Welsh Rowing

Henley Royal Regatta Day Five: Cedol and Co hold out double Olympic champion to set up Italian final

TEN Welsh rowers will go for medal glory on Henley finals day, including 2025 Welsh World silver medallist Cedol Dafydd and the GB Quad scull, who were pushed all the way by the Skibbereen/Naval Remo Portugal combination of two-time Irish Olympic champion Fintan McCarthy, reports NICK HARTLAND.

It was nip and tuck all the way down, with the GB crew holding a slight lead that was continually challenged, before just holding off their rivals’ final charge by 2/3L to set up a final with the Italian national boat.

Meanwhile, GB and Wales cap Aidan Thompson proved the comeback kings in their Prince of Wales Cup semi-final with Oxford Brookes, trailing by 1 1/4L at the Barrier before pushing back to hit the front by Remenham, and going on to win by 1L.

And facing them in the final will be the Nautilus/Edinburgh University GB U23 Quad of Stanford USA student Elliott Donovan-Davies from Llanharan, who just held off the challenge of BUCS champions Reading University by 2/3L.

There will also be Welsh interest on the Bucks and Berks stations in the final of the Prince Albert Cup, with two members of last year’s Home International team facing each other.

Monmouth Comprehensive alumni Tom Powell and his Imperial College Four stormed into the final beating Dutch outfit Triton by nearly 4L.

And they now face Gwilym Johnson’s Newcastle University crew, who edged Oxford’s Dark Blues by 2/3L in a time three seconds quicker.

Meg Knight also stroked her Reading University BUCS-winning Princess of Wales Quad, coached by Welsh Olympic medallist Chris Bartley, to a commanding 3 1/4L win over Edinburgh University/Leeds, with Leander/Hartpury their final opponents.

There was plenty of interest in the first semi-final of the Island Cup Women’s college 8s, as Washington USA took on Durham, with a Welsh quartet battling it out.

Monmouth Comprehensive alumni Violet Holbrow-Brooksbank and former Llandaff/ Cardiff & Vale junior Katie Gardner’s Stateside boat led by just a foot at the 1/4-Mile and Barrier.

They then had the ‘relative comfort’ of a 1/3L at Fawley from Old Monmothian cox Ben Jennery and Megan Hadfield, who also came through the C&V ranks.

But it was still just a 1/4L at the Mile Post where it looked as though Durham might come through, only for Washington to resist the Wear outfit’s final surge and take the win by 2/3L.

It was similarly tight in the other semi-final, where Americans Brown held off the challenge of Millie Hurrell’s Oxford Brookes boat by the same margin, meaning an all-US club medal race.

Kai Schlottmann’s Temple Cup run was halted by Cambridge’s Boat Race boys by 1 1/2L though, while Gethin Balkwill and the Hartpury Fawley Cup Quad also bowed out by the same margin to Tideway Scullers.

And Csombor Hanczar and the favourites tag for Radley’s Princess Elizabeth Cup 8 may have hung too heavy as St Pauls – the crew they beat into second at the National Schools – turned the tables.

The London outfit, having benefitted from some technical sessions from Welsh former Cambridge and GB coach Robin Williams, fought tooth and nail to lead by a canvas at Fawley.

They then edged to 1/2L at the 3/4-Mile and although Radley pushed before the Mile to get back to 1/3L, St Pauls held their composure to move away down the packed enclosures and win by 1L.

Meanwhile, alphabet order prevailed for Texas-based student Rhiannon Luke and her Nautilus A GB development squad crew as they downed their B boat by 3 1/4L to set up a final clash with Dutch outfit Hollandia.

But the wait for a Henley final must go on for fellow US student Osian James, as the California Berkeley-based World junior gold medallist’s Nautilus Ladies Plate boat were edged by 1/2L by Leander.

And fellow Llandaff product Cari Meredith and her Birmingham University Queen Victoria Cup Quad’s run was also ended by Reading A by 5L.

Laura Thomson’s Danesfield Cup Leander Quad scull were comprehensive winners over Thames though, leading by more than 4L with 20 strokes to go before paddling in at 26 to win by 2 1/2L, with Molesey standing between them and a Henley red box in the final.

