By Miss Harris (Head Rowing Coach)

The busy and successful rowing season continued with our marquee event at the end of last term, the National Schools’ Regatta (24th to 26th May 2024). It proved to be an outstanding weekend of racing for BGS Rowing, full of talent, passion, and excitingly close races. Particularly notable was the 2nd Senior 4+, who had a nail-biter of a race, with the final margin between first and second place being a mere 0.2 seconds!

The event hosts more than 5,000 competitors in over 1,000 crews across three days, which is a real testament to the thriving junior rowing community in the UK and Ireland that produces an exceptionally high standard of rowers. Competing in such an environment is both an honour and a challenge, pushing both rowers and coaches to develop further.

Our crews’ results reflected the hard work and consistency of training that they have put in over the season, especially during the difficult winter. We are incredibly proud that all our crews placed within the top 15 of their category and delivered their best performances.

This term, we have raced almost every weekend, and the frequent competitions have been invaluable. They have allowed the rowers to hone their skills, work together, and perfect their race strategies. The culmination of this preparation was evident in their performances at National Schools’, where they showcased everything they had learned.

A special thank you to our wonderful supporters. The Friends of Bedford Girls' School Rowing Club ensured that all BGS rowers and their supporters were well looked after in the BGS tent throughout the weekend, with the ‘BGS roar’ louder than ever from the banks of Dorney Lake.

The following weekend, our rowers continued their racing streak with a day at Peterborough on Saturday 1st June. Every rower who was available raced over the 1,000m multi-lane course.

We were greeted by a friendly seal who remained present throughout the day. A few of our rowers even tried to swim with him after some accidental capsizes.

Our WJ14 4x+ of E Jones (cox), P Adams, R Gautam, A-L McCarthy, and E Wynne-Williams, and the WJ 15 2x of R Lock and R McGregor were victorious.

A special mention to all the WJ 14s who experienced racing in small boats for the first time, and the double of R Palmer and O Coles for some feisty racing after a last-minute substitution.