Following an intensive and highly productive training camp in Sarnen, Switzerland, the Boat Club have made an excellent start to the summer regatta season, with impressive performances at both the Junior Interregional Regatta and the BASHER Regatta.
Junior Interregional Regatta – National Success
The Colts A VIII and J15 coxed four proudly represented the Eastern Region at the Junior Interregional Regatta last weekend. This is a national team event, bringing together all 16 rowing regions across the UK, with results from each race contributing to an overall regional score. This year’s expanded format, following the split of the Thames into six regions, made for an especially competitive event.
In a landmark outcome, the Eastern Region finished joint overall winners with Thames Upriver East, the first time in recent memory that Eastern has topped the leaderboard, underlining the strength and depth of performances across the squad.
Both Bedford crews laid solid foundations in the time trials, with the Colts A VIII finishing third and the J15 coxed four equal second, putting themselves firmly in podium contention for the A finals. The finals delivered thrilling racing, with exceptionally narrow margins between the leading crews.
The Colts A VIII produced their strongest performance to date, finishing third, just half a length behind Abingdon and one length behind Kings College School. The crew also beat Leeds for the first time, an important marker of progress following the Sarnen camp.
The J15 coxed four delivered an outstanding race to take second place, finishing just behind Westminster and a matter of feet ahead of Shiplake.
BASHER Regatta – Competitive Racing Across the Club
While the 1st VIII were training in preparation for the GB U19 trials, the remainder of the Boat Club competed at the BASHER Regatta. As ever, this event provided valuable opportunities for close, competitive racing across year groups, with a format that often produces exciting and unexpected match-ups.
Standout races included:
- A particularly engaging contest between the J15 B VIII and the J14 A octo
- A strong showing from the J14 B octo, racing against Abingdon’s J14 A crew, Radley’s J14 B and Eton’s J15 D crew
The top Bedford result on the day came from the 2nd VIII, who, despite racing as a coxless four due to injuries, were still highly competitive against larger crews – a testament to their resilience and adaptability.
