World Masters 2026
What an extraordinary week for Monmouth Rowing Club! Lake Bled delivered a stunning backdrop, world-class racing, and an incredible collection of silverware for our team of just over 20 rowers who tackled a staggering 88 races across five days.
Lake Bled or Bust
Getting over 20 rowers and a fleet of boats to Slovenia is no small feat. Planning began back in November, led by Colin’s tireless coordination. The real drama started on departure day when our original tow vehicle broke down at the last second—cue Paul, who stepped in with his truck to save the day! Huge thanks to Paul, Colin, and Ewart for completing the epic three-day road trip.
The logistical hurdles didn’t stop there, either: UK air traffic control chaos meant poor Simon L missed the entire first day of racing.
When racing got underway, Lake Bled proved as unpredictable as it is beautiful. Heavy rain and lightning forced cancellations on Thursday, but the sunshine returned on Friday and stayed for the rest of the regatta. Facing 5,000 competitors from 889 clubs worldwide, the standard was higher than ever. Yet, the sense of camaraderie across the global rowing family was unmistakable—whether chasing medals or soaking in the atmosphere.
While Monmouth has attended the World Masters for over a decade, this year saw our women’s squad shine like never before, collecting superb second-place finishes in eight-lane racing and securing our first-ever Women’s gold!
The Golden Eight - our medals
Wednesday: WE2- (Sue S, Liz L) & E2x (Tim M, Mark W)
Thursday: F2x (Mark W, Simon L)
Friday: E2- (Mark W, Tim M)
Saturday: G4- (Tim E, Mike P, Roger S, Mark W) & F1x (Mark W)
Sunday: MxE4x- (Mark W, Sue S, Liz L, Tim M) & MxG2x (Roger and Ann)
Beyond our own entries, Andy, Simon, and Dawn joined forces with Australian and Finnish crews, embodying the true spirit of the event. On shore, Team Monmouth pulled together seamlessly—helping boats at the pontoon, keeping the kettle boiling in the crew tent, and sharing home-cooked meals every evening.
By Saturday night, the points were tallied. Out of nearly 900 clubs worldwide, Monmouth finished 6th overall and 3rd in the Men’s standings. For a small club with a modest squad, this is a remarkable testament to how much our athletes have improved and performed across the board.
Sunday wrapped up with traditional mixed crew racing—yielding our final two golds—followed by post-regatta beers, Aperol Spritzes, and a magnificent dinner cooked by Kate.
A massive thank you goes to Tim M for his coaching and masterclass in day-to-day race planning, Bristol Rowing Club (especially Richard for his coxing), all our coxes (Bonita and Ewart), Dawn for the tops and Roger for letting us use his lovely yellow Empacher four.
We came for the rowing, but we came back with lifetime memories—and, naturally, a few extra inches from all that exquisite Bled cream cake! Here’s to 2027!
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