Henley Masters 2026

Alex Mitchell
27 minutes ago
4 min read

HMR is so old fashioned, it even has an oil painter at the medal ceremony. Here is the Mens F4+ with Alex, Mark W, Colin, Paul B and Bonita having to pose for 30 mins.

Sweat, Red Boxes and Staying Ahead of Sir Matt: Monmouth RC at Henley Masters

If you thought the hottest thing in Henley last weekend was the blistering 30°C+ heatwave, you clearly weren't watching the racing.

Fresh off the back of Henley Royal, the prestigious Henley Masters Regatta took over the first half of the famous course for three days of high-stakes, fast-paced action. Monmouth RC arrived with four crews, plenty of sun cream, and a collective determination to leave everything on the water.

The Women's F8+ of Shelagh, Jane, Lou, Louise A, Bonita, Liz L, Kate, Dawn and Sara jumping for joy at the price of the Pimms.

Here is how the weekend unfolded.

The Men’s E Coxless Four: Three in a Row!

Our Men’s E4- went into the weekend with a target on their backs as the reigning winners, and they delivered in absolute style. Not only did they claim the event title for the third consecutive year (surely some record), but they did it in the most poetic way possible.

The final turned into an epic, all-Welsh showdown against our local rivals Llandaff. There’s nothing quite like travelling all the way to Oxfordshire to race the club from down the road, but the Monmouth boys held their nerve to secure the gold.

Nick, Ian, Mark W and Tim with their E4- medals

The Men’s F Coxed Four: Drama, Subbing, and Gold

Talk about a rollercoaster. Just before the event, James unfortunately pulled his back out, leaving the F4+ in a serious bind. Enter Mark W, who selflessly agreed to double-up and step into the boat—despite already pushing his limits in the victorious E four.

The Mens F4+ of Bonita (C), Paul, Colin, Mark W and Alex

With Bonita steering a masterclass, the makeshift crew defied the odds and won their event! A massive congratulations to Mark for taking home a brace of medals, and to the whole crew for keeping their cool under pressure.

Alex, Mark W, Bonita (C), Paul, Colin and Coach Tim

"We Beat Matt Pinsent" (Sort Of)

One of the magical aspects of Henley Masters is the use of those gorgeous, traditional wooden umpire launches.

During the Men’s F four's campaign, they looked back to find none other than four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Sir Matthew Pinsent driving their umpire launch. Naturally, the boys have spent the days since bragging to anyone who will listen that they "successfully stayed ahead of Matthew Pinsent all the way down the Henley course."

Sir Matt at the helm...do try and keep up

Technically true. We’ll let them have that one!

The Men’s C Pair: A Family Affair

In one of the standout performances of the weekend, the father-and-son duo of Tom and John took to the water in the notoriously cut-throat C category. Racing against competitors who were likely significantly younger than at least one of them, they put on a masterclass of synergy and determination. They pushed their opponents to the absolute limit, only just losing out to the crew who went on to win the entire event. An incredibly proud moment for the club and family!

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/fa8b9b_e29a563be6034fde8c86aacd69410843/480p/mp4/file.mp4

Tom(S) and John racing gainst Bradford on Avon in the C2-

The Women’s F8: Fighting to the Wire

Our fantastic Women’s F8 put on a dominant display through the rounds, showing incredible depth and grit in the sweltering heat. They booked their spot in the grand final, where they lined up against a formidable combination crew from Wallingford. Despite a heroic effort, they just missed out on the top spot, but they walked away with heads held high after a brilliant regatta.

Shelagh, Jane, Lou, Louise A, Bonita, Liz L, Kate, Dawn and Sara

The Off-Water Heroes

We all know that medals aren't just won on the water; they are built on the logistics, coaching, and support behind the scenes. A massive round of applause to:

James: Who, despite having a back so bad he couldn't row, still took on the heroic task of towing the boat trailer to and from the venue.
Tim: Our incredible coach, whose guidance, tactical wisdom, and endless patience kept everyone focused and firing.
Bonita: The absolute warrior of the weekend. Despite recovering from an arm injury, she coxed both the men's and women's crews to stellar performances. Talk about steering through the pain barrier!
Ben from Ben Rodford Photo. Thanks for all the fantastic photos.

Finally thanks to all the people who made the Monmouth camp so welcoming and comfortable...in the heat of the day it was a real home from home. It was even off grid, with James bringing solar panels and a battery to power a lovely fan..the perfect post race cooldown.