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GMS Girls: Gold for England

Posted on 18 Oct, 2013 in About GMS, General News, Rowing, Sports

Just after the end of the summer term, 25 Great Marlow students competed at the British Junior Rowing Championships. Every student competing made their finals in at least one event with some impressive results from the younger age groups.

To the credit of themselves and GMS, the senior boys and girls both won silver medals in the Fours Event. As the fastest English crew the girls were selected to represent England the following week, at the Home Countries Regatta. The boys were, also, the fastest English crew but the selectors, sadly, decided to go with the Abingdon School crew, who had won Henley Royal Regatta, although they had not attended the British Junior Rowing Championships.

Being selected as the England Coxless Four (the elite crew event) was a tremendous achievement for the girls, but was laced with a terrible twist for Fran Reynolds. The Home Countries Regatta was held on Saturday 27^th July, the day Fran was flying out to Tanzania on her World Challenge. Having worked to raise £4,500 over 2 years, she could not possibly forgo her trip. Her place in the England boat was taken by Emma Boddy: she joined Ellie and Bethany Osborn (Year 12) and Emily Paul (Year 10).

So, the Great Marlow School Boat Club Girls Coxless Four went to Nottingham, Holme Pierpoint to race as England against Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

The Irish were an unknown quantity but have been regular gold medallists over the last few years. The Scots had won Gold at the British Championships the week before. The Welsh appeared the easier team to beat.

Historically, the Osborn twins, in particular, were slow in the early stages of the race, so, throughout training the crew had worked hard on improving their start, to avoid having to fight back through the field.

The training worked. 250m into the race England lead by half a length from Ireland with Scotland about another half length behind that. All seemed well, but the danger of a flying start is that the crew pay for it in spent energy later in the race: the England team began to flag and lose their lead. Foot by foot, the Irish crew clawed back to be in contention in the lane next to GMS girls. The Scottish crew, victors the previous weekend, couldn’t stay with pace and gradually lost touch.

With 1500m behind them, ( just over 5 minutes) and 500m to go, the Irish girls looked like they had the lead. However, both crews were matching stroke for stroke and there was nothing in it. Two minutes of pain and nothing but a voice that says “Go on!”, GMS girls fought every inch of the way and were the crew that crossed the line first.

Not only had Great Marlow School’s Girls Coxless Four won Gold racing as England, but they had done it in a manner that showed tremendous courage and determination. winning was truly, a momentous moment: one that will live in their memories and the memories of all their supporters forever.