5 September 2011
Four Abingdon boys represented Great Britain at the Junior World Championships held at Dorney Lake in August. The event was used as the test event for next year's Olympic games and was the culmination of a fantastic year for the boys.
John Carter and Jamie Copus were selected for the Eight. The crew had produced fast times in the lead up to the championships and showed their class by winning their heat to secure their place in the A final. Great Britain, Italy and Germany were the favourites going into the final and so it proved for the medals with Italy leading the way from start to finish and Great Britain producing a courageous row to close down the fast starting Germans and row through them to secure a brilliant silver medal in front of the home fans.
Vassilis Ragoussis was selected for the coxless four that entered the event with high expectations as the lead sweep boat. Unfortunately a slow final 500m in the heat and semi final relegated the crew to the B final and out of medal contention.
Felix Newman was selected for the coxed four which as the third of the sweep boats did tremendously well to make it into the A final. The crew raced well in the final and came a creditable sixth in the event.
With eleven boys in total representing Great Britain over the Summer the school maintains its record of having produced more GB oarsmen over the last decade than any other school.
Two OA’s represented Great Britain at the Under 23 World Championships – Max Gander and George Rossiter both returned with bronze medals won in the eights event.
