WYE rowers made a winning start to 2025 with class wins at two time-trial races.

Firstly, Monmouth Comprehensive School Boat Club's Isaac Thomson, Lewys Baker, Hector Futcher, Archie Barrell and cox Lucas Walker won the novice fours class at the Wycliffe Head on the Gloucester-Sharpness Canal.

The crew finished the 2.8-mile still water race in 17 mins 42 secs to beat their nearest King's Worcester rivals by over a minute.

Other boats racing in the 270-boat event featuring some of the UK’s top rowing schools were a boys' U18 quad scull (17.39), a girls' U16 quad scull (19.42), and a girls' U15 quad (21.20).

Elsewhere, Monmouth RC's veterans headed for the River Severn and the Worcester Head of the River Race, which had to be reduced from its usual 4 1/4 miles to just over 3 miles owing to flood driftwood blocking the bridge arches just above the cathedral.

While the temperature was chilly, Monmouth RC's masters men warmed to their task, racing downstream to two category wins in the 140-boat race in 8s and fours.

In the morning division, Nick Hooton, Toby Harding, Jonathan Ferris and Paul Bezani came home 55 seconds clear of Stourport to claim the Masters E (over-55) fours class, finishing in 15.07.

The women's ME 8 of Sue Smith, Mel Brown, Kate Hooton, Fliss Howes, Sheila Sawyer, Maggie Hickland, Lou Tanner, Dawn Brace and cox Bonita Birkett came second out of four, 18 seconds behind Shrewsbury outfit Pengwern, crossing in 15.58 with Evesham and Bewdley well behind.

The afternoon division saw the winning men's four joined by Tim Earnshaw, Ian Townsend, Alex Mitchell, Andy Davies and cox Bonita, as they covered the course in 14.32 to take the MF (over-60) class from Worcester by 30 seconds.

Monmouth's women's MC (over-42) quad scull dead-heated with Stourport in 16.36 to finish equal third in their class, while a mixed MG (over-65) quad finished in 17.05.