By Mr McEwan (Assistant Head Rowing Coach)

Over recent weeks BGS Rowing has continued to go from strength-to-strength, securing a 6th place national finish at the National Schools’ Regatta at Dorney Lake and reaching multiple finals across senior and junior crews. 

The National Schools’ Regatta is one of the biggest junior rowing races in the world with over 5400 athletes competing across 45 events and is considered the de facto British junior national championships with top crews from across the country in attendance. 

Up first on Friday 22nd May were our J14 & J15 squads. All crews raced a 1500m time trial to seed them into finals, A & B finals were raced side by side over 1500m with C finals and lower, raced as a repeat of the TT due to tricky wind conditions. All crews made improvements to their rowing into their second race which was incredibly pleasing to see.  

On Saturday it was the turn of our senior 4s. With temperatures rising even higher than the previous day and much less wind to help cool the rowers out on the water it was a struggle to perform consistently. Special mention to our Ch 4- (A four-person rowing boat with no coxswain) who achieved the best Championship event (J18) result for BGS since 2015. Sunday saw the highest temperatures of the weekend, topping out at just over 30℃, in which our senior small boats performed admirably in some of the toughest categories.

A huge thank you to all the families, friends, and staff that came down to support the crews over all three days, your cheers echoed across the lake and helped the crews to push themselves even more.  

Full BGS National Results:

• Ch 4-  TT 6th, A Final 6th (6th overall)
• Ch 4+ - TT 14th, B Final 5th (13th overall)
• Ch 2- - TT 10th, B Final 5th (11th overall)
• J16 4+ - TT 17th, C Final 6th (18th overall)
• J16 2x - TT 19th, D Final 5th (23rd overall)
• J15 1st 8+ - TT 12th, B Final 5th (11th overall) 
• J15 2nd 8+ - TT 10th, B Final 3rd (9th overall)
• J15 4+ - TT 23rd, D Final 4th (22nd overall)
• J14 1st 8x+ - TT 23rd, D Final 5th (23rd overall)
• J14 2nd 8x+ - TT 15th, C Final 4th (16th overall)

Our senior 1st VIII was back to Dorney Lake again on Saturday 30th May for the Metropolitan Regatta, and the conditions were once again scorching hot. At this race all crews from top adult club crews, through university boats, and juniors time trial over 1900m and compete in finals together. A solid TT put the crew 1st seed in the H final, and they showed an improved performance in the final with a dominant row leading from the front and winning by clear water. Against other junior boats we placed 10th overall, an encouraging result as Henley Women’s Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta are approaching at the end of this month.