THE last big rowing race of 2014 saw the school’s rowing eight land the pennant for fastest women’s boat of the day on home Wye waters.

Racing against the clock into a stiff headwind, Aoife, Jo, Hannah, Emily, Charlotte, Pippa, Emma, stroke Gabby and cox Hannah finished the 204-boat Monmouth Christmas Head of the River Race in 7 minutes 33 seconds to take the women’s Intermediate 3 class title by more than half a minute from Surrey University and City of Bristol.

And despite the wind dropping in Division 2, their time still proved quicker than Cardiff University’s women’s elite 8 in Division 2 by five seconds, to give HMSG the overall fastest women’s pennant.

Wearing festive tinsel in their hair, Emma, Emily, Charlotte, Pippa and cox Hannah also set the fastest women’s four time of 7.51 in the second division to add a second women’s IM3 class title, beating nearest rivals Llandaff by 22 seconds and going faster than several men’s fours and eights!

The girls’ novice eight also did well finishing a close second to Surrey University in their class in 8.08.

The two U15 quadruple sculls had a tight tussle between themselves as just four seconds split them at the finish, with the first boat home in 8.54.

A 27-club armada launched out in unseasonal sunshine for the event, raced over 1.5 miles from Hadnock to the girls’ boat bay at the town rowing club, with entries from as far afield as Cornwall, Oxford, London and the East Midlands attending.

Full results at www.monmouthrc.org.uk