Stourport Regatta 2026
- Alex Mitchell
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Pots, Sunshine, and 150 Years: Monmouth Takes On Stourport Regatta
Stourport Boat Club pulled out all the stops for their 150th Anniversary Regatta, and Monmouth RC was thrilled to join the party to help them celebrate a century and a half of rowing history.
The sun gods once again smiled upon the 2026 season, delivering two glorious days of sunshine, brilliant racing, and top-tier riverbank banter.
To mark the milestone, Stourport traded standard medals for massive, commemorative china pots for the winners. Equal parts glorious and practical, they double as ideal vessels for a post-race cup of tea—or a well-earned pint. (Though a quick apology to Ed, as junior winners didn't get the pottery treatment!)
Here is how the action unfolded over a packed two days.
Saturday: The 800m Upstream Power Grind
Saturday presented the longer 800m upstream course, with nine Monmouth crews stepping up to the start line.
Op Mas E4+: Alex, Paul, Colin, Pete, and cox Kathryn set the tone for the weekend, turning back the clock to beat a much younger Grosvenor crew and bag the first set of pots.
Colin, Alex, Kathryn, Paul and Pete Op Mas E4-: Andrew, Geoff, Mike, and Julian put in a valiant effort but were held off by a swift Worcester crew.
Op J18 1x: Ed worked exceptionally hard, battling through multiple rounds before clinching victory against Stratford in a thrilling final.
Ed with his medal, but he did win a pot on the Sunday Op 2x: Jamie and Zach put on a masterclass, dispatching Langstone in the semi and host club Stourport in the final to take top spot.
Zach, Jamie and another Monmouth coxing dog W E1x: Sue fought hard in a tough single sculls field, narrowly missing out to Derwent.
Op F8+: The big boat (Alex, Paul, Colin, Pete, Julian, Andy, Geoff, Mike, and cox Zach) provided the drama of the day, coming agonizingly close to victory—losing by just two feet to eventual winners Stourport.
Mx 2x: Husband-and-wife duo Jamie and Kathryn teamed up in style, leaving Nottingham in their wake to win by a comfortable five lengths.
W E2x: Sue and Liz delivered a clinical performance, beating local rivals Hereford to claim the win.
Mx E2x: Colin and Jane pushed hard but were edged out by a sharp Gloucester boat.
That brought Saturday’s tally to a fantastic five victories overall!
Sunday: 600m Sprint Action
Sunday shifted to the shorter 600m sprint course—less time to think, more time to pull.
W F2x: T and Jane put in a spirited sprint effort down the short track.
Op Mas E8+: Jamie, Kathryn, Colin, Paul, Geoff, Pete, Colin C, Mike, and cox Zach kicked off the big boat racing, dropping a close contest to Bewdley.
W E2x: Sue and Liz proved Saturday was no fluke, doubles-doubling their success by knocking out home crew Stourport to pick up another win.
Op 1x: Ed stayed on form, charging down the course to take a well-deserved win against Worcester....and he won a pot.
Op 2x: Zach and Ed stepped into the double, putting up a brave fight before falling to Ross.
Mx 4x: Colin, Jane, Mike, and crew battled hard against a crisp Loughborough lineup.
W E2-: Sue and Liz traded two blades for one, putting on a brilliant display in the pair to beat Warwick in the final.
Op F4+: Colin, Paul, Geoff, Pete, and cox Kathryn fought through several grueling rounds to reach the final, eventually succumbing to a strong Stourport crew.
Beyond the Water
As always, the real heart of the weekend was off the water. The Monmouth gazebo tent was the focal point of the campsite, complete with great food, plenty of laughs, and a fantastic club atmosphere for everyone who stayed overnight.
A massive thank you goes to Paul for towing the trailer safely to and from the event, and to our coaches Tim and Roan for their invaluable prep.
Finally, a huge congratulations and special thank you to Stourport Boat Club for hosting such a superb event and welcoming us so warmly for their 150th anniversary. Here’s to the next 150 years!
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