In December of 2024 the Rondebosch 1st 8 (the premier boat class and 1stbteam) competed at the annual Schools Boat Race. An event where the 1st teams from all rowing schools compete in a time trial to be the fastest down a 5km tidal river with twists and turns. The tides make the race even more interesting as incoming tide will slow the boats speed down while using the out going can speed you up. Shallow waters could mean getting beached on a sand bank so there is a lot of responsibility on the coxswaine to avoid rocks, bends and the tides.

At this event the Rondebosch 1st team qualified for the C final from their time trial heads race. This meant that they would be racing for 5th and 6th place against St Albans college.

The first stages of the final could be compared to an epic clash between the springboks and the allblacks. The racing was physical and the boats could not be separated as they kept rowing into each other and crashing and clashing. Unfortunately after about 600m into the clashing, one of the rondebosch oars broke which sadly put an end to the competition as St Albans, rowing with a full crew of 8 and us a crew of 7, we’re able to pull away from our boys therefore taking 5th place in the competition while we took 6th place.

While the boys were dissapointed with the breakage, we couldn’t deny the race had been action packed and exciting and was made even more interesting by even seeing Ruhan Nair, who’s oar had broken, jump from the moving boat in order to lighten the load of the boat for the rest of the crew.

We are very happy with how the boys prepped and raced at the event and can’t wait to see how they go for the rest of the season.