St Paul’s crowned Men’s Youth Eights winners at Head of the Charles

Congratulations to the St Paul’s Rowing 1st VIII, who won the Men’s Youth Eights event at the Head of the Charles Regatta on Sunday 2 October.

St Paul’s had two crews racing at the world’s biggest rowing regatta, with both crews training out of Boston for the last week.

They were cheered on by a mixture of parents, staff, governors and many Old Paulines who were in town to race and spectate.

The 1st VIII started 74th in the Youth Eights division, overtaking spectacularly and managing themselves extremely well to claim first place. They won by more than 20 seconds – an impressive time and one that would have also won them the Men’s Collegiate Eights division.

SPS has won the event only once before, and by a smaller margin of 11 seconds, in 2017 at the opening of what went on to become the school’s best-ever season.

The coxed four, comprising rowers from the 2nd VIII, also had a low starting point at 65th in the Youth Fours event, but had a strong race to finish 22nd out of 90 boats.

It’s the first time the school has visited Boston for the race since 2019. At that event, the eight finished 2nd and the four 32nd.

1st VIII, coached by Bobby Thatcher

• Sam (Bow)
• Christian (2)
• Kynan (3)
• Alec (4)
• Alp (5)
• Pat (6)
• Felix (7)
• Philip (Stroke)
• Victor (Cox)

2nd IV, coached by Charles Bourne

• Maurits (Cox)
• Fintan (Bow)
• Rohan (2)
• Arthur (3)
• Milon (Stroke)

Our win has been shared across the rowing community including features in Row2k and British Rowing.