BBC rowing crew poised to repeat 30-year-old feat at Henley Regatta
A top southeast Queensland boys’ school is hoping to repeat a 30-year-old epic feat at the holy grail of rowing, England’s Henley Regatta. SEE THE MAGNIFICENT EIGHT
South West
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A Brisbane Boys’ College rowing team is poised to make history by repeating the Toowong school’s 30-year-old victory at the Henley Regatta in England, the most renowned rowing event in the world.
The last time a BBC eight made it to Henley — and won — was in 1993, the same year they won the Head of the River GPS competition and the national titles.
This time, the school hoped their magnificent eight would clinch a history-making victory in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup.
The crew earlier this year pulled off a rare threepeat at the Head of the River and came second in the Old Boy Cup and second at the national titles.
Some of the crew were even being talked about as future Olympians.
Their exploits were even more extraordinary because just five years ago, when Director of Rowing Zoltan Shepherd took up the role, BBC’s rowers were languishing well down the schoolboy league.
Mr Shepherd, who has an impressive pedigree at club level, with Lourdes Hill College’s rowing team, the South Australian Sports Institute and as head coach at the University of Queensland, said the turnaround came down to a new culture.
“It’s all about commitment, consistency and respect, down to small things like turning up in uniform for the bus (to the school’s rowing shed at St Lucia),’’ he said.
“But I couldn’t do it by myself, you need a great team around you.
“You also need huge commitment from the boys, their family and the school.’’
Mr Shepherd said the Old Boy Cup performance also showed great depth at multiple year levels, not just the year 12s.
As part of building on that depth, he has encouraged senior rowers to help the younger ones, who start learning to row in Year 7.
The eight Year 12 boys chosen for Henley include twins Daniel and Matthew Cashman, plus one reserve in year 11 and a cox in Year 10.
They have been training nine times a week recently, including five on-river sessions, even though the season has officially ended for the year.
That was on top of school work and now also helping with a major fundraising campaign to cover the six-figure cost of mounting a credible challenge at Henley.
On Saturday, for example, they donned their “zoot suits’’ for a car wash on school grounds.
In a wonderful twist, a former member of the victorious 1993 crew, Old Boy Matt Kesby, has come on board as a major sponsor and planned to cheer on the boys with his family at Henley.
The school has also chipped in, as well as families and Old Boys, but more sponsors were still needed to ease the financial burden on the crew’s families.
To get to Henley, Mr Shepherd had to first write to two Australian stewards to ask them to put forward the school to regatta organisers, who accept just 32 crews from England and around the world.
However, with the top team at the national titles not attending, that left BBC as the strongest Australian crew.
“We won’t know for sure until June, but we’re prepared to do a qualifying race if we have to,’’ Mr Shepherd said.
“We will hire boats from Oxford University and have an oar company lined up and have found a rowing club at Maidenhead for training.
“There will be three days of training after we leave on June 20 and the Reading Town Regatta before Henley starts (June 27 to July 2).
“This group is special. They’ve really put a great effort in and we are hoping they can do it.’’
Sponsors, who are eligible for naming rights on oars, boats and uniforms, which offers international brand exposure, can donate via the Australian Sports Foundation.
Visit: https://asf.org.au/projects/bbc-foundation/bbc-rowing-2023-season-fundraising
First VIII Crew highlights
· 2023 National Champion Under 19 Coxless IV
· 2023 National Schoolboys VIII Silver medallist
· Undefeated 2023 GPS Head of the River winner
· U19 and U21 VIII 2023 State Champions
· Open Mens VIII 2023 State Silver Medallists
· 2022 Qld Pathway State Representative
· 2021 U17 National Coxed Quad Silver Medallist
· 2021 and 2022 various State Championships
Tom Stevens
Tom is stroke of the open first eight, has attended BBC for eight years and rowed for five consecutive years, like his father and grandfather before him.
As well as competing with the BBC crew at state and national level, Tom won the Under-17 Single Scull national championship in 2022, becoming a national champion like his dad in 1995.
Through rowing at BBC, he has grown close to the boys and coaches surrounding his journey, likens them to family and credits them with helping him to thrive as a rower and person. Their support has helped him become a college prefect, a state representative in rowing and has given him hopes and dreams about representing Australia as an Olympian in 2032.
Tom looks forward to representing his mates, family and school in England at the Henley Royal Regatta and hopefully bringing the Princess Elizabeth Cup home.
