Aberdyfi Rowing Club’s mixed team made history on the 2019 Arklow to Aberystwth Celtic Challenge when they crossed the finish line in first place just after 6am on Bank Holiday Monday.

After a wait of two days until conditions were favourable, the teams finally left Arklow in Ireland on Sunday, and rowed throughout the night to reach the finish at Aberystwyth the next morning.

The ladies, mixed and miscellaneous teams left Arklow at midday on Sunday, with the men’s teams leaving two hours later at 2pm. Aberdyfi Mixed were first across the line at 6.09 am on Monday, as the overall race winners in a time of 18 hours and 19 minutes - becoming the first mixed team ever to win the challenge.

They also picked up awards for being first in the mixed category and the first Welsh team - and remarkably the team ranged in ages from 16 to 73, and included some relatively novice rowers.

Chairman of Aberdyfi Rowing Club and a member of the Celtic Challenge crew Mike Rogers said: “This race is a tough challenge and I am so proud of all of our team. We did incredibly well, and it was a wonderful achievement.

“We had a great start and conditions were favourable, which meant we had a good crossing. We were definitely a happy team, and there was a great camaraderie, which kept our spirits up.

“Everyone on the team played their part in our success, and a huge thanks goes to David Chapman and John Ward on the rib and to Pete Jennings, Chris Smith, Howard and Jack Whittle on our support boat ‘September Joy’. Also thanks to Ian Brown and Tom Jones who were indispensable in towing our boats and transporting crew, and Ian Andrews who organised our team from the start.”

He added: “When the race began on Sunday we were leading all the boats almost from the start, and the fact that we managed to keep ahead the whole way shows our determination and courage, and proves that all the long, hard hours of training have been worthwhile.

“Thanks to all our supporters and of course to the organisers for another terrific Celtic Challenge. We will look forward to another one in two years’ time.”

The Celtic Challenge is the World’s Longest true rowing race, a distance of about 85 nautical miles. Celtic and Pembrokeshire longboats take part - and each boat has four fixed seats and one cox.

Each team doing the Celtic Challenge consists of 12 people, who take it in turns to row, spending the time in between on a support boat. A small inflatable is generally used to transfer people between the support boat and the rowing boat.

The second team to cross the finish line was Aberystwyth Men, in the fastest time of 16 hours and 27 minutes, and the third team to finish the race was Vartry Rowing Club in a time of 16 hours 31 minutes.

Aberdyfi’s successful Mixed crew, the overall winners of the 2019 Celtic Challenge, included Mike Rogers, Guy Shaw, Ian Andrews, Callum Andrews, Bob Sharples. Colin Francis, Mary Upson, Sue Gladwin, Sandy Andrews, Alice Whittle, Gail Cross and Elin Evans.