Female rowers from Pangbourne make history

A Junior 18 VIII team from Pangbourne College reached the semi-finals of the Peabody Cup recently

EIGHT young female rowers from Pangbourne College made history recently by reaching the semi-finals of the Peabody Cup at The Henley Women's Regatta.

For the first time since the first girl raced at Pangbourne College in 1992, a Junior 18 VIII team from the College reached the semi-finals of the Peabody Cup - one of only two British schools that progressed to the semi-finals.

However, both British crews were beaten by American crews, with the Pangbourne College VIII, whose average age was 16 years old, losing out to St Paul's School, Concord, USA, by two and a half lengths.

The crew coach, Mark Skidmore, said: “The course at Women's Henley, as it is commonly known, is 1500m, rather than 2000m which the girls race at the National Schools Regatta in Nottingham.

“As a result, the race is more intense.”

On both days of the regatta, there was a strong, gusty headwind and the weather was very blustery with heavy downpours of rain, but the headmaster at Pangbourne College, Thomas Garnier, said the crew could be very proud of the achievement.

He said: “Women's Henley is the most prestigious British female regatta.

“Pangbourne College has a long history of successful male rowing crews and I am very pleased that this year the Pangbourne College Girls' J18 VIII has reached the semi-finals of the Peabody Cup.

“The crew and their coach can feel justly proud of this achievement.”

Last year, the college also produced a School Junior IV that won a bronze medal at the National Schools Regatta and one member of the crew, Helen Jefferis, went on to be the first Pangbourne College girl to gain full junior international rowing honours.

She was selected to row in the Great Britain Junior Women's Coxless IV and VIII at the European Junior Championship at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in Hazewinkel, Belgium.