Gold at the End of the Rainbow: A Clean Sweep at Gloucester

How many crocs can you spot at the end of this rainbow

If you ever needed proof that there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, you just had to look at the Monmouth crews at the Gloucester Spring Head today. Under a sky that couldn’t quite decide between a shower and a sunshine-fueled rainbow, Monmouth Rowing Club didn’t just compete—we conquered.

The Women's E Eight

It was a day of "clean sweeps" in more ways than one, providing the perfect 5km pressure test for those gearing up for the Eights Vets Head at the end of the month, as well as those newer to the racing scene.

The Victories: Four for Four! 🥇

Monmouth entered four crews, and every single one of them walked (or rowed) away with a win.

The Masters Eights

• A masterclass in dominance! The Women’s Masters D/E Eight (Louise A, Liz L, Louise T, Sue S, Shelagh S, Fliss H, Sara W, Bonita B, and cox Ewart B) showed incredible form, leaving their opposition in the wake to win by over 45 seconds.

• The Men’s F Eight: Not to be outdone, the Men's F Eight (Ian T, Nick H, Alex M, Jonathan F, Colin L, Ewart B, Paul B, James A, and cox Bonita B) stormed down the course to secure a victory by a solid 40 seconds.

  

  The Men's F Eight

  
  

• Masters E 4-: A massive shout-out to Pete Smith and Geoff Hitt, who secured their first-ever head race win alongside Alex Mitchell and Toby Harding. A fantastic milestone

  

  The Men's E 4-

  
  

• The Open Pair: William and Rowan rowed a "time-only" event as the sole entry in their category, showing great spirit and getting those vital racing kilometers under their belts.

  
  

  

  Rowan and William in Open Pairs

"Bank Gardening" & The Alan Titchmarsh Trophy 🌿

It wouldn't be a true rowing outing without a little bit of drama. While the racing was clinical, the 2km row back was... let's say, experimental. The 4- decided to engage in some impromptu "bank gardening," ensuring the riverbank was well-pruned.

Consequently, we are proud to announce that the prestigious Alan Titchmarsh Canal Gardening Trophy remains firmly in Monmouth hands! Alex graciously passed the honour over to Toby, who we’re sure will display it with "pride.

Intensity Meets Rowing

Today was a brilliant example of our Intensity Programme working hand-in-hand with the Rowing Programme. The fitness and skill were evident in the results, even with a cheeky tailwind making things interesting on the water.

A massive thank you to Paul B for the towing duties and to Tim for his expert coaching and guidance. Also thank you to Gloucester Rowing Club for another great event.

As we derigged under a stunning rainbow—with a few of the crew famously sporting their Crocs—it was hard not to laugh. Between the footwear and the gold medals, we really did find the "Crock of Gold" at the end of the rainbow today.

Onward to Vets Head! 🚣‍♀️🚣‍♂️