A RIVER Wye masters rowing crew made history in the USA, as they secured a first ever Welsh club class win in the world's biggest rowing event – Boston’s Head of the Charles.

Abergavenny vet Nick Hooton and Gilwern cox Hannah Llewellyn-Davies were on board the winning Monmouth Rowing Club boat, as 12,000 rowers in 2,500 boats – from Olympic sculling champions to world class 8s – lined up over three days to race the three-mile time-trial course in beautiful autumn sunshine, watched by more than 100,000 spectators.

Nick, Hannah and Mark Woods were returning after taking silver in the over-60s men's fours in 2023, this time joined by Ian Townsend and David Byrne.

Lining up in a 24-strong field that included the Ex-Nemo alumni boat of rowing superpower Harvard University – containing a US 1984 Olympic silver medallist – it would need a brilliant row to top the podium.

But from the off, Monmouth, starting 17th, stormed into a six-second lead at the first timing mark (4.12.94), and eight seconds at the next split (10.05.70), where the commentators were suitably impressed by the Welsh boat's speed.

There was a tense moment under the next bridge where the livestream showed cox Hannah waving furiously at a crew they were passing to give way and the lead was 12 seconds.

But they rowed clear without clashing blades, and lifting for the line, powered home to finish nearly 11 seconds in front of Ex-Nemo in 18.14.45, followed by Rocky Mountain a full 36 seconds back.

And they weren't the only Monmouth RC rower to top the podium, with former GB international Bill Downing joining an Upper Yarra Australia crew of masters all-stars to take the over-70s men's 8s by nearly a minute from the second-placed San Diego University alumni boat, crossing in 17.55.

Club mate Alex Butler also made the trip with his 2010 British quad champion crew mate Jamie Coombes from Hereford, racing in an on-the-day scratch Rex BC Chester over-40s four, with former Monmouth School rowing master David Blackham and Wales cap Paul Turner.

And they did well to place fifth in 17.29.07, half a minute behind Cambridge's Boat Race alumni in first.

GB and world U23 gold medal rower Robbie Prosser from Crickhowell had to settle for 16th with top UK club Leander though in a smoking Men's Championship 8s, finishing 24 seconds behind Cambridge's Boat Race squad, who successfully defended their title by just 1.5 seconds from US champions Washington, with Harvard only a second back in bronze.

Such was the calibre of the field, that the US national training centre boat could only finish fourth, another six seconds behind.

But there was Welsh success in the Women’s Championship 8s, with Angharad Broughton and Heloise Wormleighton taking a brilliant silver in the Hampton-based Molesey BC boat behind the US squad.

The winners crossed 15 seconds up in 15.12.9, with Oxford’s Blue Boat squad springing a surprise taking bronze eight seconds back, a full 22 seconds ahead of Cambridge, who have won the last eight Women’s Boat Races.