But there was heartbreak for Welsh trio Della Luke, Efa Wilson and Emilia Regan and their Molesey Wargrave Cup Women’s 8 as they led through every marker until the Mile and the 1/8th where Thames B surged through to win by 3/4L.

Molesey had 1/2L at Fawley and the 3/4-Mile, but couldn’t break clear, as Thames slowly edged back approaching the enclosures.

The lead was only a canvas at the Mile, and Thames’ pressure put them a foot in front at the final marker before powering clear over the last 20 strokes.

Carys Pryce and her Leander crew had their race postponed to the end of the first session owing to equipment failure, but Thames A then seized the early initiative to race out to win by 1 1/4L to meet their B boat.

And Royal Chester’s bid to make the Britannia Cup final for a second year running also came to an end at the hands of London A, but not without a tremendous fight.

In what is the last holding of the Men’s Club Coxed Fours event, which is being removed as Henley Royal moves towards gender parity with the introduction of more Women’s events, a tremendous Royals finish almost put them through after trailing by 2 1/2L to the Putney outfit at the Barrier.

It may have looked like race over early on, but called on by cox Sarah Armstrong and stroked by fellow Welsh rower Ed Press, they started to edge back heading into the enclosures.

And suddenly with 30 strokes to go, London looked under significant pressure, with Chester eating up the deficit with every stroke only to run out of water just 1/2L down.

Tune into https://www.youtube.com/henleyroyalregatta for live coverage and highlights and https://www.hrr.co.uk for up to date results.

Henley Royal Regatta Day Four: Comeback kings Gwilym and Gethin surge through to semi-finals

GWILYM Johnson's Newcastle University college Coxed Four faced fellow Welshman Carwyn Davies' Brookes boat in the second race of day four and the latter looked in the box seat with a 3/4L advantage at the Barrier, reports NICK HAARTLAND

But in a classic tussle, the lead was only 1/3L at Fawley and just six inches at the Mile Post, where the Tyne outfit broke through and rowed away to win by 1L, with Oxford University next in Saturday's Prince Albert Cup semi-final, after a 1/2L win over Harvard.

Former Monmouth Comprehensive pupil Tom Powell and his Imperial crew also made it through to the last four later in the morning with a 1L victory over Cambridge's Light Blues, to set up a last-four battle with Dutch outfit Triton.

Another epic comeback late in the day saw Welsh junior Gethin Balkwill's Hartpury Fawley Cup junior Quad scull surge back from 1/2L down at Fawley to lead before the Mile Post, before going on to beat Marlow by 2 1/2L, with a semi-final tilt against Tideway Scullers next.

But while Wales Home International-2025 winner Robbie Prosser and his Leander A Visitors Cup Four had sight of victory against their B boat after surging back from nearly a length down at the 3/4-Mile Mark, they were held out by a canvas.

Cardiff & Vale and Llandaff graduate George Cowley's bid for a third Henley medal was ended by Leander as well, after a fantastic Ladies Plate 8s race with his London boat, the Pink Palace edging it by 1/2L.

Llandaff World junior gold medallist Osian James, back from California Berkeley, made it through with the Nautilus GB U23s though, beating a Molesey/Nereus boat by 2L to face the Leander crew.

And it was just as tight for Toby Lassen's Brookes boat at the end of the day in the other side of the draw, squeezed out by 2/3L by the Cambridge/Harvard composite.

But National Schools' Singles record holder Elliott Donovan-Davies from Llanharan helped the Nautilus/Edinburgh University GB U23 Prince of Wales Cup squad Quad keep their Leander/Leeds opponents at arm's length, to come home 1 1/2L up in the first race of the day.

And the Stanford University US student now faces BUCS champions Reading University for a place in Sunday's final.

GB cap and Welsh Rowing graduate Aiden Thompson also made it through with Leander, beating Reading D by 2 1/4L, with a semi-final clash against Brookes their reward.

Meg Knight and her BUCS champion Princess of Wales Cup Reading University Quad scull prevailed over the Molesey boat of fellow Welsh sculler Heloise Wormleighton by some 5L to secure a last-four slot against the GB U23 Leeds/Edinburgh combination.

