ABERYSTWYTH hosted the penultimate Celtic Long Boat league race of 2024.
MYC Rowers, Porthmadog joined clubs from around the Welsh coast to compete in the joint league race. As the first competitors arrived at the harbour they were greeted by a pod of dolphins playing in the bay under clear blue skies.
Aberystwyth harbour is located where two rivers, the Rheidol and the Ystwyth meet and flow into the Irish Sea.
Once ranked as the third largest port in Wales, the harbour has seen local fishermen catching herring, cod and whiting and with the export of lead and zinc, with coal and timber imported, by the 1840s passengers travelled on trading ships to North America.
With the arrival of the railway in the 1860s trade in the harbour declined and in the 1990s it became a thriving marina, with a few fishing boats catching lobster.
The Celtic Long Boats lined up along the harbour wall on the hottest day of the year. With temperatures rising to 27 degrees and a south easterly offshore breeze, the rowers were apprehensive about the day’s events.
The 6km course started in open water, headed south turning around a static yacht moored beneath the steep cliff, turning out to sea, around a buoy and back to the finish line at the harbour entrance.
MYC Porthmadog took their oldest boat Fleetwing, which was purchased in 2001 when the club was established.
The ladies were first to row, in crew were Richard Gloster as Coxswain, Sarah Thomas, Hettie O’Brien, Wendy Grainge and Clare Oates, coming joint 8th in a field of 16 boats. Aberdyfi were first Celtic home.
The men were next to race, with MYC fielding a crew of Sarah Thomas as Cox. Jerry Gilbertson, Richard Gloster, Robin O’Brien and Fess Parker, placed 9th out of 14 boats, with Aberdyfi, again coming first.
The last race of the day was the mixed category, at the hottest part of the day with an outgoing tide.
The MYC crew consisted of Richard Gloster again as Cox, Jerry Gilbertson, Lisa Steele, whose ever first race it was, Debbie Hughes and Fess Parker.
MYC were placed 17th out of 21 boats, with Jerry Gilbertson (Mens Captain) saying: “This was a a hard race as Fess and I had raced earlier, we had a hard fought battle against Cybi from Beaumaris Rowing Club for the entire race, with MYC completing a great last turn to take the lead, but Cybi managed to pip us to the line, MYC placing as 4th in the Supervets category.”
Aberystwyth also ran a juniors and novice race over a shorter course with four boats competing. Aberystwyth came 1st and 2nd with Sion Cwilt coming 3rd and 4th.
Aberystwyth put on a great day, thanks go to all competitors, organisers and the RNLI who were present throughout.
The final league race of the year will be hosted by MYC Rowing, Porthmadog on Saturday, 7 September with all Celtic Long Boats and Scullers welcome. Please contact Sarah Thomas, race cecretary, for more information at [email protected] or madog-rowing.co.uk
A great chance for everyone who has always fancied a go at rowing to come along and see what it is all about.
Contact them on [email protected] or just turn up on the day from 12.30pm.