Gloucester Regatta 2026
- Alex Mitchell
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Rain, Drama, and Rerows: Monmouth Masters Take on Gloucester’s 180th Anniversary Regatta
If you woke up on Saturday morning to the persistent sound of raindrops tapping on the window, you weren't dreaming. For what felt like the first time in months, the British summer took a brief sabbatical and handed the stage back to the rain gods.
Now, nursery rhyme lore tells us that when Dr Foster went to Gloucester in a shower of rain, he stepped in a puddle right up to his middle and never went there again. But unlike the unfortunate doctor, Monmouth Rowing Club is made of far sterner stuff. Rain or shine, we were never going to miss a day of 500-metre sprint racing along the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal!
Besides, there was a double celebration in the air: 2026 marks the magnificent 180th anniversary of Gloucester Rowing Club, making the Bank Holiday regatta an extra special affair. Adding to the occasion, Clubs were presented with a special pennant to mark their 180th Anniversary which we presented to Mike Partridge, a long-standing legend of Monmouth RC and former Great Britain stroke, who is over from his home in Australia for few months.
The format was simple yet brutal: side-by-side, 500-metre sprint racing. No time to settle, no room for mistakes, just raw power and quick hands right off the start line.
Monmouth fielded seven crews across the divisions, delivering some absolutely heart-stopping moments along the towpath. The absolute headline of the day belonged to our Men's G/H 4+. After throwing everything into their final over the 500m course, the judge couldn't separate the two boats—a dead heat!
With adrenaline already spiking, the crew returned to the start line for a full-throttle rerow. Leaving nothing to chance the second time around, the lads found another gear, edged ahead, and claimed a heroic victory in one of the most exciting races of the day!
The Results
W F2x (Bonita and Liz L). It just wasn't their day for racing in small boats.
Open D/E 4- (Tim M, Nick H, Simon L and Mark W). A powerhouse of a crew met Llandaff in the final again and came away with a win of 1.5 lengths.
Open G/H 4+ (Tim E, Colin, Mike P, Andy D and Ewart(C)). A great win after an initial dead heat against Bewdley.
Open E/F 4x (Tim M, Ewart, Paul B and Mike P). Unfortunately lost to a strong Avon County.
W F/G 4+ ( Kate H, Sue S, Shelagh, Liz L and Bonita (C)), came back from a handicap start to win by a canvas over Bewdley.
Open C/D 2x ( John G and Tom G). Father and son combo John and Tom just couldn't quite match the pace of Llandaff.
Open F/G 8+ (Tim E, Tim M, Paul B, Colin L, Andy D, Ewart, Mike P, Simon L and Bonita (C) won after a handicap start.
When the water finally settled, Monmouth walked away with four victories out of seven events entered— a brilliant testament to all the hard work put in on the Wye over the summer months.
A massive thank you goes out to Gloucester Rowing Club for being exceptional hosts and putting on a fantastic 180th-anniversary regatta.
Of course, days like this don't happen in a vacuum. A huge shout out to our coaching team for their endless patience and advice. And a very special mention to Paul B, who once again took on the crucial (and often thankless) task of towing the trailer—without our tow drivers, the boats don't move and the medals don't come home!
What’s Next? Slovenia Calling!
While Gloucester marked the end of our local summer regatta season, the racing shoes aren’t being packed away just yet. Next weekend, a dedicated contingent from our Master's squad is packing their bags and heading to Lake Bled, Slovenia, to compete on the international stage at the World Masters Rowing Regatta.
We want to wish every single rower heading to Slovenia the absolute best of luck—go give it everything on that stunning lake and bring home some more silverware!
Finally, to all of our Masters rowers—whether you've been racing for decades, just picked up an oar this season, or are returning to the sport after a break—you are all always welcome, so reach out to Toby as we plan our international events for 2027. To get you all in the mood, here is a clip from Monmouth winning the Mix E Eight final at last year's European Masters Regatta, also held at Lake Bled.
See you all on the water (hopefully under a bit more sunshine next time)!
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