The Bedford Girls’ School Rowing squad recorded their biggest ever medal haul at the Bedford Regatta on Saturday (7th May).

With supporters from across the School’s community cheering on the crews from the BGS enclosure throughout the day, the girls rose to the occasion.

Years 9-11 crews and the seniors all represented the School at the Regatta, with four finals reached and three golds won.

The Year 11 crew of Katie McDonagh, Emily Baker, Lily Hudson, Molly Garrigue and Imogen Fereday were racing novice, but still managed to reach the final and beat an adult crew from Auriol Kensington, by a length, to win their category.

The Year 10 quad also reached the final, winning their semi-final comfortably, but a strong crew from King’s Ely proved too much.

The Year 9 second crew of Megan Harris, Alice Cooke, Alana Pillai, Hannah Tollman and cox Olivia Kemp marked their first ever regatta with a win.

The girls beat Great Marlow School on the line in the semi-final, and then stood their ground in the final to beat Kingston.

The Year 9 first crew of Ellie Simester, Erin Knight, Anna Lewis, Grace Batten and cox Sophie Parry had a very tight semi-final. The girls were a length behind at the halfway stage but stuck to their race plan and rowed through their opposition to earn their place in the final.

In the final they came up against a strong crew from Kingston, but they kept cool heads to claim BGS' third win of the day.

Miss Round, Head of Rowing, said: “The support at the Regatta was amazing from staff, parents, relatives and girls. The roar from the BGS tent was incredible and really helped our rowers give that extra bit of fight coming into the finish line.”