Bedford Modern School Boat Club

Monday:

Today began with a rough start for all after our chocolate tart was replaced with apricot tart. This was tough news to take. It got even tougher when we found out we had to be down at the lake for 8am.

After an ‘active walk’ down the senior lads and J16 chaps got involved in a bit of a battle paddle where we were surprised to find the water finally flat. Tim Evans (future winner of the Diamond Sculls at Henley) was due to go out in a single but his unprecedented amount of tin shifting ended in disaster when he ripped the footplate out of his boat trying to ‘adjust’ the feet, leaving him with no choice but to go and deadlift.

After Matthew Fox placed the rigger jigger into the water, seemingly not realising it wouldn’t float, we returned to the hotel for some revision like the outstanding student athletes we are. Supremely confident with their studies so far, some of the boys went into town and brought back a haul of food worth almost as much as the new Hudson. More strenuous revision occurred after lunch.

The sun came out as we headed down for our afternoon session which was in fours. The J16 single was once again prevented from tearing up the lake after Mr Satchwill noticed Ethan Carr had never been in a single before and the wind was picking up. The time on the water allowed Matt Fox to demonstrate his steering prowess, or lack thereof but the gents still managed to make technical gains.

We’re over half way through the camp now and the tired legs and hurty hands are beginning to set in however we’re optimistic for the days ahead. As ever the food is delicious and we are incredibly lucky to be enjoying the Italian sun.

The J16 boys xx

Sunday:

We woke up for our third day of the training camp to realise that the wind was still hanging around. After a decent breakfast of coffee and croissants with Jack impressively eating 6, we were told that there would be no rowing in the first session and we were expected in the revision dungeon with Mr White.

After a productive revision with Rajesh losing all his work and Hodgy helping Zac at maths, a smiling lobster (Mr Bavington) told us that we were heading off to the beach to train. With multiple Glen’s leading the run we arrived to a high tide so resorted to training on a platform that could be described a rickety at best. After Miss Bruce’s questionable counting ability multiple Glen’s led the run home with only three casualties for some more revision.

After a nutritious lunch with something Hodgy actually liked we headed down to the lake for our only water session of the day. We had a good session in a boat that had previously been on the floor and good progress was made by all. We then strolled back for another revision session which Walker decided he was too good at Physics to attend and ‘had a nap’ instead as well as some teamwork by Glen and Raj on various DT projects.

For dinner we had a fish feast which Hodgy didn’t like followed by a traditional Italian dessert which Hodgy also didn’t like. Then it was time for the annual BMSBC quiz which was surprisingly factual with Zac’s team coming out on top, apart from the coaches team which conveniently won… Overall it was another solid day of training camp and we are all looking forward to the next few days of hard training, apart from Joe Herbert with his hurty leg.

Love,

The Senior Boys

Saturday:

We started our second day with an interesting breakfast of croissants and lots of sugary snacks to fuel all “the boys” for a stormy day at sea. It was a pleasant surprise to have a water session this morning due to the threat of a thunder storm! Taking our first stroke on the water at 8 am, we put in a “big shift” with a power session working on low rate whilst still maintaining power, we took advantage of the water which was as “flat as a pancake!” The men came back exhausted only to work harder as they were given the choice to revise or watch cox Joe Smith eat Frosties with chopsticks! Us intellectual model students of BMSBC concluded the former option shall prevail for our further education on our journey to academic success.

After our daily dose of “mystery meat” at our hotel for lunch we headed off to “pump iron” in the gym, in a hope to “get ripped” for the beach! And of course develop the key muscles needed for rowing. After the hard session we all had trouble exiting the gym door as we were all too huge due to our excessive gains. Before dinner we explored the lovely sights of sabaudia, such as the cereal aisle of the local supermarket – there was everything from Frosties to Cookie Crisp, the selection was most wonderful! We’re hoping the weather will be better tomorrow so we can have two sessions on the water to make up for our lost session this afternoon because of the thunder.

By Ben Williams and Miggy Carr

The day started with a bright early morning due to the senior and J16 boys waking us up for their 5.45 session.

In our first session we reached the end of the 4K lake to practice our race starts for the regatta season soon after we return. However, Miss Bruce’s launch failed to restart… or so she said. After many attempts of giving the throttle some beans, we finally resorted to calling Mr Bavington and Mr Satchwill. Whilst waiting for the rescue boat, whilst in the middle of the lake, the Ukrainian crews kindly taught us some of their language whilst attempting to avoid Miss Bruce and Anja who was convinced that even as a cox, she was ‘a strong independent woman’. Mr Bavington finally arrived after the wash of the Ukrainian boats had died down and he successfully restarted the launch on the first attempt claiming he’s ‘never been so smug in his life’.

During our 2nd and 3rd session we all headed down to the cold, dreaded room to revise where we were all very productive apart from Jess Read who decided sleeping needed to be revised on the sofa. The coaches were not happy with this.

Our 4th session was the highlight of our day where we were all ready for some non-windy Sabaudia weather. There was a WJ15 quad where Hannah Heappey had decided to become the cox. Also, the WJ15’s were treated to the new coxless quad + Lara Brittain in the borrowed Hudson USP boat and a WJ16 coxed four with questionable sweeping skills… We had a “lovely session”. With a strong row up to the top, the girls quickly found that the weather would not be on their side for the rest of the session with the storm approaching. The winds and waves had picked up massively. There was a ‘speedy’ row to land as the girls fought the long stretch to get back in as if it was coastal rowing. With the USP and the four in, Mr Ruta had come and help.

Whilst the Italian boatmen were shouting at us to tie down the boats and move them off the top racks, the girls were running round like headless chickens soon realising many visors and slides had gone for a choppy swim (yet to be found…)

So the sum of our day is:

• Mr White is off to town tomorrow morning to buy some replacement kit
• Miss Bruce can’t start a launch
• Hannah can’t cox

and most importantly…

– The USP lives on

By the Senior Girls