The Salopian no. 157 - Winter 2015

38 SCHOOL NEWS
RSSBC
The Summer term provided the usual frenzy of racing and training for the Boat Club, with crews
from various age groups racing every weekend. After productive training camps in France for the
Seniors and J16s and Pangbourne for the J15s, the boats got their first taste of sprint racing at Holme
Pierrepoint, Nottingham in a private fixture with King’s Chester. With two coach loads of pupils
and two fully laden trailers, the match provided a great opportunity for our novice oarsmen to get
acquainted with the venue and the logistics of getting attached onto stake boats and racing six abreast.
The crews raced in a time trial over 1750m, followed by seeded 2000m side by side finals.
To finish off, the crews raced six abreast in two 500m races, which produced some exciting finishes.
The second weekend of the term
saw crews competing at both the
national Junior Inter Regional Regatta
(JIRR) and the Birmingham Regatta.
Highlights included a medal-winning
performance by the J14 boys’ quad at
JIRR and the first-ever win for the J14
girls at Birmingham.
Girls’ Quad Birmingham Regatta
the event, Elite Eights, and the J18
Eights event.
On the second May Bank Holiday
weekend the Boat Club had 14 crews
competing at the National Schools’
Regatta. There was a strong showing
across all of the age groups, with 12
crews reaching semi-finals and seven
crews going on to make the finals of
their events and claim a spot in the
top six in the country. The best result
came from the J14A Octuple, who
won a tremendous bronze medal in
what is always a tightly contested
event. Congratulations to the crew of:
Ben Holehouse, Petr Rostokin, Elliot
Crossley, Alexander Davies, Josh Evans,
Edward Hart, Jack Lockett, Adam
Pattenden and Boss Lertthundorn.
fastest eight, coxed four, pair and scull
at the Regatta to claim the Senior Victor
Ludorum, alongside wins for the 2nd
VIII and J15 Four.
1st VIII Chester Regatta
J15 Four Chester Regatta
J14 Quad JIRR
The first May Bank holiday weekend
saw five Shrewsbury crews race at
the Wallingford Regatta. The pick
of the results came from the 1st VIII
who won their heat in an impressive
fashion, beating Abingdon’s, Radley’s
and Hampton’s 1st VIIIs in the process.
Unfortunately weather conditions
deteriorated through the day, which
meant the finals were unable to be
raced and prizes were awarded based
on times. So the crew didn’t get to race
the final and lost out on time to the
winners of the other heat, St Paul’s, by
three seconds. The 1st Girls’ Quad also
had an excellent result, coming in third
overall in their event.
The 1st VIII continued their promising
form at the Bedford Regatta where
they recorded two encouraging wins
by winning both the premier race of
J14 A Octuple National Schools
The 1st VIII put in a strong showing
with a gutsy row that saw them sitting
in 2nd place for most of the race in a
very competitive field. Unfortunately
they slipped down to 5th in the closing
stages of the race. Results in brief: J14A
Octuple 3rd, J14B Octuple 3rd in Semifinal,
Girls J14A Octuple 6th in Semi-
Final, Girls’ J15 Scull 26th out of 45 in
Time trial, J15A VIII 5th in Final, J15B
VIII 6th in Semi-final, J16A VIII 4th in
Semi Final, J16B VIII 5th in Final, 3rd
VIII 5th in Final, 2nd VIII 6th in Final,
1st VIII 5th in Final, Girls’ Quad 4th in
Semi Final, 1st Four 4th in Final.
The second half of term saw a
successful day’s racing at the Chester
Regatta. The School produced the
Henley Women’s Regatta
The Senior Girls’ Quad took part in the
time trial from which 19 entrants would
be reduced to 16. The crew was the
third fastest down the track, putting
them in strong contention in the event.
Their first side by side race was against
a composite crew from Doncaster,
Bradford and Lincoln Rowing Clubs.
The girls stormed down the first
500 metres of the course, putting
themselves in a strong position and
enabling them to lower the rate and
control the remainder of the race and
secure an ‘easily’ verdict. As the crew
boated for their second round against
Staines Rowing Club the heavens
opened, drenching the course in a
heavy rain storm. The girls were not
deterred by the soggy conditions and
once again put on a display of strong
oarswoman-ship, leading the race from
start to finish and winning with a lead
of three and a half lengths.