Record Breaking BUCS Success for Oxford Brookes Rowers
This past weekend saw dominance from the Oxford Brookes Rowers at the 2021 BUCS Rowing Regatta.
After very strong male and female performances at the 2021 BUCS Regatta, Oxford Brookes collected the Overall Victor Ludorum, winning with 974 points ahead of Cambridge University in second with 864. The Brookes men comfortably won the Men's Competition by almost 300 points and the Brookes women finished in a respectable third.
The weekend started with success for the Women as they secured victory in the Championship Coxless 4-. Harriet Ferguson, Taylor Caudle, Isy Hawes and Beth Dutton were able to keep their composure and took the lead in the closing metres of the race. Brookes’ second gold came from Charley Wedderburn and Jen Hoffman in the Intermediate W2x and the final medal for the first day was bronze from the Women’s Intermediate 4+.
Friday saw the Brookes Men’s squad in action. Brookes have a strong history in the Championship and Intermediate Eight having won both events, every year, since 2013. This year was no different, with two crews lining up in the Championship race and both finishing inside the previous BUCS Record and securing brilliant gold and silver medals.
Similar success for Brookes followed in the Championship 1x Final. In this race, Jamie Copus and Quentin Antognelli (who will be rowing for Monaco at the Tokyo Olympics) fought hard again one another until the final line where Copus was able to clinch the victory by less than a second. Massive congratulations to both athletes “who showed tremendous skill and sportsmanship after having crossed the line.” We are very excited to watch Antognelli on the water next month in Tokyo.
Saturday saw Brookes Women’s Championship VIII team win the event for the first time since 2016 in a dominant display ahead of the crew from UL. In the Intermediate race, Brookes finished in 2nd and 3rd place, which is a true testagment to the strength and depth within the Brookes Women’s squad. Elsewhere on the women’s squad.
Belle Stevens also secured a phenomenal Gold Medal in the Championship 1x after impressing in the Time Trial earlier in the day.
In true Brookes style, the Brookes Men also secured both 1st and 2nd in the A-Final of the Coxed Fours event, with the crew in first claiming another BUCS Record. This Gold Medal performance was also matched by the Brookes Men’s team in the Coxless Four event.
Finally, Quentin Anotognelli paired up with Dylan Mitchel to claim a very respectable Bronze medal in the Championship 2x.
Congratulations to all the rowers in action over the weekend it was another awesome display from the Brookes Rowing Club.
