Chronicle January 2021

48 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Rowing By Adam Moffatt

The J15 girls and boys did manage to get out on the water and with both squads able to boat eights they set off for their first event at Northampton Head. Unknown to all, this would be their one and only race of the season, so to return with wins for both the boys and girls was a pleasing way to sign off. The J16s and seniors raced at Wycliffe Head with the J18 eight winning their division, beating crews from Abingdon, Radley, King’s Chester and Shiplake. The senior girls’ quad finished a close 2nd to Shrewsbury School in the Open event. The senior boys raced at Quintin Head in two matched eights with great success. They finished 2nd and 4th in J18s showing a good depth to the squad but also beating many schools’ 1st VIIIs in the process. For both the senior girls’ and boys’ crews the arrival of Covid-19 was especially frustrating as both crews promised to be some of the fastest the Boat Club had seen for some time. The training they did at

home during lockdown with the hope of some racing in the summer was testament to their fantastic attitude. Summer 2020 The Boat Club was not going to let everyone being at home, unable to get out on the water, stop them from training and keeping spirits high! Zoom sessions were held once a week where either an ergo, body circuit or spinning session were completed, allowing the pupils to keep in touch, catch up and, importantly, keep their fitness going. This incorporated all year groups and the dedication by many was fantastic to see and it was even more impressive to see parents joining in! Over the course of the summer we had some pupils run marathons, cycle over 100km (at least a few times a week) and complete many kilometres on the rowing machine; with this kind of attitude the future of the Boat Club is in safe hands.

Spring Term 2020 There was plenty of excitement going into the start of the Spring Term following a hugely successful December camp in Seville for the senior boys and girls. Numbers across the Boat Club were healthy but we were confronted with a flooded river for the first training session. With no sign of the rain letting up, it was a slow start, especially for the Shells, but with a fleet of rowing machines available along with plenty of running and circuits they were able to get into shape for when conditions calmed down. Sadly the rain continued and once Covid-19 arrived, their season was all too short.

Cox Oliver Shillinglaw, Robin Wheeler, Noah Wilmot, Anthony Mallett, Max Ebner, Will Cruddas, Cosmo del Mar, Rory McDonnell and Joss Harrison