THE Penarth Rowing club held their annual regatta with more than 60 rowers taking part in the event.

The event on September 9 started at Penarth Beach, near the pier, and is one of the oldest events in the town.

Racing 600 metres alongside the cliffs to finish at Penarth Yacht Club, crews from Sully, Monmouth, Carmarthen, Llandaff, Swansea and Port Talbot took part in the race.

Events were held for boats with four people and for double, which was introduced this year along with mixed crews.

Each team raced in scully boats, where rowers have an oar in each hand, and sweep boats, where each rower only has one oar.

The Monmouth School boys won two events through to the master’s event from Penarth.

In front of spectators on the esplanade, the crew dodged swimmers and other watercraft as three races took place around a B-shaped course.

The competition got keener as races progressed with one boat starting early in race two and having to return and restart.

In race three, four boats pushed over the starting line with varied results but, as competitors discarded their worse results, the overall victory went to Carolyn and Nick from Thornbury Sailing Club.

Paul Bambridge and C Owen from Tata Steel SC came second in an Osprey while Danny Powell from Sully came third sailing a laser. The first junior to win was Pietro Ruta, from Sully, in a Topper.

The event finished with a barbeque and prize-giving ceremony.