By Miss Harris (Head Rowing Coach)

The start of a new season of rowing is upon us, and I, along with the rest of the coaching team, are incredibly excited about the year ahead. We have a lot of exciting events and challenges lined up, which we hope will provide enjoyable days for all involved.

The squads have been hard at work, settling into their new training programmes and adjusting to their revised squad structures. While recent heavy flooding has disrupted our water sessions and cancelled our first race in St Neots, the resilience and spirit of the athletes continues to shine through. We transitioned to land-based sessions during this time to maintain fitness, and it has been wonderful to see the rowers embracing these with energy and enthusiasm. Special shout-out to Lauren, who managed to find the humour in an accidental dunking. This is proof that no matter what, rowing is always an adventure!

Our new Year 7 and 8 club rowers started off the season with a treasure hunt at the Boathouse and surrounding area. It was a fantastic way for them to familiarise themselves with key landmarks, river hazards and safety protocols. They also had the opportunity to join their senior peers in Years 9 to Upper Sixth in a fun session designed to introduce them to the wider rowing community. The mix of teamwork and light-hearted competition was the perfect way to welcome our newest rowers and help them feel a part of the BGS rowing family.

Looking ahead, we are now preparing for our next race, Bedford Head, which will take place on Sunday 13th October with all available rowers from Years 10 to Upper Sixth competing. We hope to see many friendly faces on the banks of the river supporting our crews as they begin their racing season!