Now that the winter head season has finally abated, competitive rowers up and down the country can set their sights on side-by-side racing. For juniors at J16 level or under, the first big test comes in the form of the Junior Inter-Regional Regatta (JIRR) which will take place on Saturday 23 April.

Running for the first time since 2018, JIRR typically involves participants from across the country who self-divide into one of 12 regions (the Thames Region split into three sub-segments and Wales competes with WAGS). Competitors who make it to the start line of JIRR have already had to undergo a rigid qualification process to prove themselves the fastest in their area by way of time trial. They then form part of the broader regional team and race to be crowned nominally fastest in the country.

Hosted at Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham, the regatta usually acts as a great form guide for fast J16, J15 and J14 crews who are targeting silverware at the National Schools’ Regatta in May, but the 2022 edition, following repeated disruption from COVID-19, might be many athletes’ first-ever experience of side-by-side racing.

One such example can be found in the North West region’s junior 16 men’s double, comprised of Tom and James from Queen’s Park High School in Chester. Thrown into a double for the first time together aged 13, the two have had to endure lengthy pandemic-induced absences from the sport, but emerged to claim victory at Ross Regatta at the end of last summer. Through the winter, they were focused on quads and fours, but the remainder of their group have stepped back to concentrate on other things, leaving the boys to jump back into the double.

“With COVID, we’ve sort of lost track of what the competition will be like,” explained the pair.

“The aim is just basically to give it our best shot and see what happens. Getting back into the sport after the pandemic was tricky, but now we can see our progression and improvements, it’s much easier.”

JIRR represents the first stepping stone towards, what they hope, will be a summer of success

After travelling to Northwich to race the time trial (where the boys placed third overall), they were selected for the double as the two crews above them had already been allocated into different boats. James, who sits at stroke, is due away for a week in the run-up to the event, but the pair do not think that will affect preparation too much – a lot of the hard work has already been completed over the cold winter months.

“We’re also targeting the National Schools’ Regatta and the 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships, so JIRR provides a great starting point,” they said. “It’s tricky with exams coming, but we both said to our coaches that we were happy to commit time to racing and we’re looking forward to seeing where that takes us.”

For many, JIRR represents the first stepping stone towards, what they hope, will be a summer of success. Kesha Bruinette, who moved to the UK from South Africa a few years ago and rows out of Molesey Boat Club, will be representing Thames London in the junior 16 women’s double after strong showings at various domestic head races.

“I’m so excited to compete,” she said. “The double is moving so well together; you just know if a boat works and the feeling of the water moving under the shell. We raced at Hampton Head a few weeks ago and placed third in our first time in the boat together.”

“I’ve loved rowing since I first got in a boat and every experience has made me want to go to the Olympics”

After jumping into a quad and placing fourth at the Oarsport Junior Sculling Head in March, the signs are promising for a positive performance and perhaps even a medal come JIRR. Although head racing is a good indication of how fast a crew is going and whether they can match it up with the best over 2,000m, Kesha and her partner are still using JIRR to assess whether they’re ready for the National Schools’ Regatta and possibly Henley Women’s Regatta too.

She added: “Our coach is planning to put us in a double for the summer, but we’ve still got to see how JIRR goes before making any definite choices.”

If ever you needed a demonstration of how aspirational racing on the domestic calendar can be, Kesha’s ambition is to race at the Olympics for Team GB one day.

“I’ve loved rowing since I first got in a boat and every experience has made me want to go to the Olympics even more,” said Kesha.

“It was tough at the start to learn how to row, but the friends I’ve made along the way will be with me forever.”

JIRR will represent different things to different competitors, depending on where those people have come and where they believe they’re going. Whatever the outcome, it will be fantastic to see so many young people back out representing their regions on the Holme Pierrepont straights.

Further information on the JIRR can be seenÌęhere and the draw and schedule for this year’s Regatta will be published on Wednesday 13 April.

The post Juniors ready for Junior Inter-Regional Regatta appeared first on 91ÌÒÉ«.

The buzz continued on the final day of the 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships, as the Nottingham course was bathed in sunshine once again. Despite the blistering 31-degree heat, the J18 rowers produced many impressive performances.

Overall, Henley RC took the Victor Ludorum on 47 points, with Marlow RC in second with 33 and Shiplake College in third on 31.

Over 1,500 competitors from 115 clubs took part in the three-day competition, with rowers coming from as far afield as Aberdeen and Calpe in Gibraltar.

Each day featured a different age group with the last day culminating with the J18s.

On the Sunday, there was some thrilling racing with one of the tightest races coming in the men’s quads. Windsor Boys’ School were winners in the open quads – hot on their heels were Tideway Scullers’ School, who just clinched silver ahead of Leander with .20 of a second separating them. Shiplake College women’s crews took a clean sweep of the sculling events, winning the single sculls, double and the women’s quads. Less than five seconds separated the medallists in the quads, with Wycliffe Junior RC just beating Wallingford RC to the finish line.

The women’s pair too was hotly contested, with King’s Worcester narrowly winning the women’s pair edging out Aberdeen Schools by .85 of a second, while Reading Blue Coat School won the open pairs.

St Paul’s School BC won the open eights, with Shiplake College and Shrewsbury School close behind.

Representing St Paul’s School, Felix said: “It’s been super fun- really nice to be out there and to do three races in a day too. I think Nat Schools and the other events have only had two.”

