The Chronicle, No. 668, September 2015

20 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Rowing By Peter Rudge, Master i/c Rowing

Last term was a very positive one for the Boat Club with both boys and girls across all year groups enjoying real success. The Shell boys’ A crew had an excellent year. In reaching the final at the National Schools’ Regatta and finishing 5th in the country they became the most successful Shell A crew in the School’s history and the first to reach the final since 2005. The Shell girls’ A crew were determined not to let the boys have all the limelight and they were also fantastic last year, winning several events and beating several boys’ crews along the way. It was great to see them finish off their season by winning their final event of the year at Reading Town Regatta so convincingly. The Fourth Form girls and boys both won last term and the last few weeks of the term were especially encouraging. The boys won the J15 eights event at Bedford Star Regatta and the girls were also successful at the same regatta in a four. Their season finished at Reading Town Regatta where both squads won their fours’ event. They have worked hard throughout the year and it was good to see their tenacity rewarded. At the senior level the girls finished the term with some great victories at Bedford Star Regatta and, by reaching the second round at the prestigious Women’s Henley Regatta, showed that they are capable of performing at an extremely high level. They have been tireless in working to raise the standard of girls’ rowing at the School and their efforts are clearly starting to pay off. On the boys’ side the term was a frustrating one with several injuries and

The magnificent J14 crew: champions at Birmingham Regatta, Thames Ditton Regatta, Reading Town Regatta and Bedford Star Regatta, and semi-finalists at the National Schools’ Regatta

illnesses dogging their season. They refused to let the difficulties affect their commitment or ambition and they performed very strongly at Henley. In beating one of the best crews in the USA, Lawrenceville, and the German school, Ratsgymnasium, Osnabruck, before losing to the eventual winners, St Paul’s, they represented the School extremely well and they raced with a real commitment to each other that is an example to the rest of the Boat Club – see the picture on P5. For a few of our senior rowers the season extended into the summer. Tilly Catlin ( Esher CofE High ) was selected to row in the pair at the Coupe de La Jeunesse, the European Championships, for Great Britain while Hugo Marsh ( Davenies ) was selected for the Great Britain Team at the Junior World Championships in Rio.

Elizabeth Dorey (Cherwell) , a new Lower Sixth Sports Scholar, played Touch Rugby over the summer for the regional U18 mixed team, the Southern Mavericks, and the Lions, the England U18 squad.

The J14 boys’ A crew, the most successful Shell crew in the School’s history.