Monmouth School for Boys’ Rowing Club is celebrating its 150th year in style, winning a major title in a record-breaking time and bagging a bronze medal at the National Schools’ Regatta in Windsor.

The 1st VIII dazzled in the impressive new John W Hartland boat, winning the Non-Championship VIIIs event in the fastest-ever time achieved by a crew from the school.

And to cap an amazing weekend at Dorney Lake, a coxed four from the school raced in the Championship IV+ event and clinched an incredible bronze medal.

In the most prestigious schools rowing event of the year, Monmouth stormed to first place in the Non-Championship VIIIs, formerly known as the Child Beale cup.

Monmouth had only tasted victory once before in this event and it followed on from the crew winning the equivalent at the Schools Head of the River earlier this year.

The crew of Iwan, Joe, Antony, Ryan, Ben, Robbie, Cameron, Hamish (J16/Y11) and Jack clocked a time of 5:54.59 which was the first time any Monmouth School for Boys crew had gone below the six-minute barrier.

It was also the first time any Child Beale crew had eclipsed 6:00 and, therefore, the boys set a new record for the event.

The Monmouth crew also finished sixth overall in Championship VIIIs, just six seconds adrift of the winners, St Paul’s School and only half-a-length behind Eton College.

The following day, half of the school VIII – namely Jack (cox), Antony, Ben, Robbie and Iwan – then jumped into a coxed four for the Championship IV+ event – the premier school fours event in the country.

Once again an outstanding set of races resulted in the school crew achieving a bronze medal, missing silver by fractions of a second.

“With the J16 IV- coming eighth out of all the top J16 fours in the country and our J14 quad similarly coming 13th overall, this was the most amazing National Schools’ Regatta in our 150 years of rowing at Monmouth School for Boys,” said Master in Charge of Rowing, Mr John Griffiths.