A fantastic end to the season
The Beaumaris Rowing Club season came to a fantastic conclusion as the club clinched several trophies at the final race of the North Wales League in Caernarfon.
The Caernarfon races had been postponed earlier in the season due to rough weather; however, despite rain and strong winds on Friday and Saturday, Sunday morning proved ideal for rowing as the various clubs gathered for the race.
It has been a mixed season for the Beaumaris women’s team, with Clwb Rhwyfo Porthmadog leading the way by winning three of the first five races of the season and Aberdyfi winning the other two.
However, in Caernarfon, two Beaumaris boats took the race by the scruff of the neck, with Menai and Cybi making an excellent start and judging the tide to perfection.
A fantastic race for the Beaumaris women
Both crews were among the frontrunners as the race reached the first buoy, but Menai became involved in a collision with Madog from MYC Porthmadog. This allowed Cybi, crewed by Emily, Catrin, Karen, and Mel, and coxed by John Bach, to pull away from the rest of the fleet.
As the race turned back towards Victoria Dock, Menai’s crew of Mari, Nia, Ingrid, and Vicky, coxed by Mike, managed to make amends for their earlier collision, overtaking several other boats to regain a position near the front of the pack.
Cybi held a very comfortable lead as they rounded the final buoy, with Blodwen from Clwb Rhwyfo Porthmadog in second place, and Menai a close third.
Cybi sprinted across the finish line to secure their first victory of the season; meanwhile, Menai came agonisingly close to catching Blodwen at the line, with the Porthmadog crew finishing just one second ahead.
Unfortunately for Menai, a complaint was lodged regarding their collision at the first buoy; the race director agreed with the Porthmadog club that their manoeuvre around the buoy had been dangerous, and consequently, Menai were disqualified from the race.
A challenge from the south for the Beaumaris men
Aberdyfi have won every men’s race this season, and the Caernarfon race proved no exception, as the open crew in Clychau led from the starting gun to the finish line.
Cardigan Rowing Club had travelled north for the final race of the season, having already won the South League’s SuperVet category; their decision was fully vindicated by a hard-fought battle against the Menai crew comprising Mike, Challis, Justin and John Bach, with Ingrid as cox.
Menai needed to finish ahead of Afon from Aberdyfi to win the North League’s SuperVet category, but their main rivals proved to be the Cardigan crew in their boat, 35 Seconds Ahead.
An excellent race unfolded between the two boats; Menai managed to catch 35 Seconds Ahead at the first buoy turn, but the Cardigan men were not about to give up without a fight, and the two boats remained neck-and-neck for most of the second leg.
Once Menai opened up a gap, the Beaumaris crew reached the final buoy with enough of a lead to row across the finish line in second place, securing the North League SuperVet championship.
As Beaumaris only needed a single point from the race in order to clinch the Vet title in the North League, Mari successfully coxed Arwel, Gary, Lee, and Simon to a sixth-place finish in Cybi, ensuring the club added the Vet title to the SuperVet title.
More success for Beaumaris
With the tide having turned by the time the mixed race took place, it was decided to shorten the course to a straight race down to the first buoy and back to Porth yr Aur.
The start was exceptionally chaotic, with boats struggling to stay behind the line thanks to the strong current. Several boats were facing in the wrong direction when the starting gun was fired.
However, Menai, with Catrin coxing a race for the first time, managed a perfect start, as Mike, Nia, Ingrid, and Challis took full advantage of the tide to reach the buoy in the lead.
After rounding the buoy, Menai managed to find the line closest to the shore to avoid rowing against the strong current, ensuring no other boat could catch them and securing a second victory of the afternoon for Beaumaris.
Thanks, as always, to the Royal Welsh Yacht Club for the arrangements and the warm welcome, and for providing a fantastic conclusion to the North Wales League rowing season.
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