Shiplake College pupils representing the Shiplake Vikings Rowing Club enjoyed further successes last weekend at the Henley Town and Visitors’ Regatta.
The Town Regatta is a traditional event which was first held 139 years ago in 1875. It is very different from the exclusive, globally-recognised Royal Regatta as it is open to rowers of all ages and abilities. Local residents and visitors are able to relax on the famous Royal Regatta lawns, however, and enjoy the racing.
This year’s event took place on Saturday 2 August and featured almost 200 crews predominantly from clubs across the Home Counties and London. The Shiplake Vikings, who race in the school holidays, wear the same iconic bumblebee kit as College rowers, making them instantly recognisable to spectators and their fellow competitors.
Races were run upstream over 800m of the famous Henley course, much of which was also used for the 1908 and 1948 Olympic Games held in London. Crews competed 3-abreast, adding an extra element of excitement to the finals.
In the morning, two Shiplake crews entered the final of the J16 double skulls. Seb Newman (pictured recently at Egham Regatta; right) and Henry Blois-Brook followed up their recent victory at the National Championships by securing another winning pot. They saw of our Slovenian friends from Bled Rowing Club by ¾ of a length.
Ollie Gerrard and his partner came third in that race but he was not perturbed as he returned to the river in afternoon and navigated his way through the J16 singles quarter and semi-finals. In the final, he faced up against two rowers from Leander’s Star and Arrow Club. Posting an impressive time of 3:23, Ollie won easily to collect his first cup of the summer.
