It was a double medal delight for the College at the 2024 National Schools’ Regatta where the boys’ Ch 8+ secured bronze medal and the boys’ 2nd 8+ secured silver. With 12 crews entered into the competition at all age groups from J14 to Championship level, it was fantastic to end the weekend with medals.
The Ch 8+ crew - consisting of Ben Brooks, Jack Duggan, Finlay Rhys Jones, William Harper, Joshua Barnes, Henry Day Clark, Ed Galer, Isaac Dean, and Cox Monty Walker – produced a stunning comeback in Sunday’s final to finish 3rd. Despite starting in a favorable lane for a medal, the crew were running 6th at the 1000m mark and 4th at the 1500m before they stormed back to take the bronze medal place ahead of Eton College and Kings College School. The 0.47s gap to 4th showed how tight the race was and the crew was delighted to edge themselves into the medal places.
The boys’ 2nd 8+ crew – consisting of Kai Critchley, Tomos Weighell, Oliver Nash, Archie Heading, Oliver Smee, Callan Wallis, Johannes Meiswinkel, Ed Houghton, and Cox Charlie Watkins – were the fastest crew in their time trials and qualified immediately for the A final on Saturday evening. In the race itself, the crew ran 2nd from start to finish and despite a late push to the line, were unable to overturn the 1.3s gap to 1st. However, the crew was delighted to take the silver medal, going one step further than last year where the 2nd 8+ took bronze at NSR 2023. For many of these rowers, it was their first NSR medal and you can be certain that they are hungry for more!
Racing also in a Sunday evening final was the College’s girls’ Ch 8+. Previous years has seen the College enter quads at NSR however, following this year’s successes at Women's Eights Head of the River and Schools' Head of the River, the 8+ consisting of A Merritt, Sophia Foreman, Amelie Parker, Emily Downing, Amelia Westbrook, Lara Vahle, Katie Proudlove, Emily Over, and Cox Oliver Joiner were entered. Finishing 4th in their time trial and 2nd in their semi-final, the crew battled hard to finish 5th overall.
Another crew that made an A final was our Ch 4+ crew of Florence Dallas, Elisabeth Flieger, Sophia Mcdavid, Eva Rootkin-Gray, and Cox Charlotte Hodgkinson. After putting in a strong performance during the time trials to qualify for the A final, the crew ended NSR 4th overall, marginally missing out on a medal place.
Our junior crews were also in action this year at NSR with the Friday seeing our J14 boys in action. The J14 1st 8x+ consisting of Albert Lee, Joseph Swankie, Alex Bowater Rubio, Oscar Spearing, Barnaby Maskell, and Cox Paul Newton placed 13th in the time trials which qualified them for the C final. In that race, the boys put in a great shift to finish 2nd. The J14 2nd 8x+ of Thomas Sharp, George Hyman, C Sookha Williams, Harrison Webb, Cameron McClure, Oscar Taylor Coombes, Sam Crisford, and Cox Ed Tavinor qualified for the B final where they placed 6th. The J14 4x+ of Wilbur O’Callaghan, Harry Hindley, John Pearson, and Cox I Morris placed 45th.
Our J15 1st and 2nd 8s both qualified for C finals with the 1st 8 - M Perry, Max Shevlane, Ethan Dickinson, William Nicholas, Z Young, Jack Terry, Charlie Scott, and Cox Will Griffith – placing 3rd, and the 2nd 8 – T Cockings, H Howe-Davies, W Houldsworth, G Wackerle, Max Warby, Harry Tilney, Morgan Simpson, and Cox H Cookson – placing 5th. Our J16 1st 8+ consisting of Michael Taylor-FitzGibbon, R Campbell, Oliver Bennett, Isaac Powell, Will Tavinor, Rupert Evans, Charlie Rees, Freddie Coultas, and Cox B Loggie placed 4th in the B final.
Other crews that raced at NSR 2024 included our Girls’ Ch 2x consisting of S Syed and Abby Hutton. The girls qualified for the D final on Sunday and a strong race saw them win their final. We also entered a boys’ Ch 1x which saw D Wilson take to the water. His runs in the time trial and repechage saw him qualify for the E final. Like the girls before him, D Wilson also put in a strong row to win his final.
Speaking after the event, Director of Rowing Mr Dave Currie said:
'National Schools' Regatta is a real pinnacle of our regatta season; it's a great event with some fantastic racing. All of our students did a great job and have made the school very proud! It was wonderful to end the weekend with medals after the boys’ Ch 8+ left it late to make their move in what was the highlight race of the weekend!'
A full photo gallery can be found on the College's Flickr page!
