WYE rowers Darcy Birkett and Violet Holsbrow-Brooksbank stormed to finals glory at Henley Royal Regatta on Sunday – the world's oldest and most prestigious open rowing event.
Dating back 185 years, this year’s six-day event attracted a record 772-boat entry from 27 nations, from as far afield as New Zealand, Australia and the USA, with the former Monmouth Comprehensive pupils racing through to take wins in the women's club 8s and junior girls' quadruple sculls respectively.
Cox Darcy, whose parents Bonita and Ewart both row at the town club whose boats she has also steered, had her hands on the tiller of the Thames RC A boat, who row on the Boat Race stretch in London.
They came through a 38-strong Wargrave Cup women's club 8s field with wins over their own D crew (1L), Germans Munster (1 3/4L) and fellow seeds Leander (1 1/3L) on the epic timber-boomed 2,112m upstream course, which is thronged riverside by up to 80,000 spectators daily.
That put them in the final against near neighbours London RC, and leading by 1L at the first signal Barrier mark, they stormed home to win by a full 4 1/2L in 7.17, steers woman Darcy - who also attended Monmouth School for Girls – then receiving the traditional dunking in the river from her jubilant crew mates.
World U19 silver medalist Violet's Wycliffe Diamond Jubilee Cup girls' quad scull have proved dominant all season, taking the Schools' Head, the Junior Sculling Head, the National Schools' Regatta and Henley Women's titles.
And after commanding wins over Aberdeen Schools (3.5L), local rivals Hartpury containing the NS doubles champions (2L) and their own B boat (3 1/4L), they powered away to lift the title and complete an unbeaten year by 4L from Marlow RC in 7.51.
"It's just amazing," said Violet, who is hoping to travel to the junior worlds next month in Canada with the GB team before heading off on a rowing scholarship to Washington University in the US.
"All four of us came together for the first time at the start of Year 12 and we've built this project up to win at Henley Royal.
"Coming along the enclosures leading with all the people shouting was a fantastic feeling.
"We weren't over confident, we talked it through, and I always get nervous whatever the race, but now we've done it, and with the motivation of losing in the final last year, it just feels great.
"And I'd like to say a big thanks to Monmouth Comprehensive Boat Club and coach Matt Royston for helping me get here."
Several other Wye rowers made waves at the regatta, Old Monmothian World U23 gold medalist Robbie Prosser, fresh from 8s bronze at the US national college championships, racing to Visitors Cup fours victory over Dutch raiders Skaadi/Laga in his California Berkeley boat by 3 1/2L before losing out to Oxford Brookes in the last eight by 1 1/2L.
Stephen Griffiths – son of former Monmouth School master I/C rowing John – made it to the semi-finals of the Wyfold Cup club coxless fours in his Upper Thames boat with wins over Bristol (2L), Nottingham (1 3/4L) and Molesey (1 1/4L) before bowing out to Thames A by 2L, who then led the final to within 20 strokes of the line before being passed by Marlow.
Monmouth RC's Alex Butler and Oli Partridge rowing for Hereford in the same event made it through the qualifying time-trial and then beat East Enders Curlew by 1L before bowing out to Canadians Calgary.
Monmouth School's 8 also made it through the qualifiers before losing out to Norwich School by 2 1/2L in the first round of the Princess Elizabeth Cup school and junior boys 8s.
Former Monmouth RC junior George Coates and his Hartpury boy's quad scull made it past Maidenhead by 1/2L before bowing out to event winners Windsor Boys by 2 1/2L in the last eight.
You can watch all the races on Henley Royal Regatta's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/henleyroyalregatta