By Mrs Durrant (Director of Rowing) and Miss Harris (Head of Rowing)
It was a packed and exciting weekend for Bedford Girls' School rowers, with crews competing at Henley Royal Regatta, Peterborough Junior Championships and the U16 GB-France Trials. Across all three events, the team demonstrated focus, resilience and a genuine love for the sport.
On Friday 27th June, the BGS 1st VIII travelled to Henley-on-Thames for the qualifying races at Henley Royal Regatta, widely recognised as the most prestigious event in the rowing calendar. The Junior Girls’ Eights race for the Prince Philip Challenge Trophy, which this year attracted top crews from the UK, USA and Australia.
Our crew delivered the best result in BGS history, finishing as the fastest non-qualifier. While just missing out on the main draw was disappointing, the performance was a huge achievement and a credit to the athletes. Congratulations to M. Folbigg, K. Farquhar, R. McGregor, Z. Breed, E. Dyall, E. Mullan, E. Hayward, E. Blake and I. Moretto for setting a new benchmark for the squad.
On Saturday 28th June, our rowers headed to the Peterborough Junior Championships, where they tackled the 1000m sprint course in high temperatures. Every BGS boat progressed from the time trials to secure a place in the A, B, C or D final. This was a strong team result across a mix of boat types.
It was also a great moment for our Year 8 squad, who made their racing debut with plenty of enthusiasm and promise. While not everything went to plan, their energy and excitement were a real highlight. There is plenty to build on as they continue their journey.
On Sunday 29th June, National Silver Medallists Rosemary McGregor, Kara Farquhar, Zena Breed and Rosie Palmer took part in the U16 GB-France Trials. Competing in both a coxless four and a pair, they delivered two commanding performances and came away as winners in both events.
We are delighted to share that they have been selected to represent Team GB in the U16 Coxless Four against France on Saturday 12th July. This is an outstanding end to a brilliant season.
