Miss Gowing (Senior Rowing Coach)
The BGS Easter rowing camp was a veritable medley of hard training, blistered hands and convivial antics. The girls left school on the final Thursday of Spring Term, and travelled by coach to Hazewinkel, Belgium. This has been the site of many international trials and is a great training venue, with accommodation, classroom facilities and dining all on site.
The 10-day camp began with a few sessions to get used to the lake and try out a couple of new combinations. For example, the Year 10 rowers broke out of their usual 8+ into coxless fours, necessitating a few of the girls to step up and learn to steer, which they did (mostly) admirably! As the camp progressed and the three sessions a day started to take their toll, the crews started to tend towards racing combinations and the training tended towards longer race pieces. This demanding load meant a few individuals had to take some sessions away from the water to nurse shredded hands.
The camp was not all rowing however, and the sessions were interspersed with activities to encourage communication between the year groups and enjoy what the area had to offer. On one afternoon, the girls visited Mechelen, the local town, and came back with backpacks full of stroopwaffles and Belgian chocolate. On another afternoon, the girls took part in an Easter egg hunt with a twist – three girls worked together to find the eggs, with their legs tied together and the outer pair blindfolded! Evening activities included a talent show, where the girls demonstrated their capabilities as songwriters and choreographers. The winning act was an ABBA medley rewritten to incorporate as many rowing references. In amongst all this, the older girls did find time to get some revision in for their upcoming exams.
The progress of the girls over the course of the camp was excellent, and every single athlete left Belgium stronger, fitter and more technical than when they arrived. We can now only hope that these gains will translate back into training in Bedford this term, and that they will pay off when it comes to the upcoming races. We are looking forward to Bedford Regatta on 11th May, where we hope many of you will come to cheer the girls from the BGS tent. Fingers crossed for good weather!
