The University of York Boat Club’s Senior Men reinstate their place on the national stage

The weekend commencing 27th March witnessed the River Thames play host to over four hundred men’s crews from across the United Kingdom, and continent for the Head of the River Race (HORR). Setting off 294th out of 400, UYBC’s Senior Men’s Top Eight were on a mission to prove that six months of gruelling training had not been in vain; they did not disappoint.

York’s Boat had a difficult row starting so far back in the pack, yet this did not deter them. Battling through their competitions wash, cox Alice Taylor shone as she stepped up hugely to aid her crew with aggressive steering and calls; drawing every last ounce of strength from her men. Overtaking approximately ten crews in total, UYBC completed the 7 kilometre course in a time of 19.10.77 coming in 178th, an outstanding 116 places above their starting position and only 6 seconds behind the fastest UYBC crew in history.

HORR proudly stands as the biggest head race of the British Rowing season. With such a high volume of competition on a notoriously temperamental stretch of water, the Tideway, that plays host to the Oxbridge Boat Race, HORR is a very dangerous river to row on. At the start York witnessed a crew crash and snap their boat in half on a bridge before the start. To put UYBC’s success into further context, they beat Leeds and St John’s by a generous margin, proving to be the fastest university on the Ouse.

Dan Steele, Men’s Captain had much to draw from the performance “Good effort showing continued improvement and we now look forward to summer term and sprint season.” And that we shall, here’s hoping UYBC will continue their successful streak into summertime.

Crew: Alice Taylor (cox), Dan Steele, William Lawrence, Ben Coverdale, Johnathan Appleton, Oscar Neilson, Tom Bulpitt, Teddy O’Brien, John Underwood

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