Stourport Small Boats Head 2026

Fog and Fierce Racing: Monmouth at Stourport’s 150th Anniversary Small Boats Head

It takes a special kind of dedication to load up the trailer on a biting November morning, drive out to a stretch of water you've rarely raced before, and launch straight into a thick, 100-metre soup of fog. But that’s exactly what six hardy souls from Monmouth Rowing Club did to join Stourport Boat Club for a very special edition of their Small Boats Head.

This year’s event carried extra significance, serving as the official closing event of Stourport’s landmark 150th Anniversary year. Founded back in 1876, Stourport was celebrating a century and a half on the water—though they might not have factored "pea-souper fog" into their founding charter!

Stourport is famous for its unique 'logistics', not least of which is the adventure of getting to the start line. The 4- of Chris C, Mike B, Harry B, and David L set off a full two hours before the start time—standard procedure at Stourport as crews head downstream while later-starting boats journey upstream.

Meanwhile, our two double combinations—(Phil T & Roland C) and (John B & Colin C) —spent over an hour waiting patiently in the mist upstream. For novice steerer Phil, tackling completely unfamiliar water with visibility clamped down to a bare minimum added a spicy extra layer of challenge.

A bit of tactical zig-zagging on the 3,600m downstream course ensured everyone navigated safely and cleanly, with zero tree-pruning incidents to report. A thoroughly promising first outing for the new double combination!

Afternoon Clear-Up and Classic Handicap Heartbreak

As the afternoon rolled in, the fog finally lifted to let Stourport’s anniversary celebrations shine. Phil took to the water in his single scull, armed with improved visibility and the hard-earned local knowledge of having already steered the course once that day.

With the guesswork removed, steering was a much smoother affair. Phil put down a stellar, solid row that secured the fastest time in his category. Unfortunately, rowing's great equalizer—the handicap system—had other ideas, turning a category-winning raw pace into a razor-thin 14-second loss after handicap adjustments. No medals to hang round the neck this time, but plenty of grit proven on the water.

Joining the Party on the Severn

While our medal cabinet might be resting this week, it was a privilege for our Monmouth crews to head up the road and help our friends at Stourport round off 150 years of fantastic rowing heritage. From morning fog to fast downstream racing, it's safe to say Stourport's sesquicentennial year went out with plenty of character. Here’s to the next 150 years!