This is the main national event to end the winter season. It is raced over the boat race course in the opposite direction, meaning on the outgoing tide. GMSBC entered four crews; our top Boys’ Eight, top Girls’ Quad, and a J15 Boys’ Eight ( Year 10) and WJ18 Eight.
Having come second at this race last year by under a second, the Boys’ Eight were keen to go one better and win a Schools’ Head pennant, something GMSBC has not done for a number of years, and never at the J18 (6th Form) level. Despite having to start behind some slower crews in the Championship Eights event and by Barnes Bridge, only three minutes into the race, they had successfully overtaken a number of crews, four in the course of the race. While exciting for the crew, it also meant they were not able to follow the best racing line, which on the tideway can cost you dearly. They had a fast time though and looked good for the win initially but secured silver position behind Hampton School.
An excellent result but not a pennant this year.
The Girls’ Quad had were facing most of the top crews they will be racing this summer and coming eighth was a strong result; it looks encouraging for qualifying for Henley Regatta at the end of the summer. The Girls’ Eight also had an encouraging 7th position, and given they have not had much time in this crew are also looking in contention to qualify for Henley.
Our Year 10 boys are a strong squad and this is the first time we have entered an Eight at the Schools’ Head since we won J15 Eights in 2015. The team had an exciting race, overtaking a crew and catching another, but it was understandably a strong field and won by an Italian Crew. 5th overall was a great result.
