The Rowing Club has returned from the final regatta of the 2007/08 season, the South African Schools’ Championships. For the first time, the Championships was not held on Roodeplaat Dam, as the rowing course was covered in hyacinth weed, instead it was held at Wemmer Pan in Johannesburg. Wemmer Pan has a rowing course of a length of only 705 metres, about a third of the standard distance of 2000 metres. This change of venue generated a lot of controversy, to the extent that some schools from the Western Cape refused to participate.
Competing in Gauteng is always tough, even more so over an unfamiliar distance, but expectations were high, especially after the successes of Buffalo Regatta and so the club competed with a lot of anticipation. The St Andrew’s College U14 and U15 quads were disappointed by errors under pressure, but these age groups did well to secure 4th place in the U15 double sculls and the U14 Octuple. The U16 Pairs of Mullins with Roberts and Brody with van der Nest did very well to secure a Silver and a Bronze medal respectively. In the U16 Eights event, St. Andrew’s College had a good start, but could not match the St. Benedict’s crew for power over the first half of the race. In the closing stages St. Andrew’s fought back, but ran out of room to overtake the St. Benedict’s crew and settled for a well earned Silver medal.
In the Open age division, St. Andrew’s College did very well in the Pairs event, their two crews Strydom with Manning and Areington with Hunting securing both Gold and Silver medals. The Open Eights was the premier event of the Championship, where St. Andrew’s entered an unprecedented 3 eights. Both our 2nd and 3rd eights did well in their heats to make it to the B final, where our 2nd eight secured 3rd place. Our 1st Eight had a comfortable win in the heats, but in the A final were surprised by a huge early push from St. Benedict’s College. St. Andrew’s College fought back and ate into the lead, but again the finish line arrived too soon and we took Silver.
Having won for 4 years running, 2nd place was disappointing only by our own very high standards. Taken in context, a Silver Medal at National Championships Open Eights is still a very good result. Although the pain of losing was evident, our crew was gracious in defeat, congratulated the winners and behaved impeccably throughout. This counter pointed the near-hysterical reaction of the St. Benedict’s crew and club, prompting one newspaper reporter to remark that our crew were the real winners.
Reflecting on the this past season, St. Andrew’s College Rowing Club have won Victor Ludorum trophies no less than four times, so well done, this has been an outstanding season and you have done yourselves and all of us proud.