Crew mate Raheel reflected on the event, saying: “The 91ÌÒÉ« Champs is usually after Henley, but this year it’s before, so a lot of crews want to come here for the racing practice and a lot of our competition has been here.”

Fresh from their win at Henley Women’s Regatta, Headington School won the women’s eights with Henley RC and Glasgow Academy in second and third. Headington juniors Phoebe and Rose were in the crew and both were racing at the BRJC for the first time.

After receiving her medal, Phoebe said: “A hard day’s work paid off. Having a close race is always nice.

“It’s good to have loads of crews around and being able to race again. It’s exciting. The best thing is that junior events are put first and having a day for each age group allows loads of crews to stand out.”

Westminster School won the open fours, while Marlow RC took honours in the women’s category.

Bewl Bridge took the open single sculls and Shiplake College the women’s single sculls and the women’s doubles. Exeter RC took the open doubles, with local crew NCRA just beating King’s Ely to silver.

Commentators Jack Dryden and Fergus Mainland undoubtedly had the best view of the course and were savouring the high-quality racing.

Jack said: “I think it’s been great to see the depth of the field and the clubs and the schools out in force. We’ve had E finals, we’ve had F finals so there’s a real depth of competition across the event which is one of the things that I look for as a commentator.

“We had some incredibly close races yesterday – some real photo finishes that were always good to look at.”

A former junior medallist for George Watson’s College at the BRJC, Fergus said: “We have a lot of the top crews here and you can’t ask for anything better than that at a national championships – it’s a really high quality field.”

Reflecting on some of the best moments over the weekend, he added: “We saw a really strong performance from Hereford Cathedral in the J16 quads race – that was outstanding. Same as Kingston Grammar School as well – they were a really strong J16 quad, particularly as they haven’t had as much time on the water. To see them come in and dominate in their field was exceptional.”

Each of the three days began with time-trials followed by semi-finals and finals from A to G, giving crews the chance to increase their experience in side-by-side racing.

Oliver Frazer, Head Junior Coach at Cantabrigian RC, said: “Our J16 boys had a great time – they came back and had a really good minor final and a great experience. In some events you don’t get these finals unless you’re in the top 12 finishers, so it just helps with their development for next year.

“Our older juniors can say I’ve raced against Leander and Tideway Scullers, and our younger juniors can now say that they’ve done a race. It was really good that they got a chance to experience side-by-side, so they then get the bug and they want to come back.”

It was all about getting experience for Calpe juniors too, whose coaches and 10 rowers made the trip, despite all the logistical obstacles and extra expense of paying ÂŁ1500 alone for COVID tests. Unable to bring their own boats to Nottingham, the club had to hire boats as well.

Club coach Jonathan Zammitt said: “It’s been a very challenging this year because of COVID, but it’s worth it because we know we have a good level of competition. We do a lot of our training on the sea, so we don’t get these calm conditions and it’s an education for our young rowers to come here.

“Just to see them – and my son is one of the rowers – doing what they love on the water has been the best thing for me.”

While the athletes provided the entertainment on the water, an army of more than 80 volunteers supported the BRJC behind the scenes, contributing to a successful competition.

Sue Blackshaw spent the day helping with the boat numbers at the finish pontoons. This involved collecting each boat number after a race, disinfecting them as part of COVID protocols and then making sure they were ready to be used for another race – a crucial cog in the regatta results logistics.

She said: “The highlight for me is the sunshine, just being here and seeing everyone.”

On the water, daughters Polly and Eve were representing Trentham BC.

“They’re so happy to be here,” added Sue. “I think they’ve really missed competing. It’s been really difficult for them mentally to keep going and to keep training, so it’s fantastic to be back. It means the world.”

Chris Callow, Chair of the 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships, said: “It has been great to be able to run the 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships again after missing last year. The racing has been compelling to watch and the sunshine has added to the festival atmosphere over the weekend.

“I would like to thank all the athletes, coaches, volunteers and 91ÌÒÉ« staff for making the last three days such a success. It’s been brilliant to see the junior rowing community come together and celebrate our wonderful sport.”

To see the full results, click here.

The post Spectacular racing on final day of the 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships appeared first on 91ÌÒÉ«.

It was the turn of the J16s to put all their training to the test on the mirror flat water in the 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships at Nottingham today. The morning started with time-trials, followed by semi-finals and then finals, providing plenty of thrilling racing in this age group.

There were tight finishes in the A final of the women’s J16 double sculls, with Gloucester RC taking the win and Hinksey Sculling School just edging out Trentham BC for second place. The open J16 coxed fours saw Hampton place first and second, with Mossbourne finishing a close third in another tight contest.

Other A final honours went to Wallingford RC in the open single sculls who just nudged ahead of Maidstone Invicta, while Wycliffe Junior RC secured the women’s single sculls. In the open and women’s pairs it was Westminster School and Weybridge RC who were the respective winners. St Andrews BC chalked up a win in the open double sculls, while Henley won the women’s coxed fours.

In the quad categories, Hereford Cathedral School took the open event with Kingston Grammar School claiming the win in the women’s equivalent, while Henley A and B finished in second and third positions.

On a day when the mercury rose to 30 degrees, juniors and coaches sought welcome shade in between the racing and the topic of conversation was how to best keep well hydrated.

