The Salopian no. 160 - Summer 2017

SCHOOL NEWS 41
Wycliffe Head 2nd VIII
category, and came away with second and third place.
The first weekend in February was another busy weekend
with the majority of the club racing in either the Wycliffe Big
Head or the English Indoor Ergo Championships. Over a
hundred boys and girls raced at Wycliffe on the Gloucester
Sharpness Canal. The Senior boys split into three eights
and put in commanding performances in Elite Eights. The
strongest of the three crews in both divisions produced the
fastest times of the day by twenty seconds over their nearest
opposition from Abingdon School. The next two boats also
produced some very strong results, with the second of the
three senior boats coming third and fourth in the respective
divisions. The Senior Girls were not to be outdone and won
the J18 Quads’ event with a winning margin of 15 seconds
over the next women’s quad. The J16 girls came third in
their event. The J15 girls won their event and posted a very
encouraging time. The J15 boys had a strong row but had
to settle for second place out of the nine crews entered. The
J14s had four octuples racing, with the boys coming in first
and second in their event. The girls’ octuple came third in
their event.
Twelve rowers travelled to the Manchester Velodrome to
compete in the English Indoor Rowing Championships. The
J15 girls put in a strong performance to win bronze medals in
the J16 event. The J16 boys took two teams with one racing
in the J16 event and the other in the J18 event. The team in
the J16 event were pushed hard over the first 1500m but then
started to show their class as they developed a healthy lead
to win the title in an impressive time. The J18 team held
their own against the older opposition and secured a welldeserved
bronze medal.
The latter half of the Lent term was characterised by some
challenging racing in tough conditions. Nine Shrewsbury
crews travelled to Nottingham for the Head of the Trent. All
the crews managed themselves with distinction with some
strong wind and stream conditions. There were impressive
wins for the J14, J15 and J16 boys.
Eleven RSSBC crews raced at the West Midlands Junior Rowing
Championships held in Worcester on Sunday 12th March. The
event also acted as a qualifying event for the Junior Inter-
Regional Regatta to be held in Nottingham in April. All of the
crews put in competitive performances resulting in five gold
medal and three silver medals. The following boats qualified to
represent the region at the national regatta: J16 8+, J16 4+, J15
4+, WJ15 4X+ and J14 4X+.
On Saturday 18th March the Boat Club had ten crews racing
at the North of England Head. The Senior, J16 and J15 girls
took to the water in division one in two quads and an eight
respectively. The Senior girls’ quad was the fastest women’s
Laias Training Camp
quad of the day and put down a fantastic time despite having
to steer around four Novice eights along the course. It was a
fitting first appearance and win for the girls’ new boat named
the Philip Lapage. The J16 girls had a good row and had to
settle for a commendable second place out of five crews in
their event. Having only taken up sweep rowing in the Lent
term the J15 girls showed their outstanding by dominating the
J15 girls’ eight event.
It was the turn of the boy’s crews and Novice girls in the
second division. The 1st VIII were not to be outdone by the
Senior girls and didn’t hold back as they took first place and
recorded the fastest time of the day in impressive fashion.
This was the first race for the new 1st VIII boat, the Robert
Beeston. The 2nd VIII and J16A VIII’s both put in very strong
performances to win the J18 and J16 events respectively. The
3rd VIII put in a strong row to come forth in IM3 8s’.The J16B
VIII came second to the King’s 2nd VIII in the J17 VIIIs. The
J15B Quad raced over the short course in J15 quads, coming
fourth. It was a great sight to see our Novice Senior girls out
racing in the octuple at their first ever race.
The Boat Club took nine crews to compete at the Schools’
Head of the River on Thursday 23rd March. Unfortunately
strong winds hampered the event and the decision was
made to run the course over the first short section which
equated to a race time of around five minutes. Gusty and
wavy conditions made it challenging racing for all involved.
While the crews dealt with the conditions competently it was
frustrating not to be able to show the progress they have
made in recent months.
Senior Girls Quad