History

A POTTED HISTORY

FOR THOSE WHO WANT MORE

WEBSITE HISTORY

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THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS REGATTA
61 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG

Not long after the end of World War Two, competitive rowing for Schools was very limited, particularly for crews below First and Second Eight level. In 1947, as a result of a desire to provide wider experience and competition, Mr Desmond Hill, then Master-in-charge of Rowing at St Edward's School, Oxford, issued invitations to the Third VIIIs of Shrewsbury, Bedford School, and Radley to race St Edwards at Godstow, and so the "Colts and Third Eights Regatta", now the National Schools' Regatta, was born.

More than sixty years after its founding, the National Schools Regatta, or NSR, is today a very different proposition. It has evolved into an event that is the largest domestic rowing event for girls and boys of school age, run over three days with around 3,500 competitors contesting 50 different events

  

Mr Desmond Hill OBE
  
 

Until 1973 the Regatta took place at a number of venues in the Thames Valley; four years at Godstow was followed by one year at Eton and a year at Radley, and then from 1953 ten years at the Nautical College at Pangbourne. At that stage the steady addition of new events resulted in the Regatta needing a new home which it found a mile upstream of Pangbourne at the Childe-Beale Trust Estate. The introduction of the new events meant that the original name was no longer appropriate, and so it was in 1964 that the Regatta was renamed The National Schools Regatta.

During the next decade, Junior Rowing flourished, helped by the creation of the first World and European Junior Championships which took place in Ratzeburg in 1967. The NSR continued to expand and flourish in the idyllic setting on the Childe-Beale Estate, but bad weather conditions rendering the course less than wholly fair, and the opening of the six lane course at Holme Pierrepont meant that it was only natural that in 1973 the Regatta should move to its sixth, and current home, at the National Watersports Centre.

In 1979 the committee introduced the first event for Girls (4+), and the Regatta continued to see a steady increase in popularity. Desmond Hill continued as Chairman of the Regatta until his death in 1984, and today his founding and administration of the Regatta is commemorated on the reverse of the Medals presented to successful competitors.

David McLellan followed the Founder as Chairman, and the event continued to grow apace following the steady expansion of events open to Girls from 1985 onwards. In 1987 an unfortunate milestone was achieved when the whole Regatta was abandoned due to the weather, but three years later in 1990 the expansion of the programme led to the introduction of a two-day regatta. Inevitably further innovations followed, such as the addition of J14 Octuples in 1991.

Peter Politzer assumed the Chairmanship in 1996, and under his careful stewardship the NSR continued to reflect and encourage the increasing popularity of Junior Rowing. In 2004, after a six year period in which J14 events were withdrawn due to the pressure on the programme, a third day was added to the programme which allowed the readmission of J14s to the Regatta.

Following the 2006 event, George Hammond became the new Chairman, and he leads the committee's resolve to ensure that the NSR will continue to provide competition for as wide and as high quality an event as is possible. It also intends to help nourish Junior Rowing as a whole which, through its charitable status, it has been able to do by supporting various causes.
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FIFTY YEARS TO ROW
A SOUVENIR HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS REGATTA
 

Only on sale at the Regatta, this colourful and generously illustrated book tells the story of the Regatta since the first Third Eights races at Godstow in June, 1947, up to 1995.

You can follow the progress of racing with special chapters on the decades at Pangbourne before the Regatta moved to Nottingham in 1973.

People involved reveal tales previously withheld. The advent of the girls in 1979 and the inside story of how today's Regatta is organised and the problems faced by the Committee are explained.

There are lists of the winners from the first year to 1995 and pictures of all the trophies.

Above all, the History is a tribute to our Founder, Desmond Hill.

Please make sure you buy your copy and one for your School or Club - Price £2.50

 
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WEBSITE HISTORY

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2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

  • 20.02.01 First 2001 files added

2000

  • 15.04.00 First 2000 files added

1999

  • 27.05.99 Zip file for 1999 files added
  • 27.05.99 Notes for competitors, coaches, spectators added.
  • 25.05.99 1999 map and Officials' Rosta added
  • 23.05.99 1999 DRAW added
  • 11.05.99 NSR ROWSHOW 1999 lay-out added
  • 11.05.99 1999 Safety Notice added
  • 11.05.99 1999 Entry form added as Excel form
  • 28.03.99 NSR ROWSHOW 1999 details added (also as Word7 Document)
  • 28.03.99 1999 Invitation for Entries added. (also as Word7 Document)
  • 20.10.98 Site built. Includes 1998 results and date for 1999 regatta
  • 28.03.99 Word7 Documents made available
  • 28.03.99 Invitation for entries and Row Show notes updated

1998

  • 07.11.98 Trophy names added to index pages
  • 07.11.98 Watermark background added
  • 07.11.98 Site now accessible as www.nsr.org.uk
  • 28.10.98 Index links corrected
  • 26.10.98 Site accessible as nsr.org.uk but not as www.nsr.org.uk
  • 26.10.98 Problems with file names over 10 characters noticed.
  • 24.10.98 Email forwarding now operating
  • 20.10.98 Each Regatta Year has its own sub-site - useful for bookmarking
  • 20.10.98 ZIPped copy of whole site added. This may be downloaded for use offline