One junior from Becket Rowing Club, based at Holme Pierrepoint, joked that his coach had been throwing buckets of water on him in an attempt to keep cool.

After only taking up rowing a year ago, Daniel added: “It’s been really good this year. I surprised myself with a 13th place in the time trial and either a second or third place in the final – I was quite far behind at the start, so I just closed my eyes and went for it.”

His daily training on the course made a huge difference, he said, and helped him to be aware of where the markers were. However, this weekend Daniel has also enjoyed sharing his home water with other clubs and schools.

“It’s been great to see all the other rowers who’ve been rowing as long as me – and feeling that we’re all in the same boat. Everyone’s been very friendly and supportive and we’re all helping each other.”

“I like the championships because it’s the last regatta of the summer and it’s always fun to race together”

Rowers from Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association (ASRA) had a long journey to Nottingham, travelling over 400 miles with their trip on the minibus taking almost ten hours.

Maisie, girls’ captain, and Matthew, boys’ captain, both agreed that the journey was worth it just to race on the water.

“The Brit Champs is quite an inclusive event,” said Maisie. “It’s a really friendly atmosphere and there’s lots of different clubs here.”

Matthew added: “There’s more of a competitiveness and there’s more crews – you get good racing and there’s a lot of people at the same level as you.”

Rowers from Henley RC spent most of the day hiding in the shade under their gazebo, which was pitched just outside the rowing course. There was a strong showing from Henley on the water with juniors Lucy, Eyla and Ava all earning medals, in addition to their fellow teammates. Eyla’s crew came first in the women’s coxed fours, while Lucy and Ava placed second and third respectively in the women’s quad A final.

Lucy said: “I like the Championships because it’s the last regatta of the summer and it’s always fun to race together.”

The best thing is the atmosphere, agreed Eyla, adding: “Side-by-side racing is always the best. It’s the last big event for juniors and you can’t really have any expectations because you might not have raced some crews, so it’s just fun. However, if you place well, then that’s good.”

“And when the weather’s nice, it’s even better,” said Ava. “No matter where you place in a race you’ve still done your best and that’s what matters.”

“Thanks to everyone for creating such a fun atmosphere around the course at Nottingham”

Despite the heat, the rowers produced some top-quality racing across the competition.

Becket coach Martin Kay said: “I feel that this year’s championships is even more of a test than in previous years, because some of the internationals that might have gone to the Coupe or the Junior Worlds will be here.”

Talking about his club’s performance, he added: “One of the highlights was having a youngster at 15 coming ninth overall yesterday and she continued to perform on a day that is full of stress when you have three hard races. And the same today
”

Behind the scenes was Fiona Rennie, Volunteer Welfare Manager, helping to keep the volunteering team hydrated. A familiar face at many 91ÌÒÉ« and BUCS competitions, Fiona loves being part of the events team and helping other volunteers to have a great time. However, this weekend, it’s the juniors who are taking centre stage, she said.

“I spoke to a mum and a daughter yesterday, and the daughter had come second in the D final – and she was so excited! At this age they just love taking part and I think that sort of vibe spreads across the event, so yes that’s definitely the best bit.”

Reflecting on day two of the competition, Nick Hubble, Regatta Controller and Chair of the Sport Committee, said:Ìę“I’ve been impressed by the standard of racing from all the juniors today, as well as their conduct on and off the water. It’s not been easy racing in such hot conditions, but competitors have taken it in their stride.

“Thanks to everyone for creating such a fun atmosphere around the course at Nottingham. It’s been great to be a part of and I can’t wait for our final day with the J18s tomorrow.”

In a message to competitors, Nick said:Ìę“It’s looking like being another hot day tomorrow, so once again remember to bring hats, sunscreen and water.”

Full the day’s results, please click .

The post Heatwave continues for juniors at the 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships appeared first on 91ÌÒÉ«.

The 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships kicked off in a sunny Nottingham with temperatures reaching 27 degrees in near-perfect conditions, despite the slight but refreshing breeze on the course.

J15 rowers from around the country were here to race, but most were just glad to be back on the water after missing out on the competition last year because of COVID-19.

The racing opened with time-trials, with crews progressing to semi-finals and then onto the finals ranging from A to G. As the day’s racing came to a close, the A finals ramped up the tension with onlookers – coaches and competitors – cheering on several tight finishes.

In the J15 single sculls, winners were Notts County Rowing Association (men’s) and Evesham RC (women’s). The double sculls saw Marlow RC win, with Henley RC taking the women’s category. In particular, the finals of the coxed quads produced some top quality racing, with both the women’s and men’s crews demonstrating controlled and composed technique. The Windsor Boys’ School won the coxed quads, with Henley RC winning the women’s equivalent in their second victory, in the final contest of the day.

Rebecca Clephan, a coach from Gloucester Rowing Club, said: “It’s been really, really good – amazing weather – and it’s just great to be back racing after a whole year of not being able to get out there.”

The club brought one women’s J15 quad and one women’s J15 double, with the double reaching the A final.

“The vibe you get from the rowers is that they’re just happy to be back on the water and just enjoying being out there and racing”

“They did a fantastic job!” said Rebecca. “We’ve seen lots of smiles – it’s especially nice to see the women’s J15 quad support the girls in the A final of the J15 women’s double. At the end of the day, a good result for one crew is a good result for the whole team for us.”

