On Sunday 22nd January, Oundle School Boat Club sent the Senior Boys’ Sculling Squad to The Boston Head for a time trial held on the River Withal in Boston.
Despite suffering illness within the squad and last minute crew changes, the boys had a successful day with two wins and one 2nd place in the four events they entered.
Ollie Chapman (16) and Cosmo Davis Gimeno (17) won the Junior U17 Double Scull (J17 2x) event with ease. Oundle Boys’ Rowing Captain, Anthony Orr (17) moved up to the men’s events and raced in the IM3 Men’s Single event where he had some tough opposition but managed to pull through to be victorious with an eight second lead.
The Boys’ quad, which included Ollie, Cosmo and Anthony as well as James Duckitt (16) had to be reshuffled on the day due to illness, but despite this and it being the first event after the Christmas break they managed a credible 2nd place behind a well drilled crew from Leeds Rowing Club. James also raced the Men’s Novice Single event coming in fifth against crews from Nottingham University and Lincoln Rowing Centre.
The boys will race again in their quad scull on the 4th February at the Hampton School Head.
Ollie commented, “I was in the double with Cosmo having had just one training session together before racing. We overtook our opposition, the locals from Boston Rowing Club, in the first 250 metres and then worked at a high cruise from around the 1km mark in order to save ourselves for our next race. In the second division, the four of us came together to form a J18 quad. Finishing only six seconds behind the winning boat from Leeds Rowing Club in 2nd place was a promising result given the quad comprised three J17s and only one J18, against a field of J18s.
Wins in two events also provided a good training day, with the four of us clocking up 6km in in race tempo pieces. It represents a good step-up to the higher tier events coming this term; Hampton Head, Head of the Trent and finally The Schools Head of the River at the end of term.“