EIGHTEEN Wye rowers made a splash beside nearly 5,000 other competitors at the World Rowing Masters Regatta in Germany, with Monmouth RC crowned third best men's team.

The club secured two golds and numerous second and third places in the 57 races they entered, with the men's 13-strong squad finishing ahead of 723 other clubs from 51 countries, including the US, New Zealand and Brazil.

The annual event for rowers aged 27 and over attracted several former Olympians and internationals, including Athens singles silver medallist Jueri Jaanson from Estonia.

Racing over five days, boats in each category were drawn in eight-strong 1000m races on the multi-lane Brandenburg course, with gold for first home.

And Monmouth's Nick Hooton and Ian Townsend won their ME (over-55) pairs race, while Tim Earnshaw and David Byrnes stormed to MF (over-60) doubles gold.

Monmouth Rowing Club's members made an impression at the World Rowing Masters in Brandenburg
Monmouth Rowing Club's members made an impression at the World Rowing Masters in Brandenburg. Photo: MRC (MRC)

The pair surged into an early lead to go through half-way 1.5L up, and finished fully 4L ahead of an Austrian pair in 3.51.6, followed by one from Estonia.

The double proved just as dominant, racing out to a commanding lead at half-way and finishing 4L clear of a field that included Singapore, Swedish, Brazilian and German boats in 3.48.6.

Tim Earnshaw and David Byrne after their double sculls win
Tim Earnshaw and David Byrne after their double sculls win (MRC)

In the second race of the regatta, Hooton, Toby Harding, Simon Lee, Tim Male and cox Richard Summers took second in the ME fours 1L behind a German boat after leading through half way.

Liz Lewis, Kathryn Hooton, Louise Allison and Bonita Birkett placed third in women's MF fours, just holding off a Dutch boat, and the latter two were out again in a women's MC (over42) composite with Bristol rowers placing third, while David Byrnes matched them in men's MF singles.

Bonita Birkett, Kathryn Hooton, Liz Lewis and Louise Allison had a successful regatta
Bonita Birkett, Kathryn Hooton, Liz Lewis and Louise Allison had a successful regatta (MRC)

Day two saw the two golds and a host of other good performances, starting with second in the women's MC eights in another composite to a German crew

Kathryn Diserens placed third in women's MA over-27 fours with Bristol rowers, while the WF four and the men's MF coxless four were just a canvas off second, and Louise and Liz were another good third in WME pairs.

Day three saw a second for Wales cap Kathryn in her WA coxless four, before the men's ME coxless four placed third just 1.5L off victory.

And day four began with a second for the men's ME 8 a length behind a five-club German composite, followed by a third for the men's MF coxed four by a similar margin and another third for the MD coxless four before stormy weather intervened and saw racing cancelled.

It was mixed men's and womens boats on day five, with Monmouth taking second in the over-60 8s, and thirds in the over-42 and over-55 8s, the over-27 doubles with Athens Olympian Tim Male and Kathryn Diserens, and the over-50 quad sculls.

Monmouth were place 18th best club overall, with the women's squad of just five rowers finishing 35th.

The squad included Toby Harding, Nick Hooton, Tim Male, Simon Lee, Richard Summers, Colin Lewis, Paul Bezani, Ian Townsend, James Allison, Roland Cox, Tim Earnshaw, David Byrnes, Andy Davies, Harry Beach, Kathryn Diserens, Louise Allison, Liz Lewis, Kate Hooton, and Bonita Birkett.