She added: “I’m really all about trying to get as many juniors into the sport as possible, so this is about getting a taste of what performance rowing might look like and trying to have fun as we do it. The BRJC has provided an opportunity for 2k side-by-side racing and the excitement that could bring. So lovely to have that back and to be able to support each other.”

With over 50 races, the umpiring team were kept busy too. The highlight of the day for Sarah Royles was umpiring the A finals.

The Nottingham RC member said: “I think that the standard of racing today has been pretty high. The crews have had a varied amount of time on the water – who knows how we are compared to previous years, but we are where we are.

“The vibe you get from the rowers is that they’re just happy to be back on the water and just enjoying being out there and racing.”

With more than 80 volunteers – including umpires, commentators, stake boat holders and general support – helping out at the 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships, they are all instrumental in the overall success of the event.

Chris Callow, Chair of the 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships said: “It has been a great day of racing and I’ve been amazed at the standard of competition after the year that we have all had.

“It’s been fabulous to hear all the cheering, despite not being able to have any spectators course-side this year. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s racing when the J16s take to the water.”

To see the full results, click .

The post Juniors and coaches glad to be back racing on the water appeared first on 91ÌÒÉ«.

Matt Rossiter learnt to row at Abingdon School before attending Durham University. In 2011, he suffered a major back injury that kept him out of rowing for two years. He joined the GB senior squad in 2017 and rowed in the men’s four that won gold at the recent European Rowing Championships in Varese.

Saskia Budgett learnt to row at Tideway Scullers and went on to UCLA and graduated in 2019. She was in the women’s double that won bronze after a brilliant sprint finish at the recent European Rowing Championships.

Their next destination is Lucerne where Saskia is racing in the women’s double at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta – and hoping to qualify the boat for Tokyo – while Matt is competing with the men’s four at World Cup II.

We talked to them about their rowing journeys, being a junior, university, lockdown and Olympic ambitions. Read on to find out more.

What do you love most about rowing?

Matt Rossiter: I think for me, I really like the people side of it. I learned to row at Abingdon and when I rowed in the single, I hated it. I used to stop the whole time. Right now, I row sweep obviously and I think if I didn’t have someone else with me, I’d probably stop again. So, I think for me, it’s definitely the people. Rowing with your mates, having a nice time and trying to make boats go fast is really what gets me out of bed in the morning really. I don’t know if that’s good! Do you feel the same?

Saskia Budgett: Yeah definitely. The teamwork side of things is definitely right up there in terms of why I love the sport. And just working with other amazing, strong, powerful women is just such a cool thing to be a part of.

Also being surrounded by like-minded people, right beside you, who are going to push as hard as they can. It’s just such a powerful feeling that you don’t really feel at any other parts of your life, so it’s just a huge privilege to be part of that. And also, I do just really enjoy pushing my body and seeing how far I can go in weights, on the ergo and on the water.

How did you get involved in rowing? What made you start?

SB: So, my dad rowed and then my older brother and sister also rowed, so it was one of those things where my dad was like, don’t row, don’t row, keep going with your other sports, but I just wanted to be like my older brother and sister. So, I just ended up rowing and I rowed at Tideway Scullers. It was such a family community kind of club and I just wanted to be involved in that, so I started rowing at quite a young age.

MR: Saskia’s being modest – her dad’s an Olympic champion. [Richard Budgett won Olympic gold in the men’s four at the 1984 Games] Yeah, I’m probably the same in that my dad rowed for Goldie (the Cambridge reserve crew). When I was younger, I was into other sports – I played loads of rugby and cricket and then because dad rowed, I thought I should give it a go.

I didn’t necessarily enjoy it to start with. I was a bit chubby when I was 14 and I was called big barrel Matt in the octo. I wasn’t really – I was just teased – and then gradually I fell in love with the sport. It helped me find my feet at school and I made some really good friends from it. Gradually, I fell into it more and more. So yeah, through dad really.

Saskia, how did you decide that you wanted to go to university in the US? And how did you pick UCLA in particular?

SB: So, I actually didn’t really know about the whole US situation until really, really late. I applied for veterinary science in the UK – I had wanted to be a vet since I was really young. I, actually, didn’t get in anywhere. So, I didn’t know what I was going to do and then some of my friends in the GB system were talking about going to the US and I was like ‘Wow, this sounds like an amazing opportunity’.

I chose UCLA because it’s a really great school academically and it’s sunny in California. Also, the rowing team and atmosphere seemed like the kind of a place that you’d want to be part of.

It was all very last-minute, so I decided in March or April and then I went in September. It was a bit of a whirlwind, but it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made. The US system is just amazing and we had a team of 60 girls and it was just such a cool experience to travel and experience other cultures.

Matt, what was it like making the transition from junior/U23 to senior, especially after such a long break with your back injury?

“Just being surrounded by such powerful strong women is the main thing that inspires me”

MR: I found it quite difficult because at school, we just rowed once a day and we trained really hard. Now the bulk of our training is UT2 and to do lots of that you need to be quite strong and your back needs to be good and mine was not in a very good position.

When I got to Durham University, my back flared up really badly. I could put together bits of training at U23s, but I found it quite difficult as a boy going into an adult world. But I think you just gradually get used to it and just take things day-by-day as it comes.

Every step along the way, I could have doubted that I’d be good enough, so I never thought I’d get to U23s – I never thought I could make it on the Leander programme which is kind of what spring boarded me into the national team. And then when I got onto the national team, I thought I wasn’t going to cope with it.

