WYE rowers warmed up for this week’s World Rowing Masters Championships in France with a closer trip to race on the Gloucester/Sharpness canal.

Waiting for barges to pass through were one of the challenges faced by Monmouth RC boats at the 800m-long Gloucester Regatta.

The men’s E4- (average age over 55) of Mark Stewart-Woods, Nick Hooton, Colin Lewis, and Athens Olympian club coach Tim Male faced a strong older crew from Guildford who started with a five-second handicap head start.

But the English outfit couldn’t resist the power of the Monmouth crew, who raced through to win by several lengths.

As usual coach Male used the event to test new combinations, in addition to the new look men’s four, with the ladies E8 another untested crew.

Coxed by former Monmouth Comprehensive student Zac Salmon, the crew of Kate Hooton, Liz Lewis, Susan Smith, Liz Newman, Sheila Sawyer, Dawn Brace, Jan Watkins, and Sheron Dean-Lucas took a reduced handicap against a younger Avon County boat.

Avon steadily pulled back the advantage and despite a strong late charge the Monmouth crew finished just under a length behind.

Former Australian squad member Stewart-Woods and ex-Cambridge Boat Race squad rower Hooton joined forces in an E pair, and following a win in their semi-final over Shrewsbury outfit Pengwern were pushed hard by their final opponents from Bristol Ariel.

But again their power and fitness proved too much for their opponents as they squeezed home by a canvas to collect their second pot of the day.

The women’s E coxed four of Smith, Brace, Watkins, Dean-Lucas and cox Salmon had a decent race but were unable to overcome a strong Worcester crew, losing by just over a length.

The women’s E quadruple scull of Brace, Smith, Watkins and Dean-Lucas came up against an older Evesham crew, who had a five-second head start.

And following some slight steering issues off the start, the Monmouth crew were unable to make up the time difference.

Following the unfortunate cancellation of the Ross regatta due to the lack of water in the Wye, coach Male organised two extra days of coaching and training for club members on Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday ahead of the five-day World Rowing Masters Regatta in Libourne, Bordeaux this week.

A large contingent of club members will be taking part in the international event, which attracts more than 3,000 competitors, including Olympic and world medallists from today (Wednesday, September 7).