Bradford Grammar School pupils broke the World U19 Lightweight Concept 2 24 hour Rowing Club record with a final distance of 389,317 metres, beating the previous record set by Orlando Rowing club, Florida.
Rowing in two-minute shifts, a team of ten senior BGS rowers carefully practised changeovers to avoid losing momentum. The boys rowed all through the day and all through the night, with eight rowers involved in each two-hour shift allowing two of the team to snatch a little sleep before they were back on the ergometer.
The following morning, with over an hour to spare, the boys crashed through the existing world record and went on to row until 10 am, breaking the record by an impressive 18,182 metres!
Jane Chapman, Assistant Head (Pastoral) said: “I had the pleasure and privilege of seeing this magnificent effort by our rowers. It is a tremendous achievement for the ten boys involved, and was a truly impressive event. Hours of training and planning have gone into it and the teamwork and the atmosphere were wonderful!”
Simon Hinchliffe, BGS Headmaster agreed: “Well done to our Concept 2 24 hour record breaking rowers! I am in awe of their athleticism, ambition and determination.
Our rowers organised themselves and showed great team spirit in the breaking of this record; I am tremendously proud of them all. Thank you also to those fellow students, staff and families that supported our rowers during the event, including those who themselves rowed the equivalent of Putney Bridge to Bradford, no small feat.”
“Well done to our Concept 2 24 hour record breaking rowers! I am in awe of their athleticism, ambition and determination.
Our rowers organised themselves and showed great team spirit in the breaking of this record; I am tremendously proud of them all.”
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