I think you just speak to people around you and ask for advice and your body just gradually gets used to it. And as you mature as an athlete and a person, you figure it out.

What is the best thing about being part of the GB Rowing Team?

SB: Just being surrounded by such powerful strong women is the main thing that inspires me and it’s great just being around people who love the same thing and with so many like-minded people. And there’s so much intention – every day everyone just goes out there with the intention to get the most out of it. I just love the atmosphere.

“There’s a lot of expectation and I’m in the coxless four at the moment and in the past, that boat has always won”

MR: I think we’re really lucky that there’s probably 70 athletes, but there’s also physios and sports scientists and every single boat has a coach, so even the support staff have the intention to make us better.

We’re in a really privileged position where all we have to do is just turn up and do our best, so everyone’s trying to drip-feed into how to get better. There’s a lot of history because GB has an unbelievable heritage in the sport and the fact that we can be part of that feels very special.

What’s the biggest challenge about being part of the GB Rowing Team?

MR: I think it links to what I said before: because the team has done so well, there’s a lot of expectation and I’m in the coxless four at the moment and in the past, that boat has always won.

And this whole Olympiad, we’ve not done particularly well. We’ve won bronze medals which I was quite happy with – but the expectation is to win. That’s quite difficult to deal with, but then, ultimately, all you can do every day is your best. And if that’s all you do then that’s life really, which is quite a good lesson.

But the training’s tough. We do two long rows a day and then a weights session and that takes a bit of getting used to and in those periods, you just feel totally knackered the whole time.

“My favourite quote is: ‘It is what it is and it ain’t what it ain’t’”

SB: So, I’m quite new to the team – this is my second year. I think I found it a bit of a shock going from university. I was towards the top of my university programme and then I came in and was pretty much bottom of the team here.

It’s quite a big shock to have such fierce competition and to have to rise up to that all the time. And sometimes that can be quite hard to deal with, but it does make you better although sometimes it is hard.

What advice would you give to your teenage selves?

SB: I think for me, I’d always just say focus on enjoying it and always keeping rowing in perspective because there are bigger things in life and although rowing seems like everything at the moment, it’s important just to remember why you do it and why you enjoy it.

“Surround yourself with radiators and not drains because that can make a huge difference”

MR: My advice would be really similar – I think enjoying it is really important. Also, I wish I didn’t worry so much, which I think is really easy to say… It could be about an email from the GB coach
 ‘The coaches have put me in this boat, what does that mean? Or just generally I haven’t been invited to that party, that means I’ve got no friends.’

I think it’s just enjoying what you do and just knowing that you are in a good way and that things will come good. Oh, and my favourite quote is: ‘It is what it is and it ain’t what it ain’t’.

SB: I love that. Also, another one I think I’d say is to appreciate the people around you and surround yourself with radiators and not drains because that can make a huge difference.

From an outsider looking in, GB’s performance at the European Championships was a bit of a surprise. Do you feel that way, especially after not having as much water time as the other nations?

MR: Yeah, I was really pleasantly surprised. We have just been training against the clock since September and we had been doing percentages and not doing very well. We ended up doing fine (winning), but yeah you have no idea what the other countries are doing. We’ve just taken that result and are back to the drawing board and then just hoping to get faster and faster.

SB: The European Championships was my first senior race, so I was just loving the whole experience and lapping it up. Holly (Nixon) and I hadn’t been together for that long, so we were still finding our feet.

Our percentages weren’t great either, so we were not really sure what to expect going into it. I think just to be on the podium – we were so happy. And I think it’s just exciting for the whole team to start the year in that way and for more to come hopefully.

The post In conversation with Saskia Budgett and Matt Rossiter appeared first on 91ÌÒÉ«.

How does it feel as a young person in rowing to be asked to take on a role that you know nothing about – knowing that the world will be watching?

For the , six juniors from the were invited to take roles on the “stake boats” which were in fact pontoons. Aged from 14 to 17, their roles were collecting the crews’ kit and running it to the waiting transport to get it to the finish and of course holding the sterns of the eights as they aligned on the start. If they got it right; no problem. If they got it wrong; millions would notice.

Their club was founded in 2004 to mark the 60th anniversary of the 1944 Boat Race, also held at Ely, so there is an historic connection with the university Boat Race, making it even more fitting for the juniors to be involved this year.

The start of the 2021 race was from the finish of the 1944 race, marked by a stone plaque on the Queen Adelaide riverbank.

This is what Eleanor, Isobel, Katie, Millie, Olive and Ted had to say about their experiences after the race.

How did you feel when it was first suggested you might likeÌęto be on the stake boats? Why did you volunteer?

When it was cold and we were all still in lockdown there was not much to look forward to.Ìę However, being part of the group made me so excited to get back to rowing.

I volunteered because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and one day I want to be in one of the boats.

“I also felt very lucky to be one of the few people able to witness the race in person”

I volunteered because I thought it was such an amazing opportunity to be able to see the start of the Boat Race from a viewpoint that few other people would have seen. To be able to play a role in the second time in history that the Boat Race has come to Ely was brilliant.

My family always watches the Boat Race, so I knew it was a big event. I was excited to be part of something that is so globally important.

How much did you know about the Boat Race history and its links to the club?

