AU Boat Club defeats RGU for 20th victory in 28 tries.
By Andrew Cardno
photo: University of Aberdeen
On the 11th of March, Aberdeen and Robert Gordon universities once again battled it out on the River Dee for the 28th Annual University Boat race.
Much unlike this article, the Aberdeen team made great time and were able to beat RGU – making this our 20th win in the races history.
Speaking on the race, Marion Caskie, 3rd seat stated: ‘This year’s boat race was a great demonstration of the standard of rowing at Aberdeen university. I am so proud to have been a part of the team. I look forward to the summer racing season to see what we can achieve!’
Team Preside Kirstin McCallum added: ‘We were so proud to win the 28th annual boat race, particularly given this year we had 5 female rowers in the boat and 3 men (compared to normally having 4 of each). That fact was a great exhibition of women’s rowing and something we were all proud to be a part of. It was more challenging than normal, but the entire squad stepped up and it ended up being a great race.’
The race covered a 3.5KM stretch of the River Dee which the AU Boat Club managed to complete with a time of 8 minutes and 48 seconds, beating RGU by 3¼ lengths. RGU took the victory in the second-crew race, crossing the line in 2min 43 seconds – a ¼ length faster than the AU Boat Club.
The race was a triumph, with both teams giving it their all – and an even larger race for the city of Aberdeen which got to watch these two rivals go at it once again.
Indeed, the victory for Aberdeen's elder university proved to be a harbinger of things to come, as UoA would thrash RGU in the Granite City Challenge 11 days later, 75 to 24.
Bob Newton, the boat race secretary and race organiser stated: ‘It was great to see spectators back to the banks of the Dee for this year’s Aberdeen Boat Race, which thanks to everyone involved was yet another memorable event.’
The clubs both train year round, which means the Aberdeen University team will be getting back to work and training to claim our 21st victory this time next year.
