Rowing Update

Ball Cup (South) Regatta 2023
Tomasz and Oliver won a silver medal at the Ball Cup (South) Regatta on Sunday 7 May 2023, in the OpJ13.2x event, an open event in double sculls for those under the age of 13 on the 1 September preceding the event, or in other words, year 8 and 7. Both sets of parents along with other relations were there, running along the Dorney Lake bank cheering them on.

6th Former Matteo (Y13) missed making the final by 0.1 seconds, finishing 7th overall in the OpJ18.1x.

Oliver and Tomasz have been the most consistent in their attendance at rowing training, Oliver having missed only 2 sessions so far this year, Tomasz 4.

The two Year 8 boys had earlier teamed up with Gaby (Y8), Grace (Y7) and cox Zahra (Y7), who were attending their first regatta ever, in the OpJ13.4x+, where they finished 3rd.

6th Former Joshua (Y12) finished 11th in his single sculling event, happily pronouncing that it was his best performance ever. After a poor start, the combined double scull of Matteo and Joshua also finished 11th.

Egham Regatta 2023
On Sunday 25 June, we travelled to Runnymede to take part in Egham Regatta.

The quadruple sculls event for Year 7s and 8s is a mixed event, which means that at least half the scullers must be female. The Academy is therefore reliant on the number of girls available for competition for this event.

Three girls were available, meaning one quad could be entered, although there enough boys available to make a second quad. Our Year 7s were racing up a year against Year 8s from Maidenhead Rowing Club, in an event where we were the only school entry.

The quad of Zahra, Grace, Noor, Theo, coxed by Charlie fared better than the quad which raced at the Ball Cup, which had three year 8s in it, demonstrating the progress that had been made in the interceding month. Maidenhead won the race.

The other crew racing in the morning division was our J13.2x of Tomasz and Oliver, silver medallists in the Ball Cup in May. They won their heat against Cranmore School, which included one of Oliver’s oars coming out of its swivel, him replacing it whilst Tomasz sculled on his own, retightening the gate, and then joining back in!

They then lost their semi-final against Henley Rowing Club, who went on to win the event.

The two boys raced again in the afternoon division in J13.1x. Oliver was drawn against the bronze medallist from the Ball Cup, whilst Tomasz lost to Weybridge Rowing Club in his semi-final.

Kingston Borough Regatta
On Sunday 9 July we went to Kingston Borough Regatta for the very first time, to give the Year 7s a chance to race on the water against other Year 7s, instead of racing Year 8s.

The J12.4x+ of Theo, Yuvraj, Rayan, Gurshaanvir, coxed by Charlie started slower in their first race than their opponents, Guildford Rowing Club. Guildford then caught a boat stopping crab, allowing TLA to take the lead. The crews then alternated three more times in catching crabs, with TLA making one less mistake than Guildford, allowing them to win their race, sending them to the final.

In the final, the crew learnt a lot from their previous race, getting a better start and leading Team Kean, their opponents, for the first half of the race.
Unfortunately, one mistake on the part of the TLA crew was enough to let Team Keane take the lead and win the event. But one mistake instead of 3 showed improvement and learning between races.