Bobby Thatcher, St Paul’s School
In a sport as dynamic as ours, few – if any – schools or clubs can guarantee success, yet under the stewardship of long-time Director of Rowing Bobby Thatcher, St Paul’s has done exactly that. In the 2023/24 season, the top St Paul’s eight secured the junior rowing triple, winning at the Schools’ Head of the River, National Schools’ Regatta, and Henley Royal Regatta. A top crew virtually unchallenged throughout the season, highly competitive junior ranks and excellent representation on the British junior team, Bobby’s steady hand on the tiller of one of the UK’s foremost programmes has proven once again in 2024 to be the guiding force behind a squad of generational talent.
Chris Tebb, Oxford Brookes University
A former Brookes rower himself, Chris Tebb has furthered the success of the women’s programme more than anyone could have hoped. A comprehensive winter season saw dozens of Brookes crews dominate across the Tideway heads, Boat Race fixtures and provincial races, shirking any doubt that come regatta season, Brookes would be the crew to beat. At BUCS, the Brookes women finished second in the VL standings, with no less than five gold medals to their name. Tebb then masterminded the first back-to-back set of victories in the Championship Eights at Henley Women’s Regatta, before making history by securing both the Island and Remenham Challenge Cups at Henley Royal Regatta.
Bodo Schulenburg, Hinksey Sculling School
A programme barely on the map a decade ago, Bodo has leveraged the last twelve months to catapult his programme from being outside bets to consistent threats on the junior circuit. In particular, Hinksey’s exploits in the junior women’s eights this season have left peers scratching their heads. A third-place finish at the Schools’ Head of the River was a sign of things to come, with the crew eventually winning gold at National Schools’, overturning St Edward’s School who had laid down an intimidating gauntlet in the morning time trials. Credited with transforming Hinksey’s junior squad into a group of well-drilled disruptors, Bodo’s natural talent is undeniable.
WOX, The Winning Cox
Unconventional? Yes. Surprising? No. Celebrating their first official birthday this month, WOX has put their first year in operation to good use, supporting the development of thousands of coxes in the UK and further afield. Led by a hexad of British coxing talent, Zoe De Toledo, Autumn Mantell, Matilda Horn, Sasha Adwani, Morgan Baynham-Williams and Erin Kennedy have upturned the historic notion of what it means to be a ‘coach’, pivoting to share their expertise with the coxing community online and en-mass. Through course walks, steering seminars and direct coaching, this novel online group has transformed the world of coxing.
Rob Baker, Cambridge University Boat Club
Betting against one of Rob Baker’s crews is little more than a fool’s errand in 2024. Since stepping across from the Cambridge women’s programme in 2018, Rob has only lost the men’s Boat Race once, and in 2024 his crew won by their largest margin yet. Flipping the typical Oxbridge script, Baker’s boys decided not to take the easy route and finish on a high in Putney, but instead continued through the domestic season with compelling results at several of the major races, ultimately reaching the Ladies Challenge Plate final at Henley Royal Regatta. Baker’s programme is defined by Tideway victories, a cohesive and motivated squad, and increasingly impressive performances outside of the Boat Race calendar.
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