SPCBC Goes Global

St Peter’s College Boat Club (SPCBC) and Homerton College Boat Club, Cambridge (HCBC) set aside their rivalries to join forces at the 8th annual Nanchang International Regatta. The event, held on the 15th-19th of August, attracted crews from institutions including the University of Sydney, Yale University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Tokyo, alongside teams from across China. The crews competed in two disciplines: 1000m side-by-side racing as well as a 6000m head race.

Our Oxbridge crew, stroked by Cambridge 2023 lightweight rower Emile Czernuszka, was satisfied with its performance, especially considering the team had never trained together prior to the event. The composite crew won its first heat of the 1000m races, securing a spot in the final. In the final, they finished just shy of a bronze medal in 4th place. The following day, the crew tackled the 6000m head race, clocking in at 21:05.7, and once again placing 4th.

The regatta, designed to promote rowing in China, attracted local spectators and coverage. Competitors also engaged in community outreach, visiting a local high school to encourage junior rowing, and participated in an erg relay.

Although placing a respectable 4th place, the highlight of the trip was the friendships formed with fellow rowers, the warmth of the local community, and the camaraderie between SPCBC and HCBC.

The SPCBC/HCBC crew consisted of:

• Cox: Alexander Roth (SPCBC)
• Stroke: Emile Czernuszka (HCBC)
• 7: James Whiteley (HCBC)
• 6: Tom Tyler (SPCBC)
• 5: Nikolai Juraschko (SPCBC)
• 4: Alexander Redmond (SPCBC)
• 3: Joshua Wright (SPCBC)
• 2: William Fawcett (HCBC)
• Bow: Samuel Green (HCBC)
• Reserve: Krzysztof Łukaszek (SPCBC)
• Coach: Archie Bermingham (SPCBC)