And back from top US programme Texas, Rhiannon Luke – daughter of Olympic medallist Miriam Batten and Llandaff RC GB cap Dave Luke – went through in her Nautilus A Town Cup Women's Coxed Four by some 3L from UL/Molesey to face their own B boat next.
Cardiff & Vale graduate Megan Hadfield and Old Monmothian Ben Jennery fought out a tough Island Cup Women's college 8s race with Durham against Dutch raiders Aegir, but edged it by just 2/3L.

And the Wear crew's reward is a semi-final tilt at Washington University USA, containing former Monmouth Comprehensive pupil Violet Holbrow-Brooksband and Cardiff & Vale's Katie Gardner, who secured an equally tight 2/3L win over Cambridge's Boat Race squad.

Also through to the last four in the other side of the draw is Wales' Millie Hurrell and her Oxford Brookes crew, who had slightly more breathing space beating Cambridge's B boat by 1 1/4L, with Brown USA, who beat London by a similar margin, their semi-final opponents.

Llandaff’s Cari Meredith is another semi-finalist after her Birmingham University Women’s college Quad scull secured a 3L win over Reading C, although next up in the Queen Victoria Cup are Reading A.

Csombor Hanczar and his Radley National Schools’-winning Princess Elizabeth Cup school 8 were 1 1/2L winners over Bedford to set up a mouth-watering semi with NS silver medallists St Pauls, who edged out Australians Sydney University.

But Mathilda Hudson-Hulls and Gracie Janes had to give second best to Marlow A by 2L in their Diamond Jubilee Girls' Quad scull.

Tune into https://www.youtube.com/henleyroyalregatta for live coverage and highlights and https://www.hrr.co.uk for up to date results.

Photos: Ben Rodford Photography/ Oarstruck

Henley Royal Regatta Day Three: Right Royal encore as Ed and Sarah produce epic last race comeback

IT proved worth the wait for Ed Press and Wales cox Sarah Armstrong as their Royal Chester Britannia Cup Coxed Four secured a brilliant comeback victory in the last race of the day.
Thames B led through the Barrier and Fawley, but couldn't shake off Royals, who edged back from /34L down to a canvas at the Barrier, reports NICK HARTLAND.

And with Press at stroke lifting the rating along the enclosures, they broke through before the Progress Board to storm home to win by 1/2L to set up a semi-final clash with London A.

Wales cap Chris Clarke in the cox's seat in the Thames RC Four led through the Barrier (1.56) and Fawley (3.15) in new record times.

But in another epic, Dutch raiders De Hoop dug deep to surge through up the enclosures to win by 3/4L in a course best 6.41.

Tomos Sidorowicz's Molesey crew bowed out to Americans Potomac by 2 1/4L though.

And Paris Olympic Pairs silver medallist Ollie Wynne-Griffith racing in a stacked Peterhouse, Cambridge Ladies Plate 8 found Brookes A, containing Wales cap Toby Lassen a couple of lengths too quick, who next face a mouth-watering last-eight clash with the seeded Cambridge/Harvard composite.

But Cardiff & Vale and Llandaff graduate George Cowley stayed on course for a third Henley medal with a 1 1/4L win in his London Ladies Plate 8 over Germans Marbacher/Rostock, with seeds Leander standing in their way next.

Back from Stanford University in the US, Llanharan's Elliott Donovan-Davies and his Nautilus/ Edinburgh University GB U23 Prince of Wales Cup squad Quad powered home 2 1/4L ahead of Windsorian/Marlow to set up a last-eight battle with Leander/Leeds.

Swansea University and Welsh Rowing graduate Aiden Thompson, who sculled for GB in last year's World Championships in Shanghai, was another winner with Leander, although they were pushed into 3/4L by Reading B, coached by Welsh Olympic medallist Chris Bartley, and will have to do it all again next against Reading D.

Alphabet order prevailed for Wales' Efa Wilson, Emilia Regan and Della Luke's Wargrave Cup Molesey A 8 as they beat former Monmouth Comprehensive student Katie Kearsey's Molesey C crew by 2 1/2L, securing a clash with Thames B, who put out seeds City of Cambridge by 3/4L.

