?This is the first time a full Shiplake crew has won a final at Henley Regatta and topped off an already record-breaking year for Shiplake Boat Club as they entered a record six crews, a record four crews qualifying to race, with not one but two girls’ crews competing at Henley for the first time.
Racing at Henley, the boys’ first and second eights and the girls second quad all won their first heats but lost to strong crews on their second days. Three Shiplake former pupils racing for Oxford Brookes won Henley silverware. Michael Glover won both the Visitors’ Challenge Cup and Ladies’ Challenge Plate, joined in the boat by Seb Newman for the latter event. Henry Blois-Brooke helped his university eight win the Grand Challenge Cup.
The Girls’ A Quad consisted of Nicole Dunn, Merry Oakes, Mia Vickerman and Isabelle Blake-Hurworth and they have said “we are immensely proud to be a part of the Shilake legacy”. Headmaster Tyrone Howe adds “They are incredibly hard working so it’s really nice to see that paid off. Our new Head of Girls’ Rowing coach, Dan Safdari, has made an immense impact and this win has put girls rowing at Shiplake on the map.”
The crew went into the regatta as the favourites for this event but the extra pressure didn’t impact the girls and they took each race day by day. Reaching Finals Day, they met Marlow Rowing Club, a crew which they had raced against a number of times over the season including in the final at Henley Women’s Regatta. Marlow had a sharp start off the pontoon and the Shiplake girls soon found themselves almost a length behind. They edged themselves back in and were level again about a quarter of a mile into the race. The girls kept their technique and remained calm to ease through to a half a length lead at around half-way, eventually crossing over the finish line 2¾ lengths ahead with big smiles on their faces.
This completed an incredible season for the College’s girl rowers, adding to their wins at National Schools’ Regatta for both A and B Quads, Henley Women’s Regatta, Marlow Regatta and also the British Junior Championships in which they won the Sculls, Doubles Sculls and Quad events.