On Sunday 6 May, the Oundle School Boat Club raced at Wallingford Regatta at Eton’s Dorney Lake, the Olympic rowing venue.
Head of Rowing, George Maitre commented, “With the infrastructure still going up around the site and flat calm water it had a real sense of occasion to it.”
This event is of a very high calibre with crews from all over the British Isles attending in preparation for Henley Royal Regatta. The School’s senior boys’ quad of Angus Irvine (17), David Bolle-Jones (16), James Robson (17) and Christopher Waring (18) came a very creditable 5th place in their final against some outstanding opposition.
George added, “This was their first multi lane race of the season and they have learnt a great deal from it.”
Kristina Cowley (17) won her final in the women’s J18 single sculls event, winning a beautiful pewter brandy shaped cup. She won with clear water between her and her opposition which is a comfortable margin having led the field from very early on.
George concluded, “This was Kristina’s first successful 2000m race of the season and I’m sure she will say it was not comfortable at all!”
The Oundle School Boat Club recently spent a very rewarding few days training on the Thames at Marlow.
Vice Captain of Rowing, Angus Irvine commented, “As a Club we feel that we have come on in leaps and bounds, and although there were many resulting aches and pains, the overall feeling was that as a Club and as individual rowers we progressed enormously.”
During the camp, the Third Form rowers built on their basic boat skills for the upcoming racing season, developing their fitness and technique. They also spent some time in single sculls building the all important sense of confidence, and balance that is so necessary for rowers. The Fourth Form boys spent their time in a coxed four, which they are hoping to race at various events including the National Schools Regatta. The Fifth Form girls, along with Kristina Cowley (Lower Sixth) had a good few days in which they made real progress. The Camp was especially important for Kristina as she is preparing for the next stage of her GB application.
Angus added, “For the Senior Boys Squad, the main of the aim of the camp was to get us to a level where we could expect to perform at a high standard for the upcoming series of regattas so we spent a lot of time refining technique. All of the members of the Boat Club who attended the Camp felt that they came on a lot as rowers/scullers and we are all enormously grateful to the members of the coaching team who put so much effort into the organisation of the camp, as well as giving up the last few days of their holidays to coach us. It was a truly fantastic way to start the season and we have all improved enormously as a result.”