And they were joined by Carys Price's Leander boat who sent Australians Mercantile out by 2 1/4L to go up next against Imogen Wolstencroft's Thames A boat, who had 1 1/4L too much for Kiwis Avon.
Laura Thomson's Leander Danesfield Cup Women's Quad also won by just under 3L against Imy Bantick's Marlow crew, to set up a clash with the Molesey boat who put out Llandaff's Erin Meredith and her London A crew by some 4L.

Gwilym Johnson's seeded Newcastle University Prince Albert Cup college Coxed Four cruised home 3 1/2L clear of local rivals Durham to set up a quarter-final clash with Carwyn Davies' Oxford Brookes crew, who fought out a tough battle with University College Dublin before prevailing by 1 1/2L.

Former Monmouth Comprehensive student Tom Powell also made it through with his seeded Imperial boat, easing home from Keir Palmer's Birmingham University outfit, with their reward a tilt at Cambridge's Light Blues, who put out Dutch raiders Njord.

Meanwhile, Llandaff RC's Kai Schlottmann and his Oxford Brookes Temple Cup college 8 brushed aside schoolboys St Paul's, winding down and paddling over the line 1 1/4L up, with Durham – 3/4L conquerors of Americans Yale – up next.

Welsh world junior medallists Violet Holbrow-Brooksbank and Katie Gardener and their Washington US Island Cup college 8 went through by 1 1/2L from Newcastle A to secure a clash with Cambridge Light Blues' A crew, who put our Miami.

And Cardiff & Vale graduate Megan Hadfield and Old Monmothian cox Ben Jennery also went through in their Durham BUCS medal-winning boat by 1 1/2L against Edinburgh A to set up a next round clash with Dutch outfit Aegir.

Millie Hurrell's Brookes A boat joined them with a regulation 3L win over Edinburgh B, with Cambridge B their last-eight opponents, who rowed through Yale to win by 1/2L.

Gethin Balkwill's Hartpury Fawley Cup Boys' Quad found themselves down at half-way but rowed down Kiwis Aramoho Whanganui to win by 1 1/2L, with Max Roughton's Marlow Fawley Cup Boys' Quad up next, who saw off Canadians Ridley by 2 1/2L.

And Matilda Hudson-Hulls and Gracie Janes' Hartpury A Diamond Jubilee Girls' Quad came through by 2L from Wallingford to face Marlow next, although Faith Thorpe-Williams' B boat bowed out by 2 1/2L to Maidenhead.

Tune into https://www.youtube.com/henleyroyalregatta for live coverage and highlights and https://www.hrr.co.uk for up to date results.

Henley Royal Regatta Day Two: Welsh Women make a slash in the Wargrave

FORMER Monmouth Comprehensive pupil Katie Kearsey and her Molesey C Wargrave Cup Women's 8 caused an early Day Two shock, coming back from 3/4L down at the 1/4-Mile against Australian seeds Sydney before surging past by Fawley and rowing away to win by 1 1/4L.

Their reward is a tilt at the Hampton club's A boat containing Welsh rowers Della Luke, Efa Wilson and Emilia Regan, who cruised home by 5L against East Enders Lea.

And Wales' Imogen Wolstencroft also went through in an all-Putney clash, her Thames A boat comfortably easing home by 2L from Thames B, while Carys Price's Leander boat were 3L winners from Molesey B.

They next face Melbourne Aussies Mercantile – 2L victors over the City of Bristol boat of Wales, Llandaff and Old Monmothian cox Richard Summers, who had steered them to a 4 1/2L day one win over York City.

GB U23 medalist Wilf Kimberley - a Wales record holder with three Home International wins in one day – fought out an epic Thames Cup tussle with London B against Dutch seeds De Maas, with never more than 2/3L between them.

The Dutch led by two feet at the top of the Island and 1/2L at the Barrier before London hauled it back to 1/4L at Fawley.
The Dutch edged out, but it was back to 1/4L at the Mile Post with the race coming right to the boil.

But De Maas resisted all London's pressure along the enclosures and squeezed away in the last 20 strokes to cross 2/3L to the good.
Llandaff RC twins Rob and John Davies plus fellow Welshman Phil Nesom and their Thames B boat also put up stiff resistance against Australian seeds Sydney.

