Exeter's Girls Eight Wins all Three Races at Reading Regatta

June 19, 2007

Varsity girls rowing the Squamscott earlier this year

What a season for girls crew. On June 16, the team won 1st place in the Women's Junior Eights at Reading Amateur Regatta, competing against a mix of UK and US teams. This win follows their 4th place finish in the USRowing Youth National Championships, competing against 1,300 athletes from 140 programs in the US. And, in a few days, they are scheduled to race at the Henley Women’s Regatta.

At Reading, the girls junior eights crew raced three times, beating Tabor Academy A (Marion MA) with a time of 5:20 with about 1/2 length open. They then went on to beat Headington School (Oxford, UK) in round two with about 6 lengths open. In the finals, the crew beat Molesey School (Molesey, UK) in a time of 5:10 and about 5 lengths open. The Exeter junior eights team was awarded the Royal Military Academy Challenge cup for their first place finish. Watch the junior eights cross the finish line at Reading...

Exeter had two boats at Reading. Exeter’s girls four team qualified for a Women's Senior Fours division, due to the age (19) of two team members. They lost against Newcastle University by about 2-1/2 lengths, but their performance was exceptional, particularly given their youth relative to more mature rowers in their class. “They are looking better and stronger each day in practice,” says Sally Morris, girls crew coach, who is traveling with the team. “They have a disadvantage in age, and also one rower has switched sides and is still learning to row starboard.”

The Reading Amateur Regatta takes place a week before the Henley regattas start, giving it tremendous importance for crew watchers. This year, more than 200 teams raced at Reading. The Women’s Junior Eights class included six teams, with about half from the US. The Women’s Senior Fours class matched up sixteen teams, the great majority from the UK.

Interested in learning more?

Watch the junior eights cross the finish line at Reading...

Read about the Reading Amateur Regatta…

Check out Exeter’s 4th place finish in the USRowing Youth National Championships…

Review events and races in the upcoming Henley Women’s Regatta...