Vets Head 2026
- Alex Mitchell
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Thames Triumphs and Heartbreak: Monmouth Takes on the Vets Head
The clocks jumping forward an hour might have stolen some sleep, but it didn't steal the momentum of Monmouth Rowing Club as we descended upon the Tideway yesterday for the Vesta International Masters Head (the legendary "Vets Head").
Racing over the iconic 4.2-mile Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney, our crews faced the ultimate test of endurance. With the weather playing ball and a slight tailwind providing a welcome nudge, the stage was set for a massive end to the winter head season.
The Victors: Masters of the G 4x
The highlight of the day belongs to our Open G Quad. Demonstrating that speed only improves with age, the crew of Matthew, Roger, Tim E, and Mark dominated their category to take a brilliant win. A masterclass in Tideway sculling, they navigated the stream perfectly to bring home the silverware.
So Close! The Women’s E8+ Heartbreak
In what was arguably the most dramatic result of the day, our Women’s E8+ delivered a performance for the history books. Competing in a stacked field of 12 crews, the boat—consisting of Taryn (Cox), Louise A, Liz L, Lou T, Sue S, Shelagh, Flis, Rachel R, and Bonita—produced our best-ever result in this event.
For a brief, glorious moment, they were provisionally announced as winners. However, after the final time adjustments, they were moved into second place by less than half a second. While the "stolen" win stung, the quality of the row proves this crew is now a serious force on the national stage.
The Sculling Powerhouse: Open C 4x
Success continued in the quads with a Monmouth/Grosvenor composite featuring Tim M and Jamie. Despite a last-minute crew change due to illness, the boys put in a blistering shift to secure second place, missing out on the top spot by a mere two seconds.
The Eights: Grit and Determination
Our other crews showed the true depth of the club:
The Women’s F 8+: Facing an injury-induced line-up change, the crew of Matt (Cox), Sam, Kate C, Helen, Liz N, Dawn B, Maggie, MJ, and Abi put together a fantastic row, proving that the MRC spirit is unshakeable regardless of the seat order.
The Men’s F 8+: It wasn't quite the repeat of last year's heroics for Hannah (Cox), Ian, Nick Ho, Alex, Jonathan, Colin, Ewart, Paul, and James. They found themselves a minute off the winning pace in a very fast category, but nonetheless contributed to a strong club showing on the water.
A Massive Team Effort
The Vets Head is the ultimate example of MRC’s inclusivity, with crews from all ages and backgrounds competing side-by-side.
Special Thanks go to:
Putney Town RC: For their fantastic hospitality and for letting us use them as a base.
Jamie: For the heroic effort of towing the trailer through the night, made even more difficult by the "lost hour" of the clocks changing.
Tim and all the coaches.
That’s a wrap on the long winter miles. The Wye is calling, the sun is (hopefully) coming out—bring on the Regatta season!
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