MYC Rowing Porthmadog members took on two epic rowing challenges on the same day recently.

They sent Celtic longboats and quad sculls to Scotland to take on Monster the Loch and to London for the Great River Race on Saturday, 21 September.

MYC crews and Celtic longboats Fleetwing and Ysbryd Eryri together with quad scull Cwch y Cedryn headed 443 miles north to Loch Insh Outdoor Centre, Kingussie, on Wednesday, 18 September for two-days training and team building before taking on Monster the Loch, a 21-mile rowing challenge on the infamous Loch Ness.

Thursday morning was crisp, bright and as the sun rose above the mountains around Loch Insh, the temperature reached degrees.

The MYC crews joined by members of Rex Rowing Club, Chester, took to their boats and the peace was only broken by oars as they moved through the loch’s peaty waters.

On race day in Scotland, men’s captain Jerry Gilbertson said: “I’m feeling both nervous and excited for the day ahead. Having completed Monster the Loch last year, the magnitude of the coming task is not lost on me.”

On arrival at Dores at the northern end of the Loch, there was hustle and bustle as 112 boats of all shapes and sizes channelled through a field entrance.

Crewing Fleetwing were Edw Jones, Tina Skinner, Ruth Taylor, Jerry Gilbertson and Ash Wiseman.

Simon Pendrell coxed Ysbryd Eryri, with Pippa Owen, Elaine Hackett, Katrina Lewis, Alison Carter and Marc Dancer.

Crewing Cwch y Cedryn was Mike James, Bob Chamberlain, Andrew Parsonage, Harry Richie with Sonia Parsonage as cox.

In true sportsmanship Beaumaris Rowing Club kindly loaned the scull for the event in exchange for some sculling lessons in Chester.

The wind was such that the boats were being pushed over the start line and the crews had to back paddle to avoid a penalty. As the safety boat traversed the start line the rowers and paddlers were treated to the sight and sound of bagpipes.

Once the race started, 112 boats jostled for position and Fleetwing battled for clear water. As the rowers pulled hard through the dark depths of Loch Ness they settled and knuckled down for the 21 miles ahead.

Fleetwing found herself in the midfield, flanked by two other Celtic longboats, keeping pace with them for the first few miles, but slowly the others stretched away.

After five miles or so Tina took over the cox position with Edw in stroke and she set her sights on catching the other Celtics.

The crew rowed hard, which this early in the race could have been a mistake, but with measured, consistent hard rowing and great encouragement from Tina Fleetwing caught up with and overtook a black Celtic.

Fleetwing pushed on, overtaking many boats from all classes, and rowing long and strong, she cut through the water at about 6.5 miles per hour.

The other Celtic, a red boat, was about 15 boat lengths ahead and Fleetwing was slowly gaining.

After about one hour she edged closer and overtook. Pushing on, the wind and waves increased and the crew had to give their all to maintain their hard fought lead.

The finish line was just short of the south shore of Fort Augustus and as the competitors finished they hauled their boats up the beach and onto the field where the piper played his bagpipes as the supporters awaited the crews return.

The Monster the Loch is a challenge race, with 392 rowers and paddlers all individually pitting themselves against the distance and magnitude of the event. All competitors received a t-shirt and medal in recognition of their achievement.

Fleetwing and her crew completed the course in three hours 25 minutes and 38 seconds and was the first Celtic longboat home, smashing the previous course record of three hours 32 minutes held by Celtic longboat Mabli from Beaumaris Rowing Club.

MYC’s Ysbryd Eryri finished seventh out of the Celtic longboats in three hours 51 minutes

Katrina Lewis said: “It was a hard row, I had to release my inner monster, I loved it!”

This was an excellent result for Ysbryd with six in the boat, two guest rowers, a novice and two senior members Pippa Owen and Simon Pendrell who between them have over the years probably won and competed in more races than the rest of the competitors put together!

Cwch y Cedryn completed the course in an impressive two hours 44 minutes and 59 seconds and were 12th boat overall.

Bob Chamberlain said: “What an amazing experience and a great joint event for MYC and Rex Rowing clubs. To break the Rex two hour 58 minute record by 14 minutes was the result of training and a brilliant team effort.”

MYC crews assembled at Porthmadog Harbour on Friday, 20 September to travel with Celtic longboats, Glaslyn and Madog, to London for the Great River Race.

The GRR as it is known has been held since 1988 on the River Thames. Hundreds of boats take part and it is an international event, with boats from as far away as America, Australia and many European countries.

The event is based on the Watermen principal, in that each crew must carry a passenger, a coxswain and has fixed seats.

The course is 21.6 miles long and passes the Houses of Parliament and under 28 bridges, to finish at Ham House.

Most of the MYC rowers travelled in the mini-bus and the atmosphere was full of banter and fun, with a few naturally nervous about the challenge ahead, as it was their first challenge race.

270 boats lined up on the River Thames at Millwall the following day.

At 2.09pm the race started and oars and paddles clashed as they competitors fought for their spot on the water. The Thames was very swollen after days of heavy rain and a six metre tide. It was 24 degrees and the wind was against them.

Madog had a bad start clashing with several boats amongst them a Thames Clipper, and she took until Westminster Bridge over six miles later before she caught up with MYC’s Glaslyn coxed by Max Jenkins, with Darren Guy, Dave Thurlow, Lisa Steele, Kaz Spring and Nic Morgan in crew. Max was the only crew member to have rowed the GRR before.

Crewing Madog were cox Geoff Wood, Clare Oates, Sarah Thomas, Hettie O’Brien, Lynda Roberts and as passenger Simon Hose. Only Sarah and Geoff had taken part before.

The Thames was heaving with boats and there were large crowds gathered on the banks and bridges. The atmosphere was one of a festival, but with 21.6 miles to row it was hard graft for the competitors.

Kaz Spring who had rowed the Ocean to City Race in Cork earlier this year was taking part as part of her 60th birthday celebrations.

By mile 20 she said she was beginning to flag, when she heard familiar voices shouting “Come on Porthmadog!”

When she looked up she could see her son Timothy and daughter-in-law Janie standing on Kew Bridge. They had been following crew member Dave Thurlow’s tracker and had managed to get a space on the bridge amongst the crowds.

Glaslyn completed the course in two hours 57 minutes and were 13th in their category.

Madog completed the course in two hours 41 minutes, just four minutes after Aberdyfi Ladies, who won their category in a time of two hours 37 minutes. Aberdyfi Men’s boat were first Celtic in a time of two hours 22 minutes.

Sarah Thomas, MYC Commodore said: “It was a really good social weekend! I was so pleased that so many new rowers were able to take part and enjoy such a weekend

“It’s a brilliant, chaotic race to do where you can see so many sights of London from a different perspective.

“I am really proud of the club with how much we have done this year.

“We have had a huge number of new rowers and it is lovely to see how much people have developed and come on with rowers taking part in different races and opportunities whilst also enjoying the social aspect of our great club.”

If you have been inspired to have a go at rowing please contact MYC on[email protected]or alternatively have a look at madog-rowing.co.uk.