WINS at Marlow Town Regatta

Saturday 11^th June was a glorious day for the Marlow Town Regatta. There was bright sunshine and a fresh breeze. For GMSBC, the hometown regatta is always a major occasion. The racing in run in three divisions or waves, enabling rowers to race in more than one event. We had over 30 crews competing and lots of successes across the day.

Wave 1

The first race of the day was our Sixth Form Double in a straight final against Borlase. The free floating start means that the bank umpire needs to be relied upon to start the crews level and on this occasion the GMS crew got slightly short changed by about 6 feet. Are truly epic race followed and neither crew was sure who had won on the line. First blood to Borlase was a disappointment. Two races later our Senior Boys’ Quad was up against Borlase in another straight final. This time the crews got away level, but this was not so critical as the GMS crew edged steadily in front and while a good race the verdict never seemed in doubt.

We are blessed with a very strong Year 8 cohort and the boys were up first in Quads, where we had entered three crews. This event had heats with three crews in each, followed by the winners of each heat rowing back up to the start for the Final. The main opposition for our boys came from Marlow Rowing Club and Maidenhead Rowing Club: the final, however, had two of our crews represented. Our faster crew made light work of the opposition coming home several lengths ahead of the others two crews in the final.

For Year 10s, we had 3 doubles entered for the boys and they had crews from Bryanston and Borlase and Barn Elms as opposition. In the heats the Barn Elm’s crew achieved an early lead on two of our Doubles; a close race ensued with a few steering difficulties causing the margins to vary over the course, with different leaders at times. Barn Elms proved the most consistent on the day and progressed. They raced GMS’s third Double in the final. Here there was no doubt: Rafa Quinn and Sam Terret made short work of the Double from Putney coming home some lengths ahead.

For Year 11s we had Jack Clark in his single. Singles take a considerable amount of skill and entries in this event are specialists in 1x. Jack managed to proceed to the final in fine form and sculled back up to compete in the final. He was lined up alongside two scullers from Magdalen College School. Jack did not have the best of starts and a third of the way down the course he was in last place. Never one to give in, he then put in an almighty push went through into second, and then for a moment had his bows just ahead of the field. The lead Magdalen sculler fought back to retake the lead and having the inside of the last bend looked in good shape; our Jack was not done though and in the last 100m raised his rate to edge past to take the win. An excellent result.

Wave 2

Our Year 8s were in action again; boys in the Octo and the girls in two Quads. In the Quads it looked like it might be another GMS final but a late crab in our boat meant Headington School managed to overhaul them. However, in the finale, there were no mishaps and the other GMS Quad left Headington and Marlow in their wake to win convincingly. Meanwhile, the boys had a straight final against Marlow Rowing Club and Maidenhead. On the form from the Quads, we were hot favourites and the boys did not disappoint romping home well ahead of the other two Octos.

Our Year 9 boys only had two rowers present as most were away on D of E expeditions. The Double had a good heat beating two Doubles from Radley convincingly, but in the final were outmatched by a strong Maidenhead crew.

The other win in this wave was the Year 11 Boys’ Four who made short work of the crews from Monkton.

For the girls, Jess Rhodes and Emilia Deering won their heat in the Doubles, which is the second regatta where these two have made it through to the final. Emily Downing had to work hard in her single to get through to the final, beating a girl from Shiplake and another from Borlase. In the final, another GB trialist from Maidenhead proved too strong for her and she had to settle for second.

Wave 3

The Year 8s were looking to complete the clean sweep of all the titles with the Girls Octos and of course, they rowed magnificently beating Headington by 4 lengths who in turn were 4 lengths ahead of Marlow Rowing Club.

Our Year 10 Boys’ Eight drew the Radley A crew for their heat and it was a close race. Coming into the final bend there was probably 1/3 length in it, but with Radley having the inside course and a tidier finish they secured the verdict.

Last, but far from least, we had the Marlow Schools’ Eights Races.  These two races are the highlight of the regatta and have the entire enclosure shouting loudly for one school or the other. Possibly one of the very few moments in the days’ racing where rowing disturbs the general socialising in the enclosures.

First was the Girls’ Eights, and our top Quad, having narrowly lost to Borlase in the final in the previous wave, expected a tough race. Last year we won by ¼ length. Borlase started cleanly and seemed to have a small advantage, but very quickly the GMS crew, maintaining an aggressive pace, edged through and took the lead. Then with every stroke, the girls moved further in front and by the Church ( half way) had a length lead. From there they continued to move ahead and won to resounding cheers from the enclosures by 3 lengths.

For the boys’ race half an hour later we were firm favourites and the boys did not disappoint romping home to another 3 length victory. Making it a clean sweep for Great Marlow.

Naomi Riches presented the trophies two both crews in the enclosures.

The school is extremely proud of all our rowers and we are delighted that they had such a positive and rewarding time at the Marlow Regatta. Thank you to everyone involved the students, their coaches and Mr Murison for all that he does, including taking time to write articles for the website.

Winning Crews

J18 4x  Hugo Loretto, Tom Wiles, James Robson, Henry Gavin

J16 4+ Sal Dunn, Will Clayton, Owain Meredith, Joe Cogan, (Cox) Dan Pressling

J16 1x Jack Clark

J15 2x Rafa Quinn Sam Terrett

J13 4x+ Wilbur Morganti, Archie Gentry, Kavin Ravikumar, Tom Wharfe, (Cox) Ben Symon

J13 8x+ Wilbur Morganti, Archie Gentry, Kavin Ravikumar, Tom Wharfe, Ben Symon, Charlie Davidson, Valere Ivers-Dreux, Sam Gale, (Cox) Joel Blatt

WJ13 4x+ Natasha Pendelbury, Bea Spence, Emily Yelloly, Bea Radnedge, (Cox) Imogen Holder

WJ13 8x+ Natasha Pendelbury, Bea Spence, Emily Yelloly, Bea Radnedge, Jemima Connors, Eleanor Cummings, Lucy Platt, Kayla Shillito, (Cox) Lyra Wells

Women’s Eight Emily Downing, Amelia Eldridge, Maddie Jones, Liv Fyfe, Peyton Nugent, Poppy Spence, Hannah Angeledes, Charlotte Greening (Cox) Emilia Deering

Men’s Eight Tom Wiles, Henry Gavin, Sal Dunn, James Robson, Hugo Loretto, Noah Grottrup, Freddie Grant, Will Clayton, (Cox) Rocco Di Monda