The overseas crew had 1/4L at the 1/4-Mile and a length at Fawley before the Welsh trio's crew made a charge, getting back to 2/3L at the Mile, only for the Aussies to repel the move to finish a length up.

Seeking to go one better than last year when Royal Chester were losing finalists in the Britannia Challenge Cup coxed fours, Ed Press and crew led all the way to see off the challenge of Fairmount USA by 1 1/4L, with Thames B up next.

And Tomos Sidorowicz's Molesey boat also beat a handy Vesta crew by just over a length to face Potomac USA next.
But the alphabet order prevailed as Monmouth cox Taryn Birkett and her London B boat bowed out to their A crew by a length after a tight battle.

Llandaff RC's Kai Schlottmann – part of last year's Wales Home International-winning Coxless Four – had the best seat in the house at bow in the Oxford Brookes A Temple Cup college 8, as they put out Dutch raiders Orca by 2L to land a last-16 race with the St Pauls' 2nd 8.

But Brookes Welsh club mate Luke Dillon in the B boat went out to Americans Yale by the same margin, following Finlay Thomson and the Newcastle University boat who lost by 1 1/2L to London University.

Leander's Laura Thompson and her seeded Dansefield Cup Women's club Quad broke the Barrier and Fawley records in the new event as they beat Tideway Scullers by 2 1/2L, although Molesey lowered both marks again next race.

Waiting for Thompson's boat in the last eight is fellow Welsh rower Imy Bantick and her Marlow Quad, who prevailed by 1 1/4L in a tough battle with Kiwis Avon.

And the luck of the draw set up a London v London first round clash for Llandaff graduate Erin Meredith, whose A boat won by a length, with their reward a clash with new record holders Molesey.

But after their epic one-foot last stroke win over Americans Fairmount, it was a big ask for Old Monmothian Will England and his Wyfold Cup Minerva Bath club four against Australian seeds Sydney.

And so it proved despite keeping the Aussies honest, as they bowed out by just over 2 3/4L, while Will Fraser's Marlow boat also went out by 2 1/4L to Thames A, following Fishguard's Jerry Owen in Nottingham RC colours by 2 1/2L at the hands of London.

Scarlett Dundas and her Newcastle University Island Cup Women's college 8 won a tough battle with Americans Yale B by 3/4L.

But a battle of the Bs for club mate Megan Davies saw the Newcastle 2nd boat bow out to Brookes seconds by a length in another good race.

Csombor Hanczar's National Schools' champion Radley boat breezed through by 4 1/2L against local rivals Abingdon to secure a last-eight clash with Bedford though.

But fellow Llandaff graduate Oliver Coombes and the Radley 2nds 8 had to give second best to mighty Americans Washington by 2 1/2L in the Temple Cup college 8s.

Esther Walker and her St Edwards National Schools' silver medal 8 cruised through against TBC USA by 3L to set up a mouth-watering Prince Phillip Cup school 8s clash with NS champions Shiplake in the last eight.

But Wallingford's Matilda Phillips and her crew mates lost out to Irish outfit Enniskillen by 3 1/4L.

The six-day regatta finishes with finals on Sunday.

Tune into https://www.youtube.com/henleyroyalregatta for live coverage and highlights and https://www.hrr.co.uk for up to date results.

Photos: Oarstruck

We'll have a pitch at HRR at the Henley Cricket Club from the lunch Interval, through to the end of the tea break around 5:30pm on Friday 3rd. Come and say hello for some drinks and chat with Welsh Athletes and members from across the years! Looking forward to seeing you there! And good luck to everyone still in the competition! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Henley Royal Regatta Day One: Will-power wins through in one-foot Wyfold epic

WELSH Rowers launched out in force on the first day of Henley Royal Regatta – the world's most prestigious open regatta dating back to 1839, reports NICK HARTLAND.

Old Monmothian Will England and his Minerva Wyfold Cup Four won an epic by a foot from Fairmount USA, while Wales Home International Regatta record winner Wilf Kimberley cruised through round one in his London Thames Cup crew.

