Boat Club

The list of activities, hopefully enjoyed by the boys, runs to nearly 30, of which the following are examples. Basic map and compass work equipped some to do well in Orienteering events, and avoided total confusion on the hikes in the Summer Term. Shooting with live ammunition in the range was not put to direct use on the two night exercises, where the use of "blanks" seemed more judicious. A visit to the Fire Station was full of interest as was a talk by a visiting officer from the Police Force. The list continues through use of an Army assault course, lightning chess, morse and cooking (very popular!) to the expeditions in the Summer Term.

Much hard work went into arranging all these activities, involving many members of staff with Mr. Hubbard bearing the brunt of the responsibility for the very successful camps.

BRONZE AWARD

Only those who have taken part can appreciate the work involved in making a success of the award. Those who did succeed proved themselves physically fit in the swimming bath or gym, and followed this by passing a First Aid examination set by the British Red Cross. In addition each boy had to select a hobby which was pursued to a high level of interest and achievement. Finally came a 15-mile expedition to study, for example, local history or flora.

The following boys can feel proud to have succeeded in gaining such a testing award:— I. A. Nichols. P. A. Newdick.

I. R. Pullan. P. J. Procter. R. W. Parkinson. S. W. Wallace. J. H. Larcombe. S. Bruce-Jones. T. C. Moore. S. J. Tatterton.

SILVER AWARD

If the whole ethos of the award scheme is to be honoured, much of the responsibility for successful completion of the programme must, at this level, rest with the boy. No amount of organisation can eradicate the need for personal initiative. The programme, though similar to the bronze, is more exacting and some boys used the physical fitness section as an opportunity to win the Gold personal survival award of the A.S.A.

It is nice to report these successes:—

C. P. Hodgson. P. M. Wright. P. M. Brooker. R. M. Walker.

D.H.H.

A membership of 85 gave us greater scope than usual in the Summer Term, and with a depth of talent running through the Club we were able to give competitive experience to a number of crews at all age-levels. The results have been most encouraging and promising for the future, not just in regattas but also in individual training performances and personal progress. As before, there has been a wide diversity of rowing 19

through the Club, and once again sculling has played an important part, especially in the first two years.

After initial training the Junior Junior Colts and Junior Colts were formed into a squad of competitive and non-competitive crews. The firstyear oarsmen trained in VIIIs and sculling boats, from which two IVs were selected to race in our own Schools Regatta and Bradford's return invitation at the end of term. In both regattas the two crews showed great promise without producing a win. From the Junior Colts we selected two IVs originally, to which a further two were added later, while the rest trained in VIIIs. The top two IVs performed well in our own regatta and were unlucky to get no further than the first round at Lancaster. At Durham the "A" crew rowed well to reach the final, where they were beaten by an excellent crew from Scotland, who had put our "B" crew out in the first round. The term ended with a clear win for the "A" crew at Bradford Schools Regatta, where our other two crews also rowed well.

The Colts section made up two VIlls, the first of which was a crew of great promise. A mechanical fault at Chester, a third of. a length at Lancaster, and a strong Durham School crew at Durham were their early undoings. Nevertheless the crew was obviously good enough to warrant an attempt at the National Schools Regatta. What it lacked in size and weight it made up for in enthusiasm and technique, and in spite of a big upset at Nottingham the crew rowed well, but could not match the strength of opponents averaging two stone a man more in weight. At our Schools Regatta the "B" IV won cleverly, and at Bradford our two crews dominated the competition, fighting out the final between them.

Three IVs emerged from the senior section of the Club. The 3rd IV was full of keenness and enthusiasm, was outclassed in Senior "C" IVs at York Spring Regatta, reached the semi-final of Novice IVs at Bradford. and rowed three inspired races at York Summer Regatta to reach the final, only to , be beaten by a very good crew from Derby. C. N. Hazel, who was the main inspiration of this crew, received the cup for the oarsman who gave the greatest contribution to the Club. The 2nd IV was good and raced all its races against senior crews. At York Spring Regatta they reached the final of Novice IVs, were beaten in the first round at Durham, but were finalists and unlucky losers at Newark. They competed at the National Schools Regatta, but like the Colts they were outclassed more by size and strength than by skill. They rowed unsuccessfully as an VIII with the 1st IV at Leeds, but by far their best performance was at York Summer Regatta where they were convincing and deserving winners of Novice IVs. The 1st IV began the term well by winning the coxed IVs' event at the North-West Junior Championships at Chester, but failed at Durham in Senior "B" IVs because of a broken rudder string. They were finalists and unlucky losers at Newark, and then produced the race of their lives at the National Schools Regatta to finish third in the re-rowed final of the Hedsor Cup. Compensation for much hard work came at York where they won Senior "B" IVs by four feet from the Bede College crew, who had sold us the boat we beat them in, containing two Old Peterites. A slightly re-arranged version of the 1st IV trained into the first week of the holidays to compete in the National Rowing Championships where they did well to reach the semi-finals. Many finalists and a number of significant victories have made this term the most exciting for many a year. Throughout the Club there A 20

have been signs of great promise, the successes of the senior crews and the ability of all the Colts crews suggest that the next three years could see the Club achieve even greater victories. Two events of the term deserve special mention. The Boat Club Dance, organised by the Supporters' Club, raised £221 which has enabled us to complete our purchase of two excellent racing IVs in one year. The other event was the second of our own school's invitation regattas, which attracted an entry of nearly 40 crews from five schools, and which again provided some valuable competition for crews which would otherwise have experienced little racing.

Three people deserve a special mention. Mr. Owen, our boatman, who did a brilliant repair job on our fine IV after a serious accident, still keeps us floating with our heads just above water through a very busy season. Mr. J. Hood, who has added his own expertise to the training of our first two IVs, has been a great help and inspiration to our competitive crews. Last, but not least, Mr. C. P. M. Duncan, who has surrendered the administrative responsibilities but continues to coach, has combined in his running of the Club elements of professionalism and fun which have contributed so much to the overall success of the Club.

The term ended in spectacular style with the procession of boats, where for once we were unable to boat all our members, and the finals of the House IVs' races. In the Senior competition School House gained revenge for last year by beating The Manor by a canvas in a thrilling final of high quality. In the Junior competition Temple provided a surprise by earlier beating the seeded Queen's IV, and in the final defeating the favourites, School House, by three-quarters of a length. The last action of the term was an excellent race between the 1st VIII and a very talented Old Peterite VIII, in which the verdict, possibly prejudiced by the successes of the term, went to the School by two feet.

The following crews competed in open regattas:—

1st IV 2nd IV D. J. R. Eddell A. R. Hornby M. S. Bruce P. N. Withers S. J. Tomlinson P. A. E. Challis A. G. B. Perks M. S. Ray A. B. L. Sherris (cox) A. P. P. Gray (cox) 3rd IV M. J. F. Davidson T. M. Bloom S. G. D. Kirby C. N. Hazel

N. A. J. Brindley (cox)

Colts VIII W. A. D. McMaster (also rowed in the 3rd

IV) D. B. McCarter

J. M. Newdick W. S. McIlroy (also skulled) J. P. H. Harrison (also rowed in the 3rd

IV) C. Duckling M. A. J. Ferguson T. F. Hudson

P. S. Spencer (cox) R. A. Hind (cox)

Junior Colts "A" IV W. E. Andrew J. N. C. Turner T. S. D. Kirby

R. J. Holden P. D. Johnson (cox)

Junior Colts "B" IV C. G. A. Morcom T. Barker N. J. Ramsden L. S. Wilson K. C. Brown (cox)