Monmouth's Big Weekend Approaches

The latest Monmouth Buoy Band ..No Direction, practice their steps

Regatta Ready!

It’s that time of year again when Monmouth dons its finest lycra, hoists the bunting, and collectively wonders how many bacon rolls it takes to fuel an army of rowers. Yes, it’s regatta time, and preparations are well and truly afloat!

The Monmouth Regatta is the jewel in our rowing calendar – two glorious days of racing, riverbank picnicking, and occasional sunburn. This weekend, we’ll be welcoming several hundred crews from far and wide to our stretch of the Wye for what promises to be another fantastic festival of rowing, camaraderie, and cake (lots of cake).

But, as any seasoned club member knows, the regatta doesn’t just magically appear like a freshly rigged eight. Behind the scenes, it's all hands on deck.

Setting up the PA

All Systems Go!

Our Regatta Secretary has been seen more often with a clipboard than a blade recently, juggling entry lists, timetables, and enough emails to make your inbox wince. The Events Planning Team has been coordinating everything from loos to litter picks (glamorous, we know), and our Safety Crew is double-checking, triple-checking, and possibly even quadruple-checking every detail to keep things smooth and secure.

And then there’s the Catering Team – the real heroes. They're preparing to serve hot drinks, sandwiches, and enough cakes to build a small boathouse. Fueling athletes and spectators is no small feat – but fear not, they've got flapjacks, and they know how to use them.

The Great Pontoon Mission

Of course, this year’s regatta brings an extra twist – a low water level. Not ideal when your entire event relies on boats getting on and off the water quickly and safely. But never fear – Monmouth ingenuity is here!

In response, we’re adding pontoons to our landing stages. Cue a flurry of planks, drills, and “does this float?” moments as club members come together to extend our launching capacity and make life easier for our smaller boat crews. It's basically engineering meets synchronized swimming (but with more lifejackets and slightly fewer sequins).

The launch of HMS Monmouth

Painting, Polishing, and Praying for Sunshine

Meanwhile, the club’s having its annual makeover – hedge trimming, boat bay blitzing, and just enough bunting to make it look like we might be filming a feel-good British rowing movie.

It’s all a bit hectic, a bit muddy, and an awful lot of fun.

Thank You!

A huge thank you to every club member, friend, and family member helping to pull this weekend together. Whether you're flipping burgers, marshalling races, or ferrying pontoons around, you're what makes the Monmouth Regatta so special.

So bring your enthusiasm, your loudest cheering voice, and possibly a waterproof jacket (it is Wales, after all), and we’ll see you down at the river.

Let’s make this one to remember – Monmouth style!