Three-time Olympic Rowing Champion coaches LDE UTC Learners

The LDE UTC’s first ever Inter-Sector Rowing Competition in October was attended by none other than Team GB’s three-time Olympic Gold medal rowing champion, Andrew Triggs Hodge OBE. Learners were delighted to benefit from his coaching and encouragement throughout the event.

The atmosphere in the lecture hall was electric as the UTC’s four Sector Teams prepared for the competition by hearing Andrew’s inspirational story of how he became a three-time Olympic Champion.

Teams representing Costain, Skanska, Thames Water and Tideway (the four sectors at LDE UTC) with coaching tips from Andrew kicked off the competition to see who could row the furthest in an indoor relay race.

After an intense and hotly contested race, the Costain team rowed out as winners closely followed by Thames Water, Tideway and Skanska.        

Chair of Governors, Jeremy Galpin, who is the Legacy Lead at Costain Group and a keen rower himself said, “I was impressed by the skill, effort and enthusiasm shown by every learner taking part.”  Also at play, he said, “was the ingenious integration into the race of other learning outcomes such as team work, motivation and organisation.”

Jonny Morgan, Head of Year 12 had organised the race.  Jonny is a passionate sportsman, having represented both Great Britain and Norway in bobsleighing at international level. Jonny runs the College’s rapidly growing rowing club, which meets every Monday at the same Docklands venue as the London Youth Rowing Team.

Zahra Shamin, a Year 12 learner part the Skanska sector team, said my lungs were about to burst with all the effort I had to put in. Anujan Chandran, a learner on the Thames Water team who had been previously dislocated his shoulder said, that “the encouragement from the supporters and the crowd inspired me to keep going as fatigue set in”.

Everyone including the teams enjoyed the event so much that they are eagerly awaiting the next one, which is likely to be held in the summer term, so that the Costain Team can be knocked off its perch.