Rowing
Rowing is a developing Sport at Stowe and is open to all students. The activity is based at Northampton Rowing Club (NRC) on the River Nene and practice 4 days a week after lessons, with Wednesday being the main practice session. There is just over 2,000m of good relatively straight and wide water available and on most days Stowe is the only presence. Equipment is shared with NRC as well as the School possessing some boats of its own. As a relatively small club within the School, effort is concentrated on sculling rather than rowing, however, as the squad develops, Stowe hopes to include Sweep oar rowing in the sessions.
Stowe has access to:
- Four quads (4x, 4x+)
- Five double sculls (2x)
- Six single sculls (1x)
- Two Virus training singles
Two safety launches owned by Stowe and NRC help with the coaching as well as acting as safety boats.
At present there about 35 pupils in the Rowing Squad and Stowe participates in a number of local and national events throughout the year. We have attended the Pangbourne Junior Head of the River, Northampton Head of the River, National Junior Small Boats Head of the River, Henley Junior Fours Head, The Ball Cup, Stratford Regatta, Bedford Regatta and The National Schools Regatta at Nottingham.
In the Cambridge Championships Junior Sculling in March 2007, Marcus Bennett and Conor Curtis took the medal in the Junior 18 pairs with Hugh Gallie and Jonathan Wale close behind. These four made up our quad and took second place in the Junior 18 category. James Bell completed an excellent Junior 15 singles race and came in third in commendable time. A surprise came at the prize giving ceremony when it was announced that Stowe had won two further prizes, one in the Junior 18x4 and a second in the Junior 18x2, for the Best Technical Crews in both categories.
Rowing at Stowe is able to take in pupils of all abilities from complete beginners to those with extensive experience in the sport.
Master in charge: Mr Michael Righton (Senior Coach)