WYE rower Tom Powell stormed to glory at Henley Royal Regatta as his Imperial College crew raced to the Prince Albert Cup college fours title.

And by beating Newcastle University in Sunday's final, he became the fourth former Monmouth Comprehensive student to win a coveted red box medal in two years at the world's most prestigious open regatta, which sees head-to-head knockout racing over six days.

Tom Powell, second rower from left, powers to Henley glory
Tom Powell, second rower from left, powers to Henley glory (Nick Hartland)

Old Monmothian cox Jack Tottem also steered the GB women's crew to victory against the Italian national boat in the Remenham Cup international 8s.

But there was Henley heartache for former MCS pupil Violet Holbrow-Brooksbank – a winner of the Diamond Jubilee girls' quadruple sculls with Wycliffe in 2024 – as her Washington University 8 had Island Cup women's college 8s victory clutched from their grasp in the final 300 yards by fellow Americans Brown.

Racing on the iconic 2,012m timber boom-lined Thames course with crowds of up to 80,000 packing the riverbank and enclosures, Powell's boat beat Birmingham University comfortably in the last 16 before downing Cambridge's Light Blues by 1L in Friday's quarter-finals.

Imperial power clear of Newcastle in their Henley final
Imperial power clear of Newcastle in their Henley final (Nick Hartland)

The semi-final then saw them beat Dutch raiders Triton by 3L, while Newcastle edged a humdinger with Oxford's Dark Blues by 1/2L.

With the temperature touching 30C on Sunday afternoon, Newcastle blasted out to a 3/4L lead at the 1/4 Mile, but Imperial with Powell at two quickly retaliated and were bowball to bowball by the Barrier two minutes in.

They led by just three feet at half-way and despite a steering warning at Remenham, moved out to a length at the Mile Post.

The Tyne boat got a slight overlap hitting the packed enclosures, but Imperial resisted their final charge to take the trophy for the fifth time – which they originally donated to the regatta – by 1L in six minutes 50 seconds.

Tom's win follows triumphs for fellow MCS alumni Darcy Birkett in the Wargrave Cup women's club 8s alongside Holbrow-Brooksbank's winning quad in 2024, and Eleanor Lawrence-Preston matching Violet last year.

Fresh from winning World Cup gold in Lucerne, Switzerland, the week before, Oxford Boat Race winner Tottem from Devauden was also back on the podium steering the Leander and Molesey GB women to Remenham Cup glory by 2 1/4L from the Italians in 6.51.

It was level at the 1/4-Mile before the Brits moved out to 1/2L at the Barrier which was clear water by Fawley, with Tottem and crew then able to enjoy powering along the enclosures to victory at 36 strokes a minute.

Holbrow-Brooksbank's Washington boat dispatched Newcastle by 1 1/2L, Cambridge's Boat Race women by 2/3L and Durham in the semi by the same margin to make the final.

And the Seattle outfit took an early lead against Rhode Island's Brown to go through the Barrier and Fawley markers 3/4L up.

Violet Holbrow-Brooksbank, fourth from right, racing in her Washington University crew. Photo: Ben Rodford
Violet Holbrow-Brooksbank, fourth from right, racing in her Washington University crew. Photo: Ben Rodford (Photo: Ben Rodford Photography)

But approaching the enclosures, their rivals rating higher started to close, and agonisingly they surged past with just 30 strokes to go to win in 6.57.

But there was more Wye glory in the form of Ross RC's Fliss Cox, who helped her Reading University become the first winners at the 187-year-old regatta of the new Queen Victoria Cup women's student quad sculls, beating Dutch boat Proteus-Eretes (2 1/2L), Birmingham (5L) and a second Dutch boat Skoll (2 1/4L) in the final in 7.17.

You can watch the races on Henley Regatta’s dedicated YouTube channel.