Before the Boat Race I did not know that Ely held the race in 1944.

Every Sunday morning, we see Cambridge out on the water training and it was so fantastic to see, and be part of, what they had been training so hard for.

During lockdown, our coaches had organised weekly Zoom meetings to keep up our morale. Our club president, Derek Pickersgill, gave us an interesting history lesson so we were well informed on the race’s return to Ely. He showed us some old photographs and explained how the Isle of Ely club was formed so that the local community could enjoy our beautiful stretch of river.

“I was worried that I might get pulled into the river as the boats zoomed away at the start”

How did you feel on the morning of the practice starts?

I felt nervous; I didn’t sleep much the night before, but was really looking forward to the day.

On the morning of the practice session, I was really nervous because I had very little experience with stake boating, but everyone was so patient and helpful. Once I had a few practices, I quickly learned how to do it and after that it was amazing and I loved it.

I felt nervous, but also excited to learn how to carry out the stake boat responsibility. I was worried that I might get pulled into the river as the boats zoomed away at the start. To add to my worries, it was a freezing cold day – so landing in the water would have been even more awful than usual!

What was it like being on the pontoons?

On the pontoon it was really inspiring and interesting to see how much actually goes on to prepare for such a big rowing event and to be so close to the Cambridge and Oxford crews. Holding the boat was an honour and made me feel a part of the event.

Walking out onto the pontoon was daunting, but once you focused on the task at hand the nerves disappeared and the experience was wonderful.

The water was already quite choppy because of the wind, and then when the launches zoomed past the pontoons to follow the rowing crews, their wake made the pontoon bounce around, which was surprisingly fun!

Do you have any tips for someone doing stake boat starts?

Enjoy the experience!

After my first practice, I realised that holding the bottom of the boat with one hand and the side of the boat with the other was the best way for me.

The most important thing is to not let go! Once you have guided the boat in make sure you have a firm grip. Then just try and focus your eye line on the stern and concentrate on that until you hear the word ‘Go’.

Even if you’re nervous, I would encourage you to give it a try, because although it’s a big responsibility, it’s a huge honour to participate and something memorable to look back on for the rest of your life.

“I was extra delighted that I got to hold the winning men’s boat”

What is your favourite memory of the event?

My favourite memory of the whole event was working as a team with others from the Isle of Ely Club, getting to know them better and being inspired to continue with my training and rowing by the Cambridge and Oxford crew.

It was an excellent opportunity to witness the huge amounts of organisation that goes into these events. I also felt very lucky to be one of the few people able to witness the race in person.

My favourite memory from Sunday was when I was holding the boat just before the umpire shouted go; I could really sense the tension and anticipation that the crews felt. The feeling that I was holding such a powerful boat was exhilarating.

Being a part of the 2021 Boat Race was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something that I will never forget. However, one of the best parts was being able to meet so many different people from different walks of life and hearing what brought them to the race and their experiences of rowing.

It was exciting seeing the crew members hyping each other up at the beginning of the race. They took the race really seriously, because they had been training for this race for so long, even throughout lockdown, and they REALLY wanted to win! All four crews did brilliantly, and both the men’s and women’s races were so close. Well done Cambridge and Oxford.

I was extra delighted that I got to hold the winning men’s boat.

Summing up, Vicky Parry, a founder member of Isle of Ely Rowing Club, added: “The feedback shows how important the day was to the juniors; their enthusiasm was inspiring. They did a brilliant job and the club is very proud of them.Ìę Young volunteers like this are the future of our sport.”

Thanks to Vicky Parry and all the juniors for the article. Find out more about the history of Isle of Ely Rowing Club .Ìę

The post ‘Being a part of the 2021 Boat Race was a once-in-a-lifetime experience’ appeared first on 91ÌÒÉ«.

The 91ÌÒÉ« School or Junior Crew of the Year award is for school and junior club crews with outstanding achievements in the 2019 calendar year, or over the course of the 2018/19 season.ÌęCrews can be nominated for their achievements over a successful year of racing, as well as for notable achievements of other kinds, and this year there are five worthy junior crews who are our nominees, all listed below.

But there can only be one winner and our Awards Panel have selected the junior men’s double from as worthy recipients of our overall National Junior Crew of the Year Award.

We’ve included some highlights from their citation below:

Success comes in many guises and Callum and Maziyar have each overcome a different challenge in order to form a competitive crew who have won several heads and regattas and competed at national events.

Maziyar arrived in the UK in 2017 as an asylum seeker from Iran. On arriving in Stockton, he was reunited with his Mum, after being separated for four months, and took up rowing – last enjoyed back in Iran.

Callum, who is a multi-sensory learner, has worked incredibly hard to develop strategies to control his social anxieties, which have led him to start coaching. He has been voted in as Junior Captain of Tees RC.

Both Callum and Maziyar have become talented athletes and coaches, generously giving their time to support the younger club members.

Our other four nominees are:

Eton College first eight crew (Thames Region)

The first eight won the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta against the odds in 2019.

The crew embodied the ethnic diversity of the school, and while some were from the U15 and U16 A crews, two had shown remarkable tenacity in working their way up from the U15 D crew.

At Henley, the Eton eight upset Radley on the Friday and on the following day, led Shiplake, in the fastest full course time ever recorded by an Eton crew. In the final, they overcame Scotch College, a crew which had not been beaten by a school crew in two years.

