Shiplake College’s rowing success continued on Sunday when pupils Henry Blois-Brooke and Seb Newman, along with the rest of the GB men’s VIII, won a bronze medal at the World Rowing Junior Championships in Trakai, Lithuania. Despite the great success of former pupils, Henry and Seb became the first pupils from the College to win a Junior World Championship Medal.
With Henry in seat three and Seb in seat six, GB had a brilliant win in the heats recording one of the fastest times in the VIII. It was then onto a final with very strong competition. GB made a relatively slow start in the first quarter of the race but managed to edge their way through the field and crossed the line just inches behind the USA in second, with Germany taking the gold medal. Shiplake’s Director of Rowing Mr David Currie had the following to say: ‘There was a really strong positive atmosphere amongst the whole junior team throughout the championships. It was Great Britain’s best ever performance at the event finishing second overall behind Romania. Henry and Seb’s achievement is one that the school can really be proud of and was a great way to sign off their junior rowing career. This is an achievement for our younger pupils to aspire to and is evidence of what can be achieved.’
This wasn’t Shiplake’s only success of the championships, as Mr Currie coached the men’s four crew that won the gold medal. GB Rowing Performance Director and Shiplake College Governor Sir David Tanner said that ‘Dave has done absolutely fantastic job in preparing the crew both physically and mentally’. Headmaster Mr Gregg Davies said ‘as head I am thrilled to have the boys win bronze and to have our Director coaching his first ever gold winning crew. It is the icing on the cake to a fantastic year of rowing for the School'.