A WYE trio triumphed for Wales in the Home Countries International rowing regatta in Glasgow, with two of them winning two events each.

Monmouth’s Stephen Griffiths and Sam Royston both helped Wales to only the nation’s third ever win in the Blue Riband men’s eights having earlier taken victory in the coxed fours.

And former Monmouth School pupil Richard Summers was also on the podium, steering the Wales women’s four home ahead of England, Ireland and Scotland.

Cox Summers saw his crew of Kate Silverthorne, Daisy Barnes Emily Brace and Suzie Erith blast into a lead of 3/4L from England at 500m, but they had to resist a strong English challenge in the second quarter as they charged back to 1/3L at half way.

That was as close as England got though, with Wales edging out again to go through 1500m 2/3L up and storming away in the last quarter to win by 1 1/2L, with Scotland snatching second on the line by two feet.

In the very next race, Griffiths and Monmouth Comprehensive product Royston in the cox’s seat, joined by Henley Royal Regatta winner Sam Whittaker, Ben Thomas and Ollie Hines, took the men’s fours race by the scruff of the neck to lead by 1L at 500m from Ireland.

The lead was 1 1/2L through half-way and the 1500m mark and despite Scotland charging past the Irish to challenge in the closing stages, Wales crossed 2/3L up for back-to-back fours wins.

The men’s four then had 20 races to rest up before their next appearance in the last race of the day, the men’s eights, which Wales had never previously won on foreign water, with their only two other wins on Cardiff Bay in 2008 and 2012.

Joined by Henry Hogan, Will Moorhouse, James Stanhope and Matt Hnatiw, the race proved a firecracker of a finale, as Wales powered into a three-seat lead over Scotland at 500m, where just 1/3L covered the field.

And Wales kept pushing into the second quarter to hit half way 2/3L to the good in the decisive move of the race.

The advantage was 3/4L with 500m to race and although the chasing pack closed in the last quarter, Wales had too much in hand and crossed just under 1/2L clear of the Scots in 6.18.40, with England pipping Ireland for third just under 1L back by a foot.

Steph Clutterbuck grabbed Wales’ other win, retaining the women’s singles title won for Wales on Cardiff Bay last year by current GB rower Alice Baatz, while there were also four solid seconds for Wales in the men’s singles, lightweight men’s pairs, junior girls’ doubles and junior men’s pairs.

Monmouth Comprehensive pupils David Newman and Tom Brice, along with Monmouth School’s Jack McFarlane, took third in the Wales junior eight, while Monmouth School’s Evan Roberts steered the boys four to the same position.

Haberdashers’ Monmouth rowers Emily Strawbridge and Hannah Lincoln also raced in the girls’ team.

Pictures by Ron Wallace http://cofd.co.uk/