CARDIFF UNIVERSITY rowing club enjoyed a successful start to the year’s races, after mixed results during the summer regatta season.

At the Henley royal regatta the men’s squad eight narrowly missed out on qualifying. Andy Haines, Mike Haines and Laurence Birdsey reached the semi-finals of the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup in their quad, off the back of stunning races against the Combined Services RC and a Leander and Henley composite.

They were beaten by the eventual winners, California RC. While the women’s eight was knocked out in the first heat at Women’s Henley, in what was the fastest race in that category, by Oxford, the eventual winners.

At the National Rowing Championships Andy Haines and Mike Haines won U23 double scull, with Haines also placed 2nd in U23 singles in an agonisingly close race, just 1.04 seconds off the winner. Laurence Birdsey finished 3rd in Open Lightweight double and 5th in Open Lightweight pair. Catriona Kay, Emily Parry, Beth Smith, Sophie Crampin and Penny Challans came 5th in the women’s coxed 4, the first time a Welsh based crew has reached a final at Nat Champs for over 20 years.

At pairs head Beth Smith and Emma Cockcroft’s time of 13.59.2 won their category just 14 seconds behind elite class winners and Beijing Olympic finalists Natasha page and Beth Rodford. Amy Nihad and Vicky Williams finished 3rd in the W.S.3 category only 16 seconds behind the other Cardiff crew.

The crews then raced at home on the Taff in Cardiff Small Boats Head, where Cardiff collected a range of pennants, winning the Women’s Senior 2 coxed fours, the Women’s Senior 4 coxed four and the novice men’s coxed four.

At Fours head in London, one of the most demanding races of the head season, Cardiff acquitted itself well in tough competition.

Five Cardiff University rowers, Emma Cockcroft, Beth Smith, Catriona Kay, Emily Parry and Penny Challans became the first Welsh crew ever to win a division at the event, racing as Rhwyfo Cymru.

Vicky Williams, Amy Nihad, Emmeline Mudford, Laura Watkins and Matthew Hetherington placed 7th in W.S.3.4+ with only Oxford, Cambridge Tethys and Edinburgh crews ahead of them, with seconds separating the top pack.

Jessica Watts, Alex Shepherd, Jess Lloyd Jones, Sarah Baker and Emily Evans placed 11th at the head of the middle pack of the same division.