The day began with former Monmouth Comprehensive student Katie Kearsey helping her Molesey Wargrave Cup Women's club 8 through by 2 1/2L in the first race against Vesta, stroked by Wales' Anastasia Greenaway-Robbins, securing a second-round clash with Australians Sydney.

But the race of the day in the mid-afternoon sunshine was Minerva's photo-finish win over the Americans, as former GB World Junior finalist England and his crew mates came from a length down at the Barrier to grab victory on the last stroke.

Underrating the US crew at 35 strokes a minute, the Bath outfit got back to 3/4L at the half-way Fawley mark, only for the leaders to edge back out to a length at the 3/4-Mile.
Crews made of less stern stuff would have wilted at this point, but Minerva were back to 1/2L at the Mile Post.

And although the Americans still had that margin at the Mile and the 1/8th, the Brits' pressure finally told in the last 20 strokes as they surged through to grab it right on the line, securing another foreign clash in round two against Aussies Sydney, who showed impressive speed beating Wales' George Fraser and his City of Bristol boat after easing down along the enclosures to win by 1L.

George's brother Will Fraser made it through in his Marlow Four against Irish raiders Cork though, edging out from a canvas at the 1/4-Mile to 3/4L at Fawley before coming in just over a length up, with Thames A up next.

GB World U23 medallist Kimberley, who holds the Wales Home International Regatta record of three wins in one day, had little trouble going through, his London Thames Cup crew moving out to 2 3/4L at Fawley and then dropping into the 20s along the enclosures to win by 2L to set up a second round clash with Dutch seeds De Maas.

And he was joined in round two by Llandaff RC twins Rob and John Davies alongside fellow Welsh rower Phil Nesom, as their Thames B Eight pulled out all the stops to hold off the firepower of the UK Armed Forces.

Thames led from the off but never had more than 2/3L and were pressed all the way before crossing just 1/2L up to secure a second-round clash with Aussies Sydney.

But Cardiff University graduate Bo Hughes and fellow Welsh rower Henry Fraser bowed out in the Marlow B boat by 3 3/4L to German seeds Osnabrucker.
Llandaff RC's Csombor Hanczar and his seeded Radley College National Schools' champion boat breezed through in their Princess Elizabeth Cup opener however, beating US out Belen easily.

They next face local rivals Abingdon, who put out Welsh junior Zac Brockway's Tideway Scullers crew by 2 1/2L.

King's Chester had four Wales juniors on board – Ben Cooper, Dan Burman, Harry Paul and Misho Dragnev – but also had to give second best to defending champions Shiplake, bowing out by 2 3/4L.

Tom Jackson's Hereford Cathedral Fawley Cup Boys' Quad, coached by former Monmouth Comprehensive student and Wales rower David Newman, gave Kiwi crew Aramoho Whanganui a tough test after leading by a canvas at the top of the Island before ultimately missing out by a length.

Isabel Turner's Shrewsbury School Prince Phillip Trophy 8 fought hard but found the power of US seeds Deerfield 4 1/4L too much, and Jessica Pidgeon's York boat bowed out to City of Bristol by a similar margin in the Wargrave Cup club 8s.

But the day ended with Faith Thorpe-Williams and her Hartpury B Diamond Jubilee Girls' Quad producing an epic comeback from a length down at the Barrier to overhaul Oundle after Remenham, before racing away to a 1 1/2L win to earn a second round clash with Maidenhead.

The six-day regatta finishes with finals on Sunday.

Tune into https://www.youtube.com/henleyroyalregatta for live coverage and highlights and https://www.hrr.co.uk for up to date results.

Photos: Minerva, Molesey, London, Thames, Marlow

Llongyfarchiadau mawr to the Welsh athletes that won medals at the World Rowing Cup III for Team GB in Lucerne yesterday!

Da iawn i chi gyd!

Photos: Row360 & Benedict Tufnell



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Top marks from Welsh juniors at National Schools' Regatta

THERE were some stellar performances from Welsh junior rowers at the National Schools' Regatta on the London 2012 Olympic lake, reports NICK HARTLAND.

Llandaff RC graduate Csombor Hanczar held down the six seat in the Radley 8 as they led through every marker to take the Blue Riband Queen's Mother Cup Championship 8s in record-breaking style, overturning a narrow loss to St Paul's in the opening time-trial.