Five boys from the crew went on to GB representation, with three winning a bronze medal in the eight at the Junior Worlds in Tokyo.

Hereford RC junior men’s four crew (West Midlands Region)

This J16 crew have revitalised junior rowing at . From a small club with just a few junior members, Henry Fraser, Alfie Wynter, Ollie Gittins, Dan Dutson-Smith and cox Maisie Wynter, under their outstanding coach Nigel Fraser, have put Hereford rowing back on the map, inspiring a whole new junior section who want to follow their successes.

They have medalled at National Schools Regatta, 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championship, Inter-Regionals, Welsh Indoors and never fail to bring home a pot from local regattas in both sweep and sculling.

For a small club with seasoned boats and limited resources they have become inspirational ambassadors for Hereford Rowing Club.

Kingston RC junior women’s four crew (Thames Region)

This junior women’s four have been at the forefront of the domestic rowing scene for three seasons. They have won countless medals and trophies. This season, at National Schools they won gold in the girls’ coxed four on Saturday in record time and then went on to win gold in the junior women’s pair, also with a record time.

Within these five girls is the fastest junior women’s pair all season. They won the Feb GB trials by 40 seconds, and the April GB trials by eight seconds. Both girls then went on to row for GB in the junior women’s four at the Junior Worlds.

Trentham Boat Club junior women’s quad (North West Region)

The girls have worked tirelessly to achieve the following results in J15 coxed quad national races in 2019:

March 2019 – Junior Sculling Head – J15 4x+ – silver
May 2019 – National Schools Regatta – J15 4x+ – gold
July 2019 – 91ÌÒÉ« Junior Championships – J15x+ – gold

Balancing the intense training and schoolwork has been a tough challenge, but with a solid time management system and commitment to each other, and the team, it has been achievable.

They have a strong belief which has been developed – anything is possible if you set your mind to it!

Thanks to the 91ÌÒÉ« Awards Panel School/Junior Crew of the Year – John Hinnigan, Sophie Hosking, Pete Milhofer (Treasurer, Reading BC) and Diane Graham (President, Walbrook RC) for their time selecting our Junior Crew of the Year winner.

We are celebrating the winners of the 91ÌÒÉ« Awards 2020 all the way up until 31 December so please keep and eye out for other winners #BRAwards2020ÌęÌę

The post 91ÌÒÉ« Awards: School or Junior Crew of the Year winner appeared first on 91ÌÒÉ«.

The Olympic.org website yesterday reported that after in-depth discussions, President Macky Sall of Senegal and Thomas Bach, International Olympic Committee President, have agreed to postpone the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar until 2026.

The global health crisis has had a huge impact on sport, not least the postponement of Tokyo 2020, so the decision “allows the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the National Olympic Committees and the International Federations to better plan their activities”.

Dakar 2022 is the first Olympic event ever to be organised in Africa and while it is disappointing news for many young athletes, IOC President Thomas Bach said: “I am sure that, together, we will organise a fantastic Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 for Senegal, the entire African continent and all the young athletes of the world.”

After emphasising his commitment to making the event a successful occasion, President Macky Sall added: “I would like to reiterate that the IOC has my full support for the organisation of the Youth Olympic Games, postponed to 2026.”

Approved by the IOC Executive Board, the agreement will now be submitted to the IOC Session for ratification on Friday, 17 July 2020.

Held every four years for athletes aged 15-18 years, the Youth Olympic Games was last held in 2018 at Buenos Aires, Argentina. In rowing, Michael Dalton and Theo Darlow finished fifth in the men’s pair, while Georgie Robinson Ranger came ninth in the women’s single.

The post Youth Olympic Games postponed from 2022 to 2026 appeared first on 91ÌÒÉ«.

With young people set to miss out on a school sports day this summer, the Youth Sport Trust’s annual campaign is being opened up to parents and families and reinvented as National School Sport Week at Home.

The UK-wide campaign will give families, communities, schools and sports clubs the chance to capture the enjoyment, competition and camaraderie they have been missing out on during weeks of school closures and social distancing.

In previous years, National School Sport Week has seen thousands of schools join in a week-long celebration of school sport and Physical Education, and their important role enhancing young people’s well-being.

This year, has teamed up with the to supercharge the campaign, helping to inspire families across the country to take part. This builds on a long-term relationship between the broadcaster and charity.

91ÌÒÉ« CEO Andy Parkinson said: “We are delighted to support National School Sport Week at Home. School-age rowers are an integral part of the rowing family andÌęschool sportÌęhasÌęa transformational impact on the lives of young people.

“With young people experiencing the negative impact of the lockdown, 91ÌÒÉ« is fully supportive of the Youth Sport Trust and all that they do to offer opportunities for all young people to enjoy their sport in these different times.”

Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive Ali Oliver said: “The Youth Sport Trust is thrilled to see supporters like 91ÌÒÉ« backing National School Sport Week at Home to ensure no child misses out on their school sports day this summer.

School sport has a transformational impact on the lives of young people

“Right now, young people are missing their friends and missing the sense of connection they get through sport.

“Sport has such a crucial role to play in promoting young people’s well-being and this has never been more apparent than it is now. After weeks of isolation we hope that YST National School Sport Week at Home 2020 can help bring families, communities, schools and sports clubs back together.”

Anyone can register to take part and will receive videos and activity cards to help them plan a series of challenges across the week for their families, neighbours, friends or colleagues.

