Aberystwyth prove their class (From Western Telegraph)

Aberystwyth prove their class

The Fishguard and Goodwick rowing club were the hosts for the penultimate round of the Dale Sailing sponsored Longboat League.

The ladies and junior being the first scheduled event of the day and with the A team from Aberystwyth having an overall lead of only two points in the league from their arch rivals Ceibwr and Newport, there was added tension on the start as they lined up for the three mile race.

After a good start it was the two top teams that immediately pushed ahead of the rest of the field with the Aber team having the slight edge as they made their way out to sea towards the turn buoy.

With the sea choppy and a brisk north westerly wind, it made for very difficult rowing conditions, but this didnt affect the team from Dale, racing for only their second time this season, as they battled against the A and B teams from Llangwm for third spot.

At the turn it was the Aber girls with a slight lead from the Newport boat Carningli, with the rest of the field being lead by Llangwm A. They broke an oar handle on the turn and consequently were soon out of contention.

This allowed the Green Machine from Dale to take up third place from a much-improved Llangwm B team.

Back up the front, with a considerable lead over the rest of the field Aberystwyth and Newport were still battling it out for top spot.

But as they neared the harbour wall it was clear that the Aber team were handling the rough conditions better, pulling ahead by some three lengths to win and all but seal their first league championship from Newport second, with Dale in third and Llangwm B in fourth followed by Llangwm A, Solva veterans, Aberystwyth B, Llangwm C, Solva A, and Solva B.

The juniors from Fishguard being the only team entered rowed well, to win the junior trophy and finish an impressive fourth overall.

In the mens race with 12 teams entered, it was runaway league leaders Aberystwyth A in their boat Cardigan Bay, who once again were in a class of their own to lead the race from start to finish and win impressively by some 30 lengths from their club mates the B team, in third was the local team from Fishguard in their boat Awel Las who recorded their best result of the season to the delight of the home supporters, they were followed on by Solva A, Ceibwr and Newport B, Aberdyfi, Gwbert, Llangwm A, Neyland, Fishguard B, Fishguard veterans (winning the veterans) and Llangwm C.

In the mixed race, being the most popular event of the day with 14 teams entered, it was back to similar rivalry as the ladies race, with the Ceibwr and Newport team just one point ahead overall in the league from the Aberystwyth A team.

With so much at stake and both teams having performed well all season it was important to get off to a good start. The race was set over the same course as the ladies race and it was the Newport team that got the all important early lead pulling ahead by some two lengths from Aberystwyth A with Aberystwyth B not far behind.

By the turn buoy, Aberystwyth had closed the gap on Newport, but a brilliant turn by the Newport Cox Bob Morris restored their lead with interest, gaining a three-length advantage.

Although both Aber teams pushed hard to regain some lost ground, the Newport team held on in an exciting finish to consolidate their lead in the league.

They finished Aberystwyth A second, Aberystwyth B third, followed by Dale, Llangwm A, Llangwm B, Gwbert, Aberdyfi, Little Haven, Llangwm C, Fishguard, Wisemans Bridge, Solva B and Aberystwyth C. The last race of the season will be held at Little Haven on September 2nd at 2 pm.