WYE rowers are flocking to the Thames for the most prestigious open rowing event in the world this week – the 184-year-old Henley Royal Regatta.

Monmouth School’s 1st 8 made it through Friday’s 19 boat time-trial qualifying race by landing one of the last eight places in the 32-strong Princess Elizabeth Cup field – traditionally for school 8s but extended this year to club junior crews for the first time ever.

The Wye outfit drew Aussie seeds Brisbane Boys’ College in the first round, with the winner set to face the victor of Welsh rivals Llandaff RC - one of the first three club crews to qualify for the event alongside German and American boats - and King’s Chester.

Monmouth School for Girls’ eight also raced in the qualifiers, but didn’t make it through to the Prince Philip Cup junior girl eights, despite a gutsy effort, covering the 2,250m upstream course in 7mins 47secs.

Monmouth RC’s four of Mark Stewart-Woods, Tom Cookman, Oli Partridge and Evan Whittal-Williams will be the first crew from the club to race in the regatta since their 2009 Thames Cup club eight.

They were pre-selected after a solid performance at the Metropolitan Regatta on the London Olympic lake, but were also handed a tough opener against Henley seeds Upper Thames in round one of the 32-boat Wyfold Cup club coxless fours.

Remarkably, former Aussie squad rower Stewart-Woods will be one of the oldest rowers in the whole event at 60, but is still a fearsome competitor, winning seven golds at last year’s World Rowing Masters Championships.

Former Monmouth Comprehensive School pupil Violet Holbrow-Brooksbank is among the favourites to make the winner’s podium on Sunday at the six-day regatta, after helping her Wycliffe quadruple scull to the Henley Women’s junior girls’ title two weeks ago.

They are seeded in the 24-boat Diamond Jubillee Challenge Cup, with a bye into the second round to face the winners of Molesey and Marlow outfit Sir William Borlase, with a oprobable last eight clash with Australians Sydney RC.

Another looking to go all the way is Old Monmothian world U23 champion Robbie Prosser who is seeded in the 16-boat Visitors Cup fours in his Molesey/Bristol University boat, starting with a clash with Thames RC/Ever Green US.

All the races are live on Henley’s YouTube channel, which will have daily highlights, with daily race times available on its website at www.hrr.co.uk