Find out more about National School Sport Week .

91ÌÒɫ’s School-Age Rowing Strategy

If you’d like to read more about 91ÌÒɫ’s involvement with school sport then you can find out about 91ÌÒɫ’s School-Age Rowing Strategy (2019-2023) here.

The strategy has been informed by a comprehensive review of school-aged rowing undertaken in 2017 with the support of the Youth Sport Trust. The review explored the current landscape of school-age rowing, why young people and schools row, as well as key challenges and opportunities.

91ÌÒɫ’s mission is to work with existing and new school and community rowing clubs to deliver a high quality and enjoyable rowing experience for young people of all abilities and backgrounds, promoting lifelong involvement in the sport.

The post National School Sport Week at Home: 91ÌÒÉ« backs campaign to ensure no child misses out appeared first on 91ÌÒÉ«.

Seventy-four young rowers from trained alongside six GB Para-rowers in a Saturday morning session entitled the Giza Pyramid Complex.

Paralympic champion Lauren Rowles joined world champions Ellen Buttrick, Giedre ‘G’ Rakauskaite, Ollie Stanhope and Erin Kennedy, together with world finalist Ben Pritchard, in the session. They were keen to provide something fun for juniors to do, while also keeping them in touch with the sport during the pandemic.

High Performance Coach Nick Baker said: “Since lockdown we’ve encouraged our group to use the time they gain back from not having to travel and a slightly reduced training programme to give back to the community in creative ways.”

After the session Ollie Stanhope said: “It was nice to see that people in the rowing community are keen to take part and that kids are still being active. As a whole group it felt good that people were appreciating the work that Tom [Dyson], especially had put in, but also the guys from our squad in taking part.”

Posting on Twitter, Ellen Buttrick said: “Just had one of the best mornings of solo training, joined by 74 LYR athletes as we tackled a tough pyramid session on the ergo. Thank you for tuning in and rowing along with us, it definitely made the minutes fly by.”

With an Egyptian theme, the session included three different pyramids of varying lengths with each pyramid increasing in intensity followed by the final twist – a tough climb up the head of the Great Sphinx of Giza!

Tom Dyson, Lead Coach Paralympic Pathway, had prepared some eye-catching graphics to keep the rowers engaged.

Just had one of the best mornings of solo training, joined by 74 LYR athletes as we tackled a tough pyramid session on the ergo

Nick said: “We have been creating adventure challenges since the team had to move away from centralised training at Caversham.

“As well as theÌępyramids of Giza we have taken trips up Alpe d’Huez, climbed the Galibier, traversed the three peaks and climbed Everest.

“These sessions still hit the physiological outcomes we are looking for from the training, but keep the rowers interested and challenged – massively important given we still have over a year to Tokyo and could be limited to the rowing machines for a little while yet.”

Nick was thrilled to see the positive feedback on social media afterwards with many of the juniors and their parents telling the rowers directly how much they had enjoyed it.

He added: “My favourite part of the webinar was seeing the pictureÌęfrom a parent afterwards of a youngster on his ergo at home following the session on a laptop and loving it. That young lad and the 73 others that could make the call is who this was for.”

After taking part, Daisy, a junior rower at Thames Tradesmen Rowing Club, said: “I never thought I would be able to have the opportunity to train with the GB Para Rowing Team and it gave me a bit of insight into how they train, which has confirmed that this is something I definitely want to pursue.

We have taken trips up Alpe d’Huez, climbed the Galibier, traversed the three peaks and climbed Everest

“It also gave me a lot of motivation to continue and keep up with my training during lockdown. The training was the perfect amount of difficulty and I was able to complete it. This was a very good way to spend a Saturday morning!”

Her parents also appreciated the opportunity, with one saying: “Daisy loved the session this morning and was completely chuffed to have had a response to a message she sent to Lauren Rowles!

“Thanks for all this stuff, it really does help to motivate.”

Meanwhile, a parent of another junior rower from Active Row commented: “Thanks for arranging the session this morning. My son really enjoyed it and it was something a bit different for him to do as the days are feeling very monotonous.”

Ollie Stanhope added: “We owe a big thank you to the people at London Youth Rowing who got as many people involved as they could.

“As a publicly funded programme there is a sense within the squad that wherever possible we should try to give back to the community. This row along was a great opportunity to do that.

I never thought I would be able to have the opportunity to train with the GB Para Rowing Team

“Along with that, a simpler aim was just to help kids and people that may want to go further in the sport by mixing up their training and keeping them motivated, which in turn keeps us motivated.”

Speaking for London Youth Rowing, CEO Matt Rostron said: “London Youth Rowing has been providing young people with amazing opportunities and experiences for many years.

“We get the chance to work with some fantastic partners, supporters and friends that help us do this, and this collaboration with GB Para-Rowing has certainly been one of the best experiences to date.

“To be able to provide an opportunity to train with top athletes and for them in turn to engage and inspire dozens of our young people, was a real pleasure and a privilege to be part of.

“The GB Paralympic Team were incredibly generous with their time and so open to supporting from the start. These amazing athletes have now built a budding fan base with our rowers, and we hope to be part of more sessions like this in the future.”

You can watch the Giza Pyramid Complex workout session Ìę

The post GB Para-rowers train with London Youth Rowing juniors in webinar workout appeared first on 91ÌÒÉ«.