A storming start gave them 1/2L on St Paul's 500m into the eight-boat final, which they extended to a length at half-way with Hampton in close attendance in third.

They held that through 1500m and despite St Paul's taking a few feet back in the run in, Radley were 3/4L winners in a new event record 5.43.00 from the Hammersmith outfit, with Hampton in bronze another length back holding off King's College and Shiplake.

Gracie Janes was also on the gold standard in Championship Girls' Doubles with Hartpury partner Daniela Raguckaite, storming through in the last 500m to take the Beryl Crockford Bowl Championship by clear water.

The duo went through 500m third 1/2L down on Sir William Perkins and feet on their local rivals Wycliffe before powering through to second before halfway, where the margin was 1/3L and Marlow were now third.

And the deficit was just six feet at the 1500m before Grace and her partner's pressure told, bursting through in the closing stages to win by just over a length from Marlow in 7.26.70, who edged Sir William Perkins by a tenth of a second, with fellow Welsh rower Lucy Fontana fourth in a Warrington double.

There was also Championship Girls' 8s silver for Esther Walker and the St Edwards crew, who led to 1500m before defending champions Shiplake came through to win by 1/2L in 6.33.65, with Headington over 2L back in bronze.

Fred Britton and his Sir William Borlase Boys' Quad scull were denied silver on the last stroke by one hundredth of a second by Tideway Scullers – a bowball – taking bronze 3/4L behind winners Windsor, with fellow Welsh junior Max Roughton fifth in his Marlow boat.

Mathilda Hudson-Hulls from Hartpury battled to bronze in Championship Girls' Singles, leading to 1500m before the Wallingford and Glasgow scullers prevailed in the run in by 2L and 1/2L respectively.

Eleanor Williams and Lucy Thornton of Kings Chester were also third at the 500m mark of the Championship Girls' Pairs final, but ultimately had to settle for fourth behind Wallingford, St Michael's Limerick and Leeds RC.

But Oliver Coombes, another Llandaff rower racing in Radley colours, took a brilliant 2nd 8s gold by 1 1/2L from Shiplake in 6.00.08.

And fellow Welsh Radley rowers James Thompson, Lucious Phillips and Monty Arkell took silver in J16 8s after only finishing fifth in the opening time-trial, holding second through every marker to finish just over a length behind St Pauls in 5.59.27.

Monmouth RC's Sebastian Lee's J16 Shiplake Quad scull were closing with every stroke as they neared the line in a race for gold with Windsor Boys where there was never more than 1/3L between the two, and finally finished just 0.20 secs back in silver.

And Welsh juniors Miles Jones and Dylan Louzado were also second in J16 Coxed Fours with Dulwich College, finishing only 1/3L back on gold medallists Shiplake.

Hamish Gamble from Hereford RC was eighth in the Championship Singles A final out of a 52-strong field, while Warrington's Adam Pritchard placed second in the B final for 10th.

Haberdashers' Monmouth's Edward Smith and James Wardle overhauled St Pauls in the second half to win the Championship Pairs B final by 2L for seventh overall out of 18.

And Lydia Shufflebotham and her City of Bristol partner won the Championship Girls' Doubles B final by 3L for ninth overall out of 35, followed in second (10th) by fellow Welsh sculler Freya Coupe in a Canford Double.

Haberdashers' Monmouth's Anna Bieler, Marie Kessler, Sienna McKenna and Keilah Greaves were also just pipped by Glasgow Academy by 1/3l in the B final of the Championship Girls' Coxless Fours, placing second and 10th overall, while Llandaff's Caron Dafydd, Ella Mercer, Hannah Schlottmann and Elizabeth Sarasin were fifth for 13th.

Photos: Radley, Shiplake, Hartpury, Sir William Borlase, Dulwich.

Dickens of a showing from Welsh rowers at The Met

WELSH rowers were out in force at the Metropolitan Regatta on the London 2012 Olympic course, reports NICK HARTLAND.

Founded by Charles Dickens' son in 1866 and championed by the writer, the Met sees crews looking to make their mark in the lead-up to Henley.

