RGS Sports News

Throughout lockdown the School devised an imaginative sporting programme to keep pupils (and staff) active and motivated. Ranging from fun weekly physical targets and exercises to scaling the equivalent of mountain peaks at home or in the garden, these proved hugely popular, as did the regular entertaining games and challenges invented by the Prefect team.

RGS Guildford were crowned Champions at the annual RGS Schools Cricket Festival July 2021.

The sporting calendar was turned on its head but nevertheless, the boys were able to take part in fixtures, albeit virtually or in different seasons (cricket in Michaelmas term), year group competitions and much more. Sports Day 2021 was a wonderful gathering of all at last. Just one example of virtual sports fixtures was a 3K run involving competitors from eight schools, with hundreds of RGS pupils and parents taking part. Here is a selection of team and individual sporting success over the last 15 months.

Will U6 clinched the men’s U20 3,000m on the line to book his place at the European U20 Championships.

Ben U6 selected for the Royal Yachting Association’s 29er Youth Performance Squad which recognises his potential to progress within British Youth Sailing to the British Sailing Team, and hopefully into their Olympic Development Programme. He won the 29er Allen Grand Prix 1 in September 2021 and finished 12th overall out of 189 boats at the 29er World Championships in Valencia, Spain.

Jacy 3rd form won a silver medal in the Wakeboarding U14 Nationals in July 2021. The sailing team competed at the BSDRA Southerns against Winchester College, Wellington and Sherborne. The team won all their races very convincingly and were crowned Southern Area Champions.

Alessandro 5th form

took part in his first adult triathlon, a serious race assessing GB qualification.

Already a medallist at the National Junior Indoor Rowing Championships, Jack 4th form was selected for the English Alpine Squad for the 2021/22 season. He also took up triathlon last year (a positive action during lockdown) and has been selected for the London Region Academy, part of the British Triathlon talent pathway. Sid 2nd form won Gold in the singles & Silver in the doubles at the U13 National Circuit Badminton Gold Tournament.

Alex 4th form secured a silver medal in the ‘A’ final at the National Junior Sculling Regatta whilst rowing for Walton Rowing Club.

REMEMBRANCE SERVICES 2020 & 2021

For the first time in the School’s history, our Service of Remembrance in November 2020 was held online and broadcast simultaneously to all the boys.

After the reading from Wisdom III 1-9b, wreaths were laid on behalf of the Old Boys of our school and the current school community respectively by

Religion & Philosophy teacher and Old

Guildfordian Karim Tayar and School Captain Theo. The two-minute silence concluded with a beautiful, haunting performance of The Last Post by Stan U6. The Second Form choristers also were outstanding as they sang selected verses from O God, our help in ages past and Immortal Invisible.

On 11 November 2021 the RGS once again commemorated OGs lost in the two World Wars and other conflicts with a moving service in Great Hall. Gil Carter OG 1963 laid a wreath on behalf of Old Guildfordians as we remembered their sacrifice. The youngest was just 17 years old. Jon Davies, RGS Head of History gave the address, reflecting on the meaning of Remembrance both national and personal, through the story of the Unknown Soldier at Westminster Abbey.

Poppy crosses commemorating OGs lost in the First World War, handwritten by Lower School RGS boys and planted on the lawn by the New Building

Stan U6 playing The Last Post

Unknown Soldier

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. by Robert Laurence Binyon