Record number of entrants in Schools Boat Race

CANDICE BRADFIELD

ST Alban's College in Pretoria and St Mary's Girls School in Johannesburg came out tops out of a record number of entrants in the South African Schools Boat Race on the Kowie River on Saturday.

St Alban's beat St John's College in the boys' final with a time of 17 minutes 16 seconds. This is their first win at the Schools Boat Races – they came third last year.

St Mary's beat St Stithian's College in a time of 13:25 in the girls' final. St Mary's has had two winning streaks in the Schools Boat Race, from 2001 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2009.

This was the 13^th annual Schools Boat Race, organised by South African Schools Rowing Union (SASRU), which now welcomes clubs to compete as well. The event was hosted by St Andrew's College.

There were 17 boys' teams competing and 12 girls' teams. The boys' teams row a distance of 6.3km and the girls 4km.

Friday's races which included the girls' and boys' time trials were very well supported, with big crowds and music keeping everything festive. While there was a bit of rain on Saturday, conditions were still good for the rowers. Families came from as far as Pretoria to support their school teams who put in a lot of work each year.

Pete Andrew from St Andrew's College said in the time trials, that there had not been much difference between the top boys' teams.

Andrew thanked the Port Alfred Ski-boat Club, Ndlambe municipality, coaches, managers, parents, sponsors and the rowers for everything they had put into the event. He also thanked Don Cech, the SASRU convener, for all he had done.

"Numbers are growing and it is good to see such enthusiasm in competition,” he said.

After St John's College in second place with a time of 17:22 was St Benedict's College who completed the race in 21:37. The other results are 4th - St Andrew's College, 5th – St George's, 6th - South African College School (SACS), 7th - King Edward VII School, 8th – St Stithian's, 9th – Grey High School, 10th – Jeppe Boys' High School, 11th – Selborne College, 12th – Rondebosch Boys' High School, 13th – Hilton, 14th – Bishops or Diocesan College, 15th – Parktown Boys' High School, 16th – Western Cape Rowing Development and 17th – Zwartkops Rowing Club.

SACS was also awarded for being the most improved school.

In the girls' results, St Stithian's came in at 13:50, with St George's Academy in third place with 13:54. The other results are: 4th – St Andrew's School for Girls, 5th – Clarendon Girls High School, 6th – Holy Rosary School, 7th – Somerset College, 8th – Peninsula Girls Rowing Club, 9th – Diocesan School for Girls, 10th – St Dunstan's, 11th – Zwartkops Rowing Club and 12th - Western Cape Rowing Development.

Somerset College won the trophy for the most improved girls team.