A crew of five Bradford Grammar School (BGS) students were the youngest team to take on the Monster the Loch challenge at the weekend – rowing the full length of Loch Ness and raising more than £1,200 for the RNLI.
Led by BGS Boat Club captain Tom V, 17, from Ilkley, the team completed the gruelling 21.5-mile course in 3 hours 11 minutes and 45 seconds, finishing 26th out of 125 boats and more than 500 competitors from around the world.
Crews in Monster the Loch race the length of the famous Scottish waterway in boats of all shapes and sizes – from dragon boats and kayaks to custom-built vessels. The ‘BGS Monster Hunters’ crew rowed in a coastal quad loaned by St Andrews University, with Tom joined by Torben F, from Gomersal, Peter D and Leo MG, both from Hebden Bridge, and cox Harry W, from Guiseley.
Tom, who is beginning his final year at BGS studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry, said: “Saturday went really well – the atmosphere was great and we’re happy with how we rowed. The conditions on the Loch were ideal, which made it easier to hold our pace, and we were pleasantly surprised with our time and how we placed.
“It started getting tough after around 13 mile with Leo’s hands blistering and the rest of us starting to feel it too, but we coped well as a crew. It was quite a euphoric moment when we crossed the finish listening to Queen’s We Are the Champions playing on our speaker!”
The teenagers, who have all rowed for BGS since Year 7, trained throughout the summer on rowing machines and at Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club to prepare for the distance and conditions. Their fundraising for the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) currently stands at £1,286.
Simon Darnbrough, BGS Specialist Sports Coach (Rowing), said: “I’ve been coaching these boys for years, and their teamwork and determination in the run up to the challenge and on Loch Ness have been really inspirational.”
Parents travelled to Scotland to cheer the crew on from the shore. Abbey Vale, Tom’s mum, said: “It was certainly challenging at times, especially when the water got choppy, but the boys had trained hard and stuck together as a crew. Harry kept morale up and we couldn’t have been prouder following them along the route.”
Dr Simon Hinchliffe, Headmaster of BGS, said: “What these students have achieved on Loch Ness goes far beyond physical endurance. Their courage, training and teamwork under demanding conditions demonstrate a level of maturity and determination that is exceptional at any age. They deserve great credit for the way they prepared and performed – a tremendous well done to them all.”
“I’ve been coaching these boys for years, and their teamwork and determination in the run up to the challenge and on Loch Ness have been really inspirational.”