The Chronicle, Autumn 2018

46 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Rowing By former Master i/c Rowing John Wiggins A comprehensive report on rowing in the Spring and Summer Terms appeared in the last issue (available on the website), so I pick up now from the start of the summer holiday during which our rowing activity continued to great effect. Having missed out on automatic selection earlier in the season, Max Thompson, paired with a local lad from Hinksey Sculling School (our local charitable partnership), contested the race- off at the start of the final GB rowing trials. This went very well and both advanced into the selection phase for the various GB teams. The Hinksey rower was selected for the England eight at the Home Countries International Regatta while Max advanced to the next level and a Great Britain vest racing in a four at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in Ireland. With heats and finals on both

days of the regatta, there are two shots at medals and, while it felt like Saturday’s final in very rough conditions might have been a bit of a lottery, the Sunday race showed that the Irish were just that bit faster and Max came away with two Silver medals. While frustrating for him at the time, this was a huge achievement after two years at Teddies dogged by injury. He goes on to join the mighty Oxford Brookes University squad but stays in contact as one of our coaches for the coming year. Under the dynamic direction of Katie Greves, two of our more successful young scullers were keen to experience the British Rowing Junior Championships held several weeks into the summer holidays. With time spent in a combination of recovery from a busy year at school

along with some extra training both here in Oxford and with the squad of girls from Sir William Perkins’s school, Saskia Ward and Isabel Llabres Diaz set about moving singles ready for the multi-lane course at Nottingham. Along the way, Isabel had an excellent win at Kingston Regatta. Here it was discovered that Shell Louis Lawson was also back in action but with his home club, City of Oxford. At the British Championships, Isabel had to compete with the J15s (one year above) with no event for her age and progressed through to one semi-final with Saskia in the other. While Saskia just missed out on qualification (but went on to win the B final), Isabel impressed hugely by qualifying and then finishing 5th in the A final. Louis Lawson’s CORC quad came 4th in

Hamish Roots OSE

Last year’s 1st VIII at Henley: Cox, Sam Shuker; Barnaby Singfield; Max Thompson; Nicola dei Rossi; Campbell Nelson; Thibby Mulot; Alexander Gowans; George Hayter; and Valentin Peiker.