And the 'Great Expectations' of Megan Knight, Gwilym Johnson, Finlay Thompson and Paralympic and world champion City of Swansea sculler Ben Pritchard were all realised with victory.

On Saturday, Knight's BUCS champion Reading University squad – coached by Welshman Chris Bartley, who won Olympic silver on the lake - won a tight women's quad scull battle with Molesey by just under a length, with fellow Wales scullers Lucy Thompson fourth in the Leander boat and Gracie Janes eighth with Hartpury.

Sunday saw Home International champion Johnson team up with Thompson in a Newcastle University boat that stormed to the open fours title by a canvas from London RC, with never more than 1/3L between them, followed in fourth by Edward Press (Royal Chester), sixth by William Letten (Queens Belfast) and seventh by Tomas Sidorowicz (Molesey).

And in the first ever para race at the Met, BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year winner Pritchard stamped his authority on proceedings, beating Scottish GB team rival Jake Woods by a margin in 8.44.07.

On Saturday, Wales Home International singles champion Georgie Robinson-Ranger was on board the Leander Women's 8 that overhauled Thames B containing her HIR 8s champion crew mate Imogen Wolstencroft in the final 500m, but were just 1/4L shy of catching Thames A on the line.

Cardiff & Vale graduate Megan Hadfield and Old Monmothian cox Ben Jennery were just behind in fourth in the Durham University boat.

GB international and Welsh Rowing graduate Aiden Thompson also came home second with Leander B in the Men's quads, coming from sixth at 500m to finish 3/4L back on their A boat, while Harry Wilkinson was eighth with London/ Tideway Scullers.

And Llandaff RC HIR champion Kai Schlottmann's Oxford Brookes boat took third and the academic prize in a blistering Men's 8s final, 1L back on the winning Cambridge Boat Race squad and 1/2L on Leander, with Toby Lassen taking fourth in the Brookes A boat a canvas behind.

Other Saturday A final finishes for Wales rowers included Llandaff RC graduate Csombor Hanczar finishing fourth with Radley in the Men's open coxless fours just 2L behind the Cambridge winners.
Anastasia Greenaway-Robbins was sixth with Vesta in Women's coxless fours and second fastest Club boat, while Lara Brittain was sixth in a Molesey/Notts & Union Women's double scull.

And Tomas Sidorowicz (Molesey) and Carwyn Davies (Brookes A) were also sixth and seventh in the Men's coxed fours.

Sunday saw more than 20 Welsh rowers make A finals, with Johnson and Thompson's boat and Pritchard's history-making win the headline acts.

Benjamin said after winning: "In a sport as established as rowing, it’s often difficult to make history. But today, alongside one of my good friends, we did exactly that.
"We became the first ever PR1 athletes to race at the Metropolitan Amateur Regatta (MET Regatta), representing City of Swansea Rowing Club and Strathclyde Park.
"The result and the times are irrelevant. This one was about breaking boundaries.
"Huge thank you to the organisers for opening their doors and creating this new Championship event. Excited to see how this event grows over the coming years."

Reading rang the changes in their Women's quad sculls, where Knight's new crew suffered last-stroke agony losing by two-hundreds of a second to their club mates after leading all the way, while former Llandaff youngster Erin Meredith placed sixth with London and Imy Bantick seventh with Marlow.

Imogen Wolstencroft's Thames Women's 8 was second to their A crew by 3/4L, closely followed by Megan Hadfield and Ben Jennery's Durham crew in third and Millie Hurrell's Oxford Brookes boat in fifth.

Harry Wilkinson's TSS double scull came from fourth to take second 2 1/2L behind winners Edinburgh University, while two-time Henley Royal medallist George Cowley's London Men's 8 took third just 0.16sec behind their A boat with Thames 3/4L up in first.

William Letten (Queens Belfast), and Meghann Jackson (Upper Thames) with GB World gold medallist Fiona Gammond, were also third in open pairs and Women's doubles respectively.
And Harry Wilkinson (TSS) also placed fourth in quad sculls, with Alfie Wynter and Alex Repton (Reading Uni) seventh.

Photos: Reading University BC, Jonathan Stuart (Newcastle Uni), Benjamin Pritchard, Leander