s quad scull beat Australian opposition to make the last 16, while Monmouth School’s eight, in the school club’s 149th year, beat Dorset outfit Canford on the opening day.

Griffiths, who landed men’s eights and fours golds for Wales at last year’s Home Countries Regatta, started his campaign with London-based club Thames RC by beating Kingston by 4 1/4L followed by Royal Chester with similar ease.

Next up was the quarter-final against Germans Bonner Rudergesellschaft won by 1 1/4L before Americans Montclair Mounties were dispatched by 2 1/2L in the semi-final.

And the Monmouth rower at bow had the best seat in the house looking back at the Scandinavians in the final from early on, with his crew racing home to win the trophy by nearly three lengths.

Former Monmouth Comprehensive pupil Sam Royston had hoped to face Griffiths’ boat in the final in his Leander boat, but lost out to Oslo in a titanic semi-final struggle after wins over Leeds RC, Southampton outfit Itchen and Londoners Lea .

Former schoolmate Louis Paterson and his Bewdley RC crew beat Exeter but just lost out to Aussie seeds Mercantile in the Wyfold Cup fours, while school alumni Sarah Lewis steered her Greenbank Falmouth coxed club four past Wallingford before losing out in the last eight to Sydney RC.

Comprehensive School rowing master Dan Cowton’s charges Tom Smith, Louis Proctor, Tom Brice and Sam Morgan beat Australians St Joseph’s Nudgee College by 5L in their junior quads opening round before losing out to Leander – Olympic superstar Steve Redgrave’s club.

And Wye neighbours Monmouth School beat Canford by 2 1/4L in the Princess Elizabeth Cup school 8s before bowing to Shrewsbury by 3 3/4L in the last 16.