Forward July 2016 | Page 28

SPORT Rowing We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then, is not an act but a habit. – Aristotle The Head of the River 2016 was a demonstration of the strength of the Guildford Grammar School rowing program, with a hotly contested day of racing for all Guildford crews. The Hamer Cup team, led by a highly motivated and committed group of Year 12 rowers, produced a number of excellent performances on the day. Particularly outstanding were the results from the 2nd VIII, 4th VIII and the 9D Quad, who won their events in fine style. The 4th VIII had a memorable race, as the first non-Trinity crew to win this event in any regatta, giving their coach Patrick McRoberts his first Head of the River win. After a slight upset early in their race, the Guildford 2nd VIII stormed home to a commanding win in their event. The 9D quad, who had demonstrated steady improvement throughout the season, had their hard work rewarded with a convincing win in their event. The Guildford 1st VIII completed their race with a courageous third, behind Trinity College and Christ Church Grammar School. A special mention is due to our 3rd VIII crew, who were the overwhelming favourites in their event, winning every regatta in the lead up to Head of the River. In an unfortunate incident at the beginning of the race, a crew member lost a seat. This crew went on to place 4th in spite of this misfortune, an outstanding effort from this very talented crew. For the sixth consecutive year, the Guildford Grammar School rowers were placed in the top three schools in the PSA, finishing second in the Hamer Cup, 25 points clear of third place. This is an outstanding result for the team, and special mention is due to our Year 12 rowers and Captain of Boats, Liam Stacey, who provided such strong and inspirational leadership throughout the season. We are really proud of the efforts of the whole team and we very much look forward to the next season, building on these excellent results. Ms Jennyfer Leah Teacher-in-charge, Rowing 28