Matthew and Daniel Cashman
Identical twins Matt and Dan Cashman, standing at 6ft 5” (196cm), form part of the engine room of the BBC VIII.
Positioned behind each other in seats 6 and 7, their brotherly competition ensures they give their all.
Despite backgrounds in water polo and rugby, they embraced rowing upon the suggestion of a BBC Old Boy.
Guided by legendary BBC rowing alumni, they have contributed to winning crews in two Australian titles and two Head of The River races.
Embracing the camaraderie of their rowing mates, they thrive on the bonds from pushing their limits and never letting their crew down.
Mitchell Owen
Having rowed at BBC for five years, 197cm-tall Mitchell Owen is the 2023 Captain of Boats, rowing in 5 seat.
He feels an unmatched camaraderie that’s embedded between him and his fellow crewmates – letting him whole-heartedly embody the motto “For the man in front’’.
Supported by inspirational coaches, teachers and volunteers, Mitchell is a Sports Prefect and has received Awards for Excellence in both Academics and Sport for each of the six years he has been at BBC.
He is looking forward to competing against the best of the best at the Henley Royal Regatta, bringing home the Princess Elizabeth Cup.
Joe Thynne
Joe is the 4 seat in the BBC crew and has rowed with the same group of boys for the past five years.
Joe attributes the success of the crew to the tight friendship group and also the strong mentorship of the coach John Pettigrew and head of rowing Zoltan Shepard.
Rowing has become a focal point of their Year 12 experience and he can’t wait to go to Henley for his first competition on the international stage.
Joe is a house prefect and enjoys the crew’s friendship on and off the water.
Liam Crook
Liam has been rowing for five years at BBC and currently occupies the three seat.
He has represented BBC at the Australian Rowing Championships twice and was part of the current First VIII crew who came second in the Australian Schoolboys VIII in Perth in March.
When Liam finishes racing at the Royal Henley Regatta he will immediately travel to Bordeaux, France where he will compete for BBC in the international RoboCup robotics event in the open soccer category.
Liam enjoys rowing because of the unique bond he has forged with his crewmates while overcoming the hardships faced during the ups and downs of rowing.
David Granzin
David is Brisbane Boys’ College 2 seat. He has been at BBC since Grade 3, is currently a BBC Wellbeing prefect and has been rowing for five years.
One of the main things that he enjoys about rowing is being with his mates, who make the early mornings and painful training sessions all seem worth it.
He loves the culture of the rowing shed, and the positive attitude of everyone working together to achieve a greater goal.
The thing that he’s most looking forward to about rowing at the Henley Royal Regatta is representing BBC on the world stage, with a group of his best mates.
Xavier Rubens
Xavier has been rowing for five years at BBC and currently occupies the bow seat, where his job is to balance the boat and talk to the crew.
Rowing is not only a sport to him but also an opportunity to bond with his best friends.
He loves the camaraderie and the teamwork it involves.
Additionally, rowing has allowed him to explore various places around Australia as the crew often travels around QLD and interstate for competitions.
Outside rowing Xavier is a BBC Social Action prefect and is a member of the QLD Reds Rugby (Union) Academy where he plays outside centre.
Beau Palmer
Beau is currently in Year 10 and has been involved with the BBC rowing shed for four years, coxing these boys in three undefeated seasons, as well as coxing the UQ women’s U19 composite crew to a silver medal.
As a cox it is Beau’s job to ensure the boat maintains its intended course during racing, avoiding obstacles and adjusting the direction as needed.
Coxswains also coordinate the rowers’ efforts, setting the stroke rate, providing motivation and tactical guidance during races or training sessions and forming the vital link between coach and crew.
Beau enjoys rowing because of the enormous possibilities and skill set it offers, the doors it opens and being able to travel Australia and other parts of the world representing his school.
Conrad Scott
Conrad is 16 years old and currently in Year 11 at Brisbane Boys College (BBC).
He started rowing in Year 7 at school and has worked hard to be selected as a reserve for the First VIII rowing squad that are making their way to the Henley Regatta in June 2023.
He loves the brotherhood and passion within the crew and is aspiring to continue paving the way forward for the First VIII in 2024.
He is currently the reserve for the First VIII, training to step in, in the event of illness or injury.
Since the start of the season, he transitioned from quads to rowing in six seat, stroke side for the Year 11 First VIII and has set aside his rugby commitments to support the First VIII crew in pursuit of winning the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup.
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