Chris Tebb
Women’s Fixture Report vs. OUWBC
The women’s squad took on local rivals OUWBC in an official fixture, over two pieces on the Tideway. After some unofficial sparring before last year’s Boat Race, this would be a good opportunity for both crews on the championship course. In the match between Brookes’ 1st crew and the Oxford Blue Boat, Brookes sprang out to an early lead but by the end of a competitive first piece, Oxford on the Middlesex station had made the most of their bend advantage, and came out on top by just over a length. Going into the second piece, the crews’ coaches and media onlookers were treated to a fantastic, closely-fought duel, with Brookes
Men’s Fixture Report vs. Oxford
On a Tideway in biblical conditions, OBUBC’s men raced Oxford, in their first official Boat Races media fixture. Both crews raced their respective Blue Boat and Isis counterparts over two pieces – from Putney to the Eyot, then restarting again at the Eyot, and finishing at the University Finish Post by Chiswick Bridge. As with Cambridge, Brookes found themselves up against a stronger Oxford crew than in 2016’s fixtures, this time containing two Olympians. In the first half course, Oxford took an early lead out the blocks from the Surrey station and maintained a 1-length lead to Hammersmith, where the conditions then became progressively worse, with swirling winds and breaking waves. OBUBC rowed a cleaner middle of the race
Men’s Fixture Report vs. Cambridge
OBUBC came out on top with both men’s eights in the first of Cambridge’s official Boat Races media fixture. Both crews raced their respective Blue Boat and Goldie counterparts over two pieces – from Putney to the Eyot, then restarting again at the Eyot, and finishing at the University Finish Post by Chiswick Bridge. With a stronger Cambridge Blue Boat than last season, and the 2016 Temple-winning Brookes lineup as the weekend’s sparring partner, one would expect some fiercely competitive racing. In the first piece, Brookes took an early lead out the blocks from the Middlesex station, by Harrods saw Cambridge taking the lead by 3 seats. In their rhythm, Brookes took the lead back round the
113 tankards top off Wallingford Head
OBUBC went one better than last year, bringing home 113 pots to 2015’s 109 – winning 17 of 19 categories entered – marking this as the strongest showing ever by BROOKES|Rowing at Wallingford Head. On a gorgeous winter morning with still waters and blue skies, the women brought home twice as many category wins this year, with the 1st VIII winning Senior & Elite 8’s in the fastest women’s time, and the 2nd VIII trumping opposition in IM1 and IM2 8’s. The women’s program continues to go from strength to strength, and highlights the ever-increasing depth and standard across the squad. Without a helpful tailwind this year, the men’s 1st VIII were only 7
Scullers Head & GB Trials Report
Jamie Copus came frustratingly close to retaining the headship of Scullers Head this year. After winning in 2014, and with 2015 cancelled due to bad weather, he went off bow #1 and came home 3rd in a stronger field than in 2014. 2 weeks later at the GB Rowing Team’s 2nd Trials Assessment at Caversham, Brookes athletes had a good set of results in their respective boat classes – Matthew Tarrant came 2nd in the M2- with Alan Sinclair, and Annie Withers had a good first trial in the W1x in her first season with the GB Senior squad. Jamie Copus won the LM1x trial, with fellow OBUBC member Joel Cassells coming 2nd.
New boats named for Rio Olympic medallists
On November 10th, the University welcomed Rio medallists Scott Durant and Olivia Carnegie-Brown back to campus, in order to celebrate their Olympic successes with the naming of two new 8’s in their honour, to be raced by the men’s and women’s 1st VIII’s later in the season. The ceremony was also to acknowledge the record-breaking accomplishments of the Boat Club’s performance in the 2015-16 season, across both the men’s and women’s squads. Vice Chancellor Alistair Fitt, Director of Sport Keith Kelly and the BROOKES|Rowing coaching staff were joined by a wealth of rowers past and present, as well as non-rowing students there to celebrate in our alumni’s success. Olivia Carnegie-Brown came
Brookes place 3 VIII’s ahead of every university 1st VIII
At the British Senior Championships this weekend, the boat club took 112 athletes to Nottingham for the first race of the new season. Representing the club in 12 eights and a 4x, both the men’s and women’s squads had a very strong showing, with the largest contingent of men & women ever to represent Brookes at any competition. The women’s 1st VIII finished a solid 5th in a very close final of Elite VIII’s, with the best women’s 8+ field the British Championships have ever seen – only just behind Oxford’s 1st VIII, with the 2nd VIII going on to come a close second in the C-final. The men’s squad emulated last year’s
Brookes’ GB Summer – REPORT
Following in the footsteps of our medalling Olympians, OBUBC’s athletes had a very successful summer on the international circuit, representing at three different international events. At the U23 Worlds in Rotterdam, Ben Reeves achieved a bronze medal in the LM4-, to add to his other bronze in the same event last year. The men’s 4+ of Harry Brightmore (cox), Rory Gibbs, Matthew Aldridge and Michael Glover had a very strong regatta, winning their repechage strongly, but ended up a length behind the medals in an extremely tight field. At the Senior World Championships (also in Rotterdam), Joel Cassells came away with a fantastic bronze medal in the LM2-, considering the short amount of preparation time once his crewmate, Olympic spare
Olympic Success for Brookes athletes
‘Super Saturday’ strikes again, with Brookes athletes Scott Durant and Olivia Carnegie-Brown winning a gold and silver medal, in the men’s 8+ and women’s 8+ respectively. These final, emphatic medals brought Britain to the top of the Olympic rowing table, with 3 gold and 2 silver medals. The women’s 8+ pulled strongly through the field to claim silver – GB Rowing’s first ever Olympic medal in this event. The men’s 8+, with Scott Durant crossing the line first in the bow seat, brought home the Olympic gold for the first time since Sydney 2000. This caps off a phenomenal series of World Championships for the men, with GB winning every World Championship
OBUBC’s International summer
This summer, BROOKES|Rowing has a total of 18 athletes representing Great Britain on the international stage. With the Rio 2016 Olympic Games officially begun and the Olympic Regatta well underway, GB saw five Brookes rowers performing strongly in the initial rounds. Scott Durant (in the M8+) and Olivia Carnegie-Brown (in the W8+) both came through their respective heats in a winning position – with the men’s 8+ leading from the front, and the women’s 8+ commanding the second half, both to qualify direct to their finals. Richard Chambers led his LM2x heat to halfway, well ahead of the rest of the field to qualify for the